how many children do you have?
one
how many pregnancies have you had?
1
how old were you when you gave birth?
Will be 31
what are your childrens' ages?
Not yet born!
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?
The community!
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?
one month
if microdosing, what size would you have? (.1 - 1gram)
.1g, .15g, .2g, .25g, .3g, .5g
in what form were you ingesting the mushroom?
teas, whole, Chocolate
how often did you dose?
intuitively -- as needed
if you were on a protocol, what protocol did you follow?
I once microdosed every day for a month during what is normally a severe depressive episode time of the year for me. It was the lightest symptoms for that time period I've ever had. This was before becoming pregnant.
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 try to help with my mental health. I'm diagnosed bipolar and have suffered with mental illness all my life. The most effective medicines in managing the symptoms have been ability, Cannabis, and psilocybin.
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms during your pregnancy?
I felt severe depression symptoms for months on end and decided I needed to microdose or take an antipsychotic. The microdose felt safer to me.
what benefits did you notice in your pregnancy?
Relief from suicidal thoughts and other symptoms of depression that haf persisted for 3 months.
After Birth & Breastfeeding
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms after you gave birth?
I haven't yet, but I'm certain I will! As part of continued management of my mental illness.
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?
Not yet!
did you notice any challenges to a) yourself b) to your baby and what were the benefits when ingesting mushrooms while breastfeeding?
Not yet!
Parenting
what benefits did you notice in your parenting that you attribute to the mushroom?
I've been able to reflect deeply on what kind of parent I want to be before my child is born.
what were the unwanted effects or challenges of ingesting mushrooms while parenting?
Nausea on top of hyperemesis gravidarum
what benefits have you noticed about your children that you attribute to the mushroom?
I predict he will be a more well adjusted and healthy baby than he would have been if he'd been forced to cook in my depression chemicals the whole pregnancy. Sometimes I feel in my belly what feels like a rush of good chemicals when I do something he likes (take my medicine, eat after being sick for days, etc.). It makes sense to me I'd feel him this way, because I've felt similar sensations in my own brain when observing my illness and medications.