The only green used to be my uniform
I have always loved to learn. Reading, studying, analyzing - I honestly can't get enough. I graduated university specializing in counterterrorism, went to St. Petersburg to learn some Russian and applied to the military to become an intelligence analyst. I wanted to be of service to the world, felt like I could handle the physical demands and, curious as I am, felt a pull to this other world of knowledge.
A year of intensive military training later and I stepped into the most masculine and hierarchical world there is. Working in intelligence meant reading hundreds of pages a day and analyzing them in the most thorough way imaginable. I absolutely loved this part. However, it also meant spending all day in a room without daylight, following orders without question, and being confronted with horrific situations around the world all day long. I gradually started to feel the toll this was taking.
Motherhood changed my idea of strength
I was already married to the most grounded, supportive and dedicated man I know. When we felt ready to welcome our first child, more than a year passed. Every bleed brought tears and an increasing sense of insecurity. We went to a fertility clinic. They did some scans and blood work, which showed my womb wasn't thriving. Perhaps it's best to start IVF, the doctor said. I decided to turn to natural medicine instead, and dived head first into everything I could find about herbs. Within three months (the exact time it would take the herbal protocol to impact an egg), I was pregnant. It brought me back in touch with my feminine side faster than I could have imagined. I was used to supporting every decision with compelling arguments and rational reasoning, but suddenly I found myself guided by intuition. This led me to freebirth, which unfolded intuitively for all of my three children. The strength and intuitive knowing I felt during birth was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
Becoming a certified herbalist
I thought about the strength I had felt during birth. About the incredible shift in my body when I turned to herbs in my conception journey. It made me sad and frankly a little angry that this was how mothers were expected to juggle modern life with the magic of motherhood. I quit my job in the military, and signed up with the most rigorous herbal studies I could find. Intuition had become my guide, but it hadn't replaced my great love for analysis. Three years later I graduated with a 130 page monograph on Motherwort. I chose this plant as a tribute to the mothers who inspired me, as it has been used by mothers for support for centuries. By then I had two sons and was soon to be pregnant with my daughter. Navigating overstimulation, sleep deprivation and a depleted body was my daily reality. I used all of it as an inspiration to formulate unique tinctures, tailored to these experiences in motherhood.
Daily life at Rooted Mothers
I launched Rooted Mothers at 36 weeks pregnant with my daughter, who was born around the winter solstice. I formulated signature blends that are designed to support specific experiences in motherhood. Each tincture is made from a passion for mothers and a love for the gifts of nature. It brings me immense joy that I'm able to spend all day with my three children. I love that they are witnessing me send out tinctures to support mothers, and my five year old could probably describe the plant's effect to you. My days are filled with puddle jumping, breastfeeding, laughs, pretend sirens, cries, and endless laundry. It's the life I've always dreamed of and I cherish it every single day. That doesn't mean it's without challenges, but I know very well how to support myself. As they grow older and go through different phases, I continue to experience new parts of motherhood. Each time I think about all of the other women going through something similar. I wonder how they feel. If they are supported. And then I step into my apothecary again, and start formulating. For her. For you.