how many children do you have?
one
how many pregnancies have you had?
2
how old were you when you gave birth?
31
what are your childrens' ages?
8
did any of those end in early release? (miscarriage, still birth or abortion?) if so, can you share a little about those experience?
In college, I when I was 19, I had a very early miscarriage. Wasn’t even aware I was (3-5 wks) pregnant, or could get pregnant. At age 11 I was diagnosed with endometriosis, put on hormonal contraceptives (which I continued to take for the next decade), and told I’d have trouble getting pregnant.
what surprised you about the mushroom journey?
The spiritual awakening it led to, the subtle yet gradual shifts in my awareness, the unintended positive effects, and more that I don’t have time to go into here.
Protocol & Dosing
with psilocybin, what has been your dosing experience?
microdose (.1 - 1 gram), mid dose (1-3 grams), full dose (3+ grams), high dose (6+ grams)
how long did you dose for?
three months or more
if microdosing, what size would you have? (.1 - 1gram)
.1g, .2g, .25g
in what form were you ingesting the mushroom?
capsules
how often did you dose?
protocol -- following a set regimen
if you were on a protocol, what protocol did you follow?
james fadiman - one day on, two days off
did you have any support with dosing?
only my own research
when did you start ingesting mushrooms?
after i gave birth
After Birth & Breastfeeding
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms after you gave birth?
Because I was experiencing severe postpartum depression.
A few years before getting pregnant I was prescribed an SSRI antidepressant to treat an episode of major (seasonal) depression. Aside from the decade of birth control, this was the only drug I’d ever been prescribed. It worked okay at a medium level dose for the next two years. I then became pregnant, I weaned off to give birth, then went back on it at a lower dose. Within 1 year postpartum I was up to the maximum dose of that SSRI and it was no longer effective at all. When I tried to slowly taper off of it (why take something if it’s not working?), going from 40mg down to 30mg, I was terrified to discover that while this pill was totally ineffective, I could not function without it. After 2 years, several miserable failed attempts to wean off the SSRI, and many years of researching alternative treatments, I decided to try microdosing as a way to get off the antidepressant.
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?
Ability to get off SSRI’s, which left me mostly numb and unable to feel my feelings deeply, and an improvement in depression symptoms. More hopeful about the future, engaged with people and nature and activities with my child.
what were the unwanted effects or challenges of ingesting mushrooms while parenting?
None with microdosing.
what benefits have you noticed about your children that you attribute to the mushroom?
N/a
Summary
what would you like to say to other mothers & pregnant/birthing people about your own experience?
Ingesting Psilocybin at sub-perceptual doses help me in many ways. It has altered the course of my life, awakened my spirit, and helped me in more ways than I ever could’ve imagined.
would you recommend this path to other people?
With research and support; if a person’s intuition is leading them down this path, I’d say go for it!
