Cannabis and Motherhood with Grace Hyde

Grace has long embraced a positive relationship with relationship with cannabis. “I love it all.” She said. “If you’ve never had a cannabis-infused bath, I highly recommend it.”

She was an industry professional before she was a mom, but now that she’s gone through the journey of motherhood, she has a new perspective on, and appreciation for, the plant.

Grace has always enjoyed smoking and vaping but used to find edibles too strong – one of the many things that has changed for her in motherhood. As a working mom with a toddler, everything Grace does demands presence and her full brain power. These days, she relies on nighttime edibles and the occasional vape to help her sleep.

“Sleep is one of the most important things you can do. Even in a season where sleep is out of my control, I can maximize the quality of the sleep I get [with cannabis] and have more patience and bandwidth the next day.”

Her cannabis consumption is always intentional and well-timed these days, because timing is everything to get the benefits of the effects. “My underlying level of tiredness is there at all times, and cannabis brings that to the surface.”

Everyone has an individual relationship with the plant, and it looks different for every parent. For Grace, it means accepting the reality of when cannabis consumption helps her, and when it doesn’t. “I don’t consume until she’s in bed for the night, because it’s hard to keep up with her. I’m jealous of the parents that can consume and hang out with their kids.”

The Surveillance of Pregnant Mothers

Grace stopped consuming during pregnancy. It was a personal choice, but she also cites the amount of drug testing she had to go through. “It’s a very interesting feeling to be so surveilled during pregnancy. At my OB-GYN, every time I got bloodwork done, they added a drug test – and they don’t tell you. If they find cannabis in your blood, they call CPS.”

Her sleep suffered during that time. “There were many sleepless nights where I was just staring at the ceiling, hoping to fall asleep soon. Running a big business, it can be hard to turn off the hamster wheel at night. Cannabis is so helpful to put those parts of the day away.”

Coming back to cannabis after giving birth was a process of discovery. “It was this great opportunity to rediscover what I like and what effects I want.” These days, Grace has a good understanding of when to consume cannabis to maximize its benefits in her life.

She is also quick to acknowledge that though she abstained, there can still be benefits to consumption during pregnancy for some people. “There are a lot of sleepless nights during pregnancy and postpartum, a lot of anxiety. Things that cannabis can help with.”

These days, Grace sees cannabis as part of a larger holistic approach to her life. “Before kids, I was seeking out specific effects, and now it’s a bigger part of a holistic integration in my life.”

Meshing Cannabis and Motherhood

As a mom of a 3-year-old, Grace doesn’t have to wade into the depth of complicated conversations quite yet. “She has no concept of cannabis,” Grace said. “Sometimes if I come home after being at a grow all day, she’ll tell me I smell like skunk. But when I ask her if she knows what I do, she says, “You take meetings.”

Eventually, that conversation will change. “My daughter understands the concept of alcohol and drinks just for adults, so there will be similar messaging around cannabis and how it’s something to enjoy in moderation for adults.”

But her daughter recently entered school, which means changing conversations elsewhere – like with the teachers. “People are often surprised and have a lot of questions, especially around cannabis access in the house.”

All products are kept secure and locked away, but Grace understands their hesitation. “Manufacturers are required to make their products childproof, but kids can get in if they really want to. The onus is on the parents to keep their kids safe from anything they shouldn’t have.”