how many children do you have?
one
how many pregnancies have you had?
1
how old were you when you gave birth?
29
what are your childrens' ages?
1
did any of those end in early release? (miscarriage, still birth or abortion?) if so, can you share a little about those experience?
no
what surprised you about the mushroom journey?
it surprised me how clearly I understood they were not helpful during pregnancy through the first 9m postpartum. Due to severe lack of sleep, microdosing postpartum seemed to use the little energy I had faster so I would be very drained during/afterwards and found no benefit of them other than 1-2 hours of boosted mood.
Protocol & Dosing
with psilocybin, what has been your dosing experience?
microdose (.1 - 1 gram), mid dose (1-3 grams), full dose (3+ grams)
how long did you dose for?
throughout the year
if microdosing, what size would you have? (.1 - 1gram)
.1g, .15g, .2g, .25g, .3g
in what form were you ingesting the mushroom?
whole, powdered
how often did you dose?
intuitively -- as needed
if you were on a protocol, what protocol did you follow?
n/a
did you have any support with dosing?
when did you start ingesting mushrooms?
before i became pregnant
Pregnancy
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms before your pregnancy?
to help mood, help menstrual cycle, spiritual connection, connection with nature, having fun with friends
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms during your pregnancy?
I tried 2x and it was too intense! I tried to help with mood/emotional stress
what benefits did you notice in your pregnancy?
After Birth & Breastfeeding
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms after you gave birth?
Help with depressed mood, increase patience with my son, to relax into present moment
did you ingest mushrooms while breastfeeding?
did you notice any benefits to a) yourself b) to your baby and what were the benefits when ingesting mushrooms while breastfeeding?
none - even .1g was too strong and overwhelming during pregnancy. Pregnancy already shifted my consciousness and opened me, I guess I didn't need additional help from mushrooms
did you notice any challenges to a) yourself b) to your baby and what were the benefits when ingesting mushrooms while breastfeeding?
Parenting
what benefits did you notice in your parenting that you attribute to the mushroom?
ability to let things go, positive mood, more patience, more creative play with my child, better insight into how I can grow into the mother I know I am and want to be, but struggle to find her some days
what were the unwanted effects or challenges of ingesting mushrooms while parenting?
fear that my son is tuning into my altered state and was fearful or anxious because of it
what benefits have you noticed about your children that you attribute to the mushroom?
openness
Summary
what would you like to say to other mothers & pregnant/birthing people about your own experience?
tune in to what your body and spirit need and trust that. Dont rush going back to your practice - and like everything after birthing, the relationship you had with mushrooms will be different than before.
would you recommend this path to other people?
yes