how many children do you have?
one
how many pregnancies have you had?
1
how old were you when you gave birth?
28
what are your childrens' ages?
5
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?
How much I rediscovered about myself. That ingesting mushrooms was nothing like I was told it would be.
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?
two months
if microdosing, what size would you have? (.1 - 1gram)
.1g, .15g, .3g, 1g
in what form were you ingesting the mushroom?
capsules, teas, whole
how often did you dose?
intuitively -- as needed
if you were on a protocol, what protocol did you follow?
Both Fadiman and Stamets
did you have any support with dosing?
when did you start ingesting mushrooms?
after i gave birth
Pregnancy
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms before your pregnancy?
I didn't. I ingested cannabis but was fearful of mushrooms.
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms during your pregnancy?
I didn't. I ingested cannabis, although less frequently.
what benefits did you notice in your pregnancy?
N/A
After Birth & Breastfeeding
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms after you gave birth?
I had suffered from postpartum depression and postpartum OCD, therapy helped but it wasnt until my sun was 3 uears old that I ingested mushrooms for the first time. I had recently left an abusive marriage and was struggling mentally, emotionally and spiritually. A good friend recommended mircodosing and it changed everything.
did you ingest mushrooms while breastfeeding?
No
did you notice any benefits to a) yourself b) to your baby and what were the benefits when ingesting mushrooms while breastfeeding?
N/A
did you notice any challenges to a) yourself b) to your baby and what were the benefits when ingesting mushrooms while breastfeeding?
N/A
Parenting
what benefits did you notice in your parenting that you attribute to the mushroom?
I was overall a better parent. I was able to be more gentle and intuitive in the way I guided my sun. I felt a deeper connection to him that eased my anxiety when he was away from me. "Mom guilt" and judgement from other people didn't affect me the way it once did. I knew my sin had chosen me to walk with him and began holding space for him to teach me as I guided him.
what were the unwanted effects or challenges of ingesting mushrooms while parenting?
Depending on what I ingested I may have had brief stomach discomfort. But the biggerest challenge was access, finding a dependable grower and affordability.
what benefits have you noticed about your children that you attribute to the mushroom?
When I was mircodosing our days were easeful. He was less likely to be overstimulated or cranky.
Summary
what would you like to say to other mothers & pregnant/birthing people about your own experience?
PLANTS because pharmaceuticals could never. Mircodosing did more for me anxiety and depression than any pharmaceutical or therapy.
would you recommend this path to other people?
YES, I believe the medicine plants, especially mushrooms, offer us is paramount in our ability to heal ourselves and parent our children with ease centering love, intimacy and connection.