The Cannamom Roundtable Is Back: Part 2!
Let’s Continue Our Discussion On Cannabis Use and Fertility, Pregnancy, Conception, and Postpartum
Shonitria: A mom who was once on my podcast took Zofran during her pregnancy. Her daughter was born and now her daughter has heart issues, and it's because of her taking Zofran for morning sickness.
Why are doctors so suspicious of a natural plant and so accepting of chemicals that have definitely had these consequences?
Tammy: I'm sure a doctor, from their perspective, has seen families that do things to their unborn child’s detriment.
And as a practicing physician, that has to be very frustrating.
So they're coming from a place of their experience and expertise.
But I do think that there’s a better way for doctors and patients to have conversations. A doctor should be like a therapist and ask questions like: “What makes you feel this way about this or that?”
And maybe debunking some of whatever it is that you believe to be true.
You know, doctors get really nice checks from the pharmaceutical reps for whatever brand they're pushing.
But it's always stressful as a parent when your doctor is pushing one thing and you don’t want it.
Shonitria: But not all doctors are bad. I've spoken to some amazing doctors on the podcast.
If you meet a doctor who is open-minded and willing to have a conversation with you, as well as be an advisor to you, you’re lucky.
So how would you guys advise parents to prepare for the fourth trimester and postpartum? And what are the best ways to use cannabis after giving birth?
Amber: I learned with my second child that I need support in place beforehand.
We had a lot of help in place. My mother-in-law was extremely helpful. And I was so proud of myself for asking for help because that can be hard.
So my biggest advice is to have help and to be willing to ask for help.
Start with your friends and people you feel really safe with. Ask for stuff on your registry, like a house cleaner and meal deliveries.
And I think there should be classes that men have to go to so they can understand the dynamics for women.
Shonitria: A lot of men experience their own version of postpartum depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Imagine if you had a scare during pregnancy, and so they're holding that negative energy to protect you during it.
And so men can have postpartum depression and anxiety, and nobody is really talking about that.
Tammy: There definitely needs to be support for men.
For women, three days postpartum, you're about to have a huge hormonal shift.
Seventy-two hours after birth, please have CBD on hand to consume and combat that hormonal shift.
I learned this in the motherhood & cannabis course by the neuroscientist Dr. Michelle Ross.
Have CBD on hand to consume. Your baby does have an endocannabinoid system. I’m not saying blast it, but take some. And please journal how the baby is behaving.
And it's just like drinking. You don't want to feed the baby while you're drunk. You want to wait until you're sober before you give the baby milk.
And like Amber was saying, I was a stay-at-home mom and proud of it. I didn’t have help.
But going from one to two kids was rough. One time, I hadn't showered in a week or eaten because my husband was off for work. I was having a hard time.
It was just me, a four year old, and a newborn.
I left my baby on the couch to go take a quick shower. I was gone for five minutes and my baby was on the floor. And my four year old was sitting on the couch.
And I realized that I couldn’t do it. So, you should ask for somebody to come over and hold your baby while you shower or so that you can nap.
Have your friends rotate and come clean your house once a week. Really take care of yourself.
Postpartum depression is unavoidable. The shift in hormones happens and it causes depression.
So, take CBD seventy-two hours after.
Be easy on yourself because you just performed a miracle. Act like it.
Shonitria: Cece, Renee, what did you guys experience postpartum?
Cece: Yeah, my postpartum was awful. It was so bad that I would never and could never think of getting into a space of having another child after I had my son.
I had my daughter at twenty-five. I did have some postpartum, but it wasn't as bad. I think I just got back into the swing of life and it went away.
After I had my son at thirty-five, it was the worst time of my life. That's when I really saw cannabis for the medicinal part.
Cannabis was how I even showed up every day to be a mom.
I tried to breastfeed and couldn't. I just wasn't producing enough milk. I finally gave up and went on formula.
And after that, I started consuming cannabis. I started feeling better. Cannabis and therapy helped a lot.
Shonitria: I love that. That's the resounding thing that we've all said and continue to say is that cannabis makes us feel really good.
Cannabis helps us get back to ourselves.
But we've all had that guilt about whether it’s wrong and internalized it in some way.
But at the same time, we've all flipped the script and are now in our own respective corners, all doing the exact opposite.
Tammy: Having a village is important.
I think during my first pregnancy, I had PPD, but it was because I was around a lot of people who were not supporting. They had judgments.
I was a first time mother who was not mothered. Pregnancy just wrecked my life. That was my perspective at the time.
I had no support, but people were telling me that what I'm doing is wrong.But at the same time, nobody was helping me do things the ‘right’ way because they didn't have the tools either.
My second pregnancy, I had about five women around me who were also pregnant. We all had our babies within two months of each other.
It felt good having conversations and not feeling guilty for showing up 45 minutes late because I needed to feed the baby after I got him in his car seat.
And knowing other mothers who are also nursing gives you things to laugh about.
Shonitria: Poop hits different!
Tammy: So different!
Having a village of other women that you know are going to support you is so important.
You all go to someone's house, do the dishes, clean up, and play with the kids together. And the whole time we're talking, we're laughing, we’re having wine and smoking weed.
So that was what saved me with my second postpartum.
Shonitria: I think that a lot of women don't realize the effect the environment plays on postpartum.
The trigger for me was not anything in my home. It was the world. It was the environment that we were in.
With COVID, we had started lockdowns. There was so much isolation.
And in my head, I was thinking that post pregnancy was the time I was gonna get out and re-emerge as a mom.
But you know what happened? A bitch was locked down with a baby on her tail!
I never got to go outside and was alone. I just started tunneling and spiraling with no support, except for my therapist.
I really feel like every new mom should be sent home with an appointment with an individual therapist.
You should be sent home with a couples therapist, too, if you're in a relationship.
Okay, so you guys, this has been an amazing conversation. Do you guys want to give one last parting word on cannabis for pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding?
Amber: Do what feels good. Trust your circle. Ask for help.
Renee: I love that Amber.
Tammy: This is not going to be the first time that you're going to be faced with a challenging decision that affects your child. So go with what feels right.
Even if you're wrong, you're going to learn.
But keep your cannabis use close. Shut up about it. Don't smell like it. Get yourself some eye drops. Get body spray and never go to an appointment smelling like it.
And don't listen to the noise around you. Do what's best for you and your child. Only you know what is.
Renee: Just do the research, you know?
Cece: I think that even if it seems scary for people that are just starting to understand cannabis, just know it's a little bit more mainstream now.
You've been in the closet for a while, and it's okay, there's more of us. You don't have to hide it.
And the more that people don't hide it, the easier it is going to be to smoke guilt-free, especially for women who are forty or older and that have been used to hiding it for so long.
Shonitria: Moms, you are not alone.
Thank you all for chatting with me about it.
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