A Mushroom Guide For Mothers

As soon as you become pregnant or consider becoming pregnant, you’re met with a tidal wave of rules. Do this. Don’t do that. Avoid these foods. Cut out those herbs. Mushrooms for Mothers? Definitely not. The warnings multiply, while the explanations stay scarce. Much (not all) of what’s offered is fear-based, rooted not in holistic wisdom but in a system that has long avoided studying women…especially pregnant women. Our bodies, our experiences, our medicines have too often been sidelined in sterile labs and risk-averse protocols. And yet, across generations and geographies, mothers have worked with the earth’s medicines, including mushrooms. They weren’t waiting on peer-reviewed papers. They were listening to their bodies, to their grandmothers, to the land. I decided to write this blog from that space…the gap, the silence, the need. Because when it comes to mushrooms—sacred and functional—there are few trustworthy resources for mothers. So here are my favorite resources. This is not medical advice but a collection of stories, research, as well as ancestral knowledge. This was made for the mothers seeking the truth, who want to walk with clarity, not fear, and those reclaiming the right to make informed decisions about what they put in their bodies—during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. You deserve more than “we just don’t know.” You deserve options. Welcome to the beginning of that.

Mushrooms before, during, and after pregnancy… What we know.

Thanks to the incredible work of Anna Sitcoff, ND, we now have a central resource mapping out the terrain of edible and medicinal mushrooms for mothers. Her article, featured in The Mycophile Quarterly—the North American Mycological Association’s (NAMA) publication (July–August–September 2024, page 53)—offers us insight so we can make our own informed decisions along our journey:

“There is really not enough clinical safety information on the use of mushroom supplements throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding to be certain that they are all safe during this time.”

This isn’t just a disclaimer…it’s a mirror. Reflecting the greater issue we face: that when it comes to women’s health, and especially maternal health, research is scarce, incomplete, and often rooted in fear. Still, Anna makes do with the limited research, weaving it together with traditional knowledge to guide us forward.

“Based on what I have gathered from the research and historical use, I conclude that they are likely safe, but of course, please ask your midwife and or OB-GYN about what would be right for you specifically. This article is intended for information purposes only.”

So what do we know?

“Mushrooms are more readily accessible as supplements to the general public than ever before in the Western world and they carry a reputation of safety during pregnancy. Indeed, the safety of mushrooms as a food source during pregnancy is seldom disputed, unless there is concern around accurate identification of an individual mushroom itself. You won’t find culinary mushrooms on any cautionary-pregnancy-food lists because well-cooked mushrooms are widely recognized as a healthy addition to a diet rooted in whole foods, regardless of one’s pregnancy status.”

As the popularity of drying, extracting, and encapsulating mushrooms continues to rise, so too does the caution. The shift from whole food to concentrated medicine raises fair questions, especially for pregnant bodies navigating a landscape of unknowns. Here are the key takeaways from The Mycophile Quarterly—Mushrooms before, during, and after pregnancy 2024:

1. Culinary Mushrooms Are Safe and Beneficial During All Stages of Motherhood

• Mushrooms like shiitake, maitake, oyster, and lion’s mane are widely recognized as safe, nutritious, and supportive during prenatal, pregnancy, and postpartum.
• They’re not on “do not eat” lists, and when well-cooked, can support whole-food diets for pregnant people.

2. Prenatal Support: Fertility, Hormones, and Stress

• Maitake has shown promising results in a small clinical trial for improving ovulation in PCOS patients—nearly as effective as the drug clomiphene.
• Reishi may support fertility by regulating cortisol and androgens, helping balance stress hormones and support ovulation.

3. Mushrooms During Pregnancy: The “Evidence” and Caution

• A clinical trial with white button mushrooms showed reduced risks of gestational diabetes, hypertension, and excessive weight gain.
• Rodent studies suggest medicinal mushrooms like reishi and shiitake are safe and potentially therapeutic in pregnancy.

4. Postpartum Support: Cognitive, Immune & Hormonal Healing

• Reishi and Cordyceps may support sleep, immune function, stress resilience, and energy postpartum.
• Lion’s Mane has shown benefit in menopausal women for memory, anxiety, and depression, suggesting value for postpartum cognitive health.
• B-glucans (found in mushrooms) may support breast milk production via action on the pituitary gland and prolactin production.

5. Ergothioneine: A Potential Ally for Preeclampsia in Pregnancy

• This amino acid is antioxidant-rich, builds up in organs prone to oxidative stress, and is linked to lower risk of preeclampsia in human studies. Found in oyster, shiitake, king oyster, and maitake mushrooms.
• Ergothioneine supplement have been approved safe in specific doses by the European Food Safety Authority for pregnant people, infants, and children.

6. Safety Considerations: Navigating the Unknown

• No known mushroom compounds present specific risks like teratogenicity, miscarriage, or clotting dysfunction.
• That said, because human clinical data is limited, medicinal mushrooms can’t be definitively deemed “safe” especially in early pregnancy
• Decision-making should be based on individual assessment, trimester, and informed consultation with a trusted provider.

There’s only so much we can hold on one page. The truth is, the world of mushrooms and motherhood is vast, interwoven with some science, but mostly story and remembering. We’ve only just scratched the surface. If you want to dive deeper into the research, the safety considerations you can find it all in Anna Sitcoff ND’s full article, published in Mycophile Quarterly (NAMA, July–August–September 2024, page 53). So if you’re ready to get into the details, check out the article here. And while we may not have all the clinical studies. But we do have the wisdom of storytelling. And it’s being gathered here so mothers don’t have to walk this path alone. Which leads us to the next section.

Mushrooms for Mothers

And then there’s the mushroom that no one wants to talk about. The most misunderstood. The most criminalized & yet one of the most sacred…mushrooms containing psilocybin. While culinary and medicinal mushrooms are slowly earning their place on the shelf of maternal wellness, psilocybin still lives in the shadows, especially when it comes to pregnancy and motherhood. But as with all things hidden, there are those willing to look deeper. Mother of the Mushrooms (MOTM) is a grassroots research initiative born in 2023, created by a collective of citizen scientists, educators, and parents who dared to ask the unaskable: What happens when mothers work with psilocybin during pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding…? This living project is shedding light on one of the most taboo, under-researched areas in psychedelic medicine—the intersection of sacred mushrooms and motherhood. MOTM is not here to sensationalize, but to listen. To gather the stories of real women who chose psilocybin as an ally during some of the most transformational seasons of life:

• Pre-conception
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Postpartum

Their mission is simple and radical: “To build a body of knowledge that reflects the truth of lived experience. To better understand the risk profile of psilocybin for mothers and birthing people. To explore the reasons behind these choices—and what unfolded because of them.” In a world that fears what it doesn’t study, MOTM is doing the essential work of remembering, researching, and reclaiming. Not to prescribe—but to preserve. Not to promote—but to illuminate. Because the more we know, the more informed our choices become. And that knowledge could serve mothers and families for generations to come. You can explore their ongoing research and read these 400+ powerful stories at: mothersofthemushroom.com/research 👈

Pregnancy, breastfeeding & Psychedelics resource guide

If hearing the stories of over 400 mothers wasn’t enough to stir something in you, Moms on Mushrooms has taken it one step further…gathering the science to meet the story. They’ve created a Complete Resource Guide—a clear, straightforward compilation of scientific papers, research studies, and trusted resources exploring psychedelics, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. It’s offered as a simple PDF download, designed to help you make informed, empowered decisions about your body, your health, and your family. This guide isn’t medical advice…it’s your right to information. As Tracey Tee, founder of Moms on Mushrooms, writes:

“Every source is meticulously linked to its original document, so you can explore further and confidently connect your own dots. May this guide serve you well on your sacred journey through motherhood, and may it help illuminate the path toward your own empowered decisions.”

Explore all their guides for mamas and support this incredible project below! Receive 20% off these programs here: Microdosing 101 for Moms Macrodosing For Mothers

Thank you so mush for reading and exploring this often-taboo topic with me.

It is always a joy to weave together two things I deeply love… mothering and mushrooms. There is still so mush to learn, question, and discover, and I would truly love to explore it alongside you, mama.

If you feel curious to keep the conversation going, I invite you to join our Mushroom Mama Circle. It is a space for connection, questions, and shared learning among mothers walking this path together.

Join us here 👈

Mush love, Karena Beana