Publications & Presentations
Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Parenting with Cannabis
Supporting pregnant and lactating parents who consume cannabis and the providers that work with and for them
“Digging in”:
Stigma and surveillance in the lives of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers who consume cannabis
Critical Public Health
Since the shift to legalizing recreational cannabis use in Canada in 2018, there has been increased attention on the consequences of cannabis use on women’s reproductive and maternal health, with particular attention to the impact of cannabis in utero and through breastfeeding. This has resulted in an intense focus on the behaviors of individuals who consume cannabis during the perinatal period, which raises questions about the impact this has on women and mothers who have historically been under the surveillance of the Canadian public health, health and social care, and legal systems. Grounded in an intersectional feminist framework that acknowledges how race, ability, class, and other social positions impact and differentiate women’s experience, this paper presents findings emerging from a participatory arts-based research approach called Photovoice with 23 mothers living throughout Canada. All participants consumed cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding and illustrated through photographs and individual and group discussion how their experiences of intersectional stigma and surveillance by health and social care providers resulted in barriers to accessing cannabis-related information and support. Implications arising from our inquiry suggest there is a dire need for public health, perinatal care, and social care responses that run counter to the current context where stigma and fear prevent parents from accessing cannabis information and support.
Wading Through The Weeds
A Public Health Response to Supporting Pregnant and Breast/Chestfeeding People who Consume Cannabis
In 2018, Canada legalized recreational cannabis. This has had significant shifts on the landscape of health and social policy and had implications for health and social care providers. As legalization becomes more entrenched, cannabis related surveillance, stigma, and punishment still looms large for marginalized communities. The Wading through the Weeds project built on a small body of critical health and social science research that focused on cannabis use during pregnancy, breastfeeding and the postpartum period. It aimed to translate and mobilize new knowledge to improve public health approaches to supporting Black, Indigenous and other unjustly marginalized individuals who consume cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
“1, 2, 3, Release”: CannabisConsumption and Mental Health and Well-Being During Pregnancy Lactation and Parenting
This paper presents rich and in-depth insights emerging from “Wading through the Weeds” (WttW), a participatory arts-based research study that used the Photovoice method to centre the lived experience of 23 mothers throughout Canada who consumed cannabis during pregnancy, lactation and motherhood. Specifically, this paper examines and elucidates the ways that the mothers in our study used cannabis to address mental health challenges during the perinatal period and beyond. A significant theme emerging from our research findings was the connection between the mothers’ decision to consume cannabis to cope with and/or overcome mental health challenges and a strong belief that cannabis supported them with their perinatal and maternal health and well-being. This included multiple stressors such as financial and interpersonal concerns, experiences of anxiety and depression, histories of addiction, trauma, and abuse, and managing of symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that impacted their everyday lives. Our inquiry suggests that there is a dire need for public health decision-makers, clinicians, and social workers to understand and respond to the historical context, current realities, and intersecting identities of pregnant, lactating and parenting people who consume cannabis. Responses that run counter to the current context, where stigma and fear prevent parents from accessing cannabis information and support, have the potential to more effectively support the mental health and wellbeing of these parents during the perinatal period.
Wading Through the Weeds: A Harm Reduction Toolkit for Supporting Parents and lactating Individuals who Consume Cannabis
This toolkit builds on a small body of critical health and social science research that focuses on cannabis use during pregnancy, lactation, and the postpartum period. This toolkit provides care providers* with accessible, comprehensive, and evidence-based information on cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation. It’s designed to support providers in delivering stigma free, trauma-informed care to parents and parents-to-be who may use cannabis.
This toolkit aligns with current research and best practices to facilitate supportive conversations, empowering both providers and individuals to make informed decisions.
Due to the evolving nature of cannabis research, it is important that this toolkit is used as a resource with understanding that what we know about cannabis is continuing to evolve and change.
* Care provider is inclusive of healthcare providers, social care providers, peer support workers, and those providing care to other.
Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Parenting
with Cannabis
More to Explore
About the Project
Participant Art & Words
