how many children do you have?
one
how many pregnancies have you had?
1
how old were you when you gave birth?
37
what are your childrens' ages?
1 y 11m
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?
That I started to feel the changes almost immediately
Protocol & Dosing
with psilocybin, what has been your dosing experience?
microdose (.1 - 1 gram)
how long did you dose for?
three months or more
if microdosing, what size would you have? (.1 - 1gram)
.1g
in what form were you ingesting the mushroom?
whole
how often did you dose?
protocol -- following a set regimen
if you were on a protocol, what protocol did you follow?
microdosing institute - every other day
did you have any support with dosing?
when did you start ingesting mushrooms?
after i gave birth
After Birth & Breastfeeding
why did you choose to ingest mushrooms after you gave birth?
I have a problem with depression but have been unmedicated for a long time. In 2023 a political and social crisis hit my country leaving me with no desire to live. My first year of post partum was hard. I didn't want to go back to anti-depressants (the last time I had a treatment was 18 years ago). I started to microdose also to see if my impulsiveness, anxiety and tendency to overthink would stop or at least diminish.
did you ingest mushrooms while breastfeeding?
Yes
did you notice any benefits to a) yourself b) to your baby and what were the benefits when ingesting mushrooms while breastfeeding?
I stopped being so impulsive because it gave my the capacity to stop a moment, look around and reinterpret my surroundings or the situation. I was not as anxious as before and it helped me rest better. I felt better and no longer suicidal.
My baby was ok. I'm not sure if it was because of the mushrooms or if she's just bright, but she for example was able to free herself from the stroller's belt by learning how the mechanism worked. She was a year and a half when she started to do that.
did you notice any challenges to a) yourself b) to your baby and what were the benefits when ingesting mushrooms while breastfeeding?
I stopped being so impulsive because it gave my the capacity to stop a moment, look around and reinterpret my surroundings or the situation. I was not as anxious as before and it helped me rest better. I felt better and no longer suicidal.
My baby was ok. I'm not sure if it was because of the mushrooms or if she's just bright, but she for example was able to free herself from the stroller's belt by learning how the mechanism worked. She was a year and a half when she started to do that.
Parenting
what benefits did you notice in your parenting that you attribute to the mushroom?
I was calmer, more able to address tantrums and other challenges calmly and not anxiously
what were the unwanted effects or challenges of ingesting mushrooms while parenting?
None
what benefits have you noticed about your children that you attribute to the mushroom?
Some cognitive development earlier for her age
Summary
what would you like to say to other mothers & pregnant/birthing people about your own experience?
Mushrooms are a great option for post partum depression. It helps on our parenting, especially for those who like me are racialized parents from.the global south, living in challenging contexts and carrying lots of intergenerational trauma.
would you recommend this path to other people?
Definitely