Somewhat of a Queen Goddess in the doula world, Latham Thomas is a birth doula whose prowess has even been recognized by Oprah Winfrey. The founder of Mama Glow, a global maternal health and doula education company, Latham is a celebrity doula and wellness guru for Alicia Keys, Ashley Graham, DJ Khaled, Tamera Mowry, Adrienne Bosh and others.
She’s also the author of two bestselling books – Own Your Glow: A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living and Crowning The Queen Within and Mama Glow: A Hip Guide to Your Fabulous Abundant Pregnancy.
Latham believes in the power of CBD for women’s wellness.
She uses CBD topically during her menstrual cycle, and orally during times of great stress. “In the past 5 years I have deepened my relationship to CBD. Now I take a regular tonic by Momotaro Apotheca and its hemp infusion. It’s amazing for helping me unwind particularly during the times we are living in today. 2020 was a challenging year for all of us. I see CBD as part of my mental health routine,” she shares.
Topically, Latham also uses CBD cream or oil on her abdomen and lower back during her period, and reaches for Foria Wellness’ AWAKEN oil to support her sexual wellness.
Although she believes CBD can be great for women, Latham does not recommend pregnant women ingest it.
“I don’t recommend people use CBD internally during pregnancy. The cannabis industry is very unregulated in terms of products. Ingestibles are really tricky, and because we don’t have evidence-based research speaking to the features and benefits that we know anecdotally, I can not recommend that pregnant people use a CBD product internally. I think topically speaking, CBD oil and creams can be great during pregnancy to help decrease inflammation, and can help with pain relief and relaxation,” she says.
She says cannabinoids have been found in breast milk, and believes this is a sign of how the body is primed for a relationship with cannabis. However, she does not think women should ingest CBD while breastfeeding.
“Even though CBD is natural, we don’t yet know how it affects a developing baby and child, and what the long term effects might be for a baby who has been exposed to CBD through breast milk. There is a lack of published research on the safety of using CBD while breastfeeding,” she explains.
Post-breastfeeding, Latham is all for women using CBD for general self-care and the alleviation of stress and pain. “Seek out reputable brands that use conscious farming practices, including women and minority owned brands,” she advises.
When ingested at the right stage of a woman’s reproductive journey, CBD can be a truly healthy part of one’s self-care ritual, Latham affirms.
