Newborn has drugs in system...what now?

[nkereina]

Actually, I do know of cases where women have been moved up on lists because they are pregnant. Not to suggest that getting space is easy by any means, but strings will definitely be pulled to place a pregnant mom beyond ASAP for obvious reasons.

That's good to hear. But it unfortunately doesn't change the fact that they're still on a waiting list. The poster I was quoting is giving the impression they believe an addict can get immediate help today, and that's just not the case.

 

[GreatLakes]

Bouncing off what another poster said, no mother's ever been sorry she took precautions and delivered a healthy child. Enough can go wrong -- why add to the possibilities?

That was exactly her rationale. If our son was born with any issues, even if they were logically unrelated to a few drinks, she would always wonder if she really did everything should could to ensure he was born healthy. There are so many variables outside of our control we wanted to control the ones we complete as possible.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

If you are a nurse, you know that many of the addicted were in genuine pain and overprescribed highly addictive narcotics as a first line defense at one time.

As a nurse, I know that it is much more complicated than that, and ultimately, addicts need to take responsibility for their actions. I'm not going to go into the depth of the problem, but the fault of use lies on the user. Enabling and deflecting blame does no good.

 

[Hisgirl]

Speaking of opiods, my husband is in extreme pain from a hip that needs to be replaced AND a compressed nerve in his T3-T-4, and if it were not for the pain killers (which he purposefully only takes 1-3 times per week) he would not be able to function, at least those 1-3 days. They have their place.

It's so odd to me. I never took recreational drugs, even once...and I was a teen back when drugs and rock n roll were everywhere, the 70s. Everybody was doing drugs but I made a choice to not be a follower.

Since that time, I've taken every sort of 'drug' for pain, anxiety, panic attacks, muscle spasms, post op pain, etc etc etc and not once did I ever think, oooh, I like how this makes me feel, I think I want to do this again. I've just never understood it. The way Flight of passage makes me feel, a new puppy, watching a great comedy, taking a deep breath outside on the first cold fall morning, smelling fresh coffee, watching children play.....now THAT'S a high I'll take anyday. I'm sad for the folks who seek that deep feeling of joy from a pill. So very sad.

 

[Hikergirl]

@cabanafrau I appreciate your insight on this topic, it does give me a different view of things.
I admit that I am rather closed minded on the subject because of my experiences and it is hard to see things any other way. Your posts on here do help me at least tell myself that it doesn't always have to be so black and white.

 

[cabanafrau]

Speaking of opiods, my husband is in extreme pain from a hip that needs to be replaced AND a compressed nerve in his T3-T-4, and if it were not for the pain killers (which he purposefully only takes 1-3 times per week) he would not be able to function, at least those 1-3 days. They have their place.

It's so odd to me. I never took recreational drugs, even once...and I was a teen back when drugs and rock n roll were everywhere, the 70s. Everybody was doing drugs but I made a choice to not be a follower.

Since that time, I've taken every sort of 'drug' for pain, anxiety, panic attacks, muscle spasms, post op pain, etc etc etc and not once did I ever think, oooh, I like how this makes me feel, I think I want to do this again. I've just never understood it. The way Flight of passage makes me feel, a new puppy, watching a great comedy, taking a deep breath outside on the first cold fall morning, smelling fresh coffee, watching children play.....now THAT'S a high I'll take anyday. I'm sad for the folks who seek that deep feeling of joy from a pill. So very sad.

I think you're oversimplifying it. Many addicts/recovering addicts report being taken in by feeling good, feeling well -- a change from what they had been used to before taking the drug. Who's to say that it's an apples to apples comparison between those of us who are lucky enough not to feel the pull and those who are desperate simply for the chance not to feel miserable for a change? What would it take to tip me, you or anyone else on the lucky side of the equation onto the downside?

I think most people hearing the reports about how Michael Jackson died couldn't fathom how it could be that he would actually wind up in a situation where he had a doctor in his home to deliver an IV drug to him to sleep. That seemed nuts to me, despite being someone who has struggled with insomnia more and more during my adult years. Several years back I suffered a relatively minor injury that required a couple outpatient surgeries. I heard they were going to use Propofol and it made me incredibly anxious. I had the first surgery and was blown away by the fact I knew I was awake one minute, out like a light the next, and then awake the moment they brought me out of it. It was only maybe an hour max, yet I had this overwhelming feeling that I haven't slept so well or so easily since my teens. I actually kind of looked forward to the second surgery because I was going to get to "rest" so well again. Good thing I ain't got no Michael Jackson money or status to be able to procure myself a doctor at 3:45 a.m., because I can tell you it would be tempting.

This is coming from the same person who wouldn't take any of the narcotic painkillers prescribed after the same procedures, despite being warned not to let the pain get the best of me. Two adult beverages is a big night for me. I'm still aware I have vulnerabilities -- and pray to God I won't be tested.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

As a nurse, I know that it is much more complicated than that, and ultimately, addicts need to take responsibility for their actions. I'm not going to go into the depth of the problem, but the fault of use lies on the user. Enabling and deflecting blame does no good.

Neither does having a judgmental attitude.

 

[cabanafrau]

@cabanafrau I appreciate your insight on this topic, it does give me a different view of things.
I admit that I am rather closed minded on the subject because of my experiences and it is hard to see things any other way. Your posts on here do help me at least tell myself that it doesn't always have to be so black and white.

I absolutely get your thought process and I shared it. The only thing that changed my mind was either dealing with the kids directly in a variety of circumstances along the way, or handling matters involving the very young kids where those caring for them and those treating them revealed their issues. The struggle for reunification isn't about the parents.

 

[cabanafrau]

As a nurse, I know that it is much more complicated than that, and ultimately, addicts need to take responsibility for their actions. I'm not going to go into the depth of the problem, but the fault of use lies on the user. Enabling and deflecting blame does no good.

You are correct. There's a difference between an addict necessarily accepting personal responsibility for their plight in order to embrace recovery and the immediate decision to terminate parental rights solely based upon a child being born to a using mother. The needs and best interest of the child are paramount, period.

 

[buzzrelly]

This poor baby will be monitored for signs of withdrawal by getting a "Finnegan Score." If the scores are high enough, the poor little guy will be started on morphine to prevent him from the severe effects of withdrawal, the most dangerous of which is seizing. He will have to be tapered off the morphine over a period of months, all the while trying to develop properly without a mother because he most assuredly would be (and should be) taken away from her…at least temporarily. He will become a ward of the state and the state doesn't make a good parent so he will be assigned to a foster family, or if he's lucky enough to have any decent relatives, he will live with them and hopefully learn to bond and trust any humans.

As for the mother, she will be checked into rehab and when she gets out, the baby will be given back to her. There are halfway houses that the mothers can have their babies with them and if this mother is doing all that she should be doing, maybe he can get into one of those. God only knows what happens after. There are too many cases of this for CPS to handle and many, many fall through the cracks.

Very sad.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Neither does having a judgmental attitude.

Placing the blame on the person committing the drug usage is not judgemental, it is fact. Nobody puts that needle in their arm (or whatever the method of choice is).

 

[Hisgirl]

So here's an update. The mother is out. I saw her post a pic out and about in her town. No word on what is happening with the baby but since it was premature, I assume it is still in premie care. I will update when I hear more.

 

[scrapquitler]

a

A friend of mine's DD just delivered a baby and the baby had numerous drugs in its little system. Child protective services have been called. We thought the mother was clean, but obviously not.

So what happens now?


For those who have witnessed this situation, what have you seen happen?

When this happened in my family (the nurse caught Mom shooting up while she was in labor), there was an emergency court hearing and the Mom's parental rights were terminated temporarily and Dad (they were not married) had a temporary full custody order by the time the baby was released from the hospital. Within a couple months, those court orders were made permanent. The baby is now in first grade and is doing well. Mom has has another baby and her parental rights for that baby were also terminated in just about the same situation.

 

[manning]

You think this woman chose addiction? It is pretty much impossible to get clean without treatment, treatment that is expensive, and the drugs really mess up the brain. This isn’t like breaking a nasty Diet Coke habit.

Relapse is high. I heard about 80 %

 

[Floridaman999]

I was researching the license litigation in my state for nurses and was completely floored with how many nurses lose their license due to drug addiction. I had no idea it was such a problem. I started searching the nurses and doctors I use just to make sure none of them have or had a problem I'm not aware of.

 

[Shanti]

A friend of mine's DD just delivered a baby and the baby had numerous drugs in its little system. Child protective services have been called. We thought the mother was clean, but obviously not.

So what happens now?


For those who have witnessed this situation, what have you seen happen?

If she (your friend) wants the baby she should petition for custody. They like to place with relatives when possible, and that's the ideal outcome, so the baby can grow up knowing her parents, even though they aren't fit to act as the parents.

 

[manning]

This is simply not true. They have tightened up opiate prescriptions greatly in the past several years, but for over a decade they were over prescribed without many doctors understanding their addictive nature and we’re seen as a wonder drug for pain management without the profession understanding that they contained far greater addictive properties. On top of that everyone’s physiology affects their addiction rates- the same way some genetic groups are more susceptible to alcoholism. Some patients were addicted to opiates after a few pills- pills they took on advise of doctors without ever thinking they were doing anything wrong.

Everyone in the medical professional has an obligation to recognize the risks of opioids as prescriptions.

Don't know about other drugs but heard with heroin you can get hooked the first time. It has something to do about genes.

 

[MrsPete]

You make the choice to use drugs. You don't make the choice to be addicted ...

Fair enough -- we know that if two people take drugs today for the first time ever, one of them could become an addict while the other is able to walk away. But we also know that SOMEONE is going to become an addict. WHY would anyone EVER take that chance? It's not a sensible choice.

 

[Colleen27]

As a nurse, I know that it is much more complicated than that, and ultimately, addicts need to take responsibility for their actions. I'm not going to go into the depth of the problem, but the fault of use lies on the user. Enabling and deflecting blame does no good.

Personal responsibility only works as part of a larger culture of responsibility, though. It makes no sense to expect people to know better than their doctors, particularly not in a country where the ability to get a second opinion or seek out other treatment options is primarily dictated by finances, or to understand that following medical advice is going to lead to addiction. Making it an individual issue as a way to deflect from asking hard questions about a broken system of marketing, approving, prescribing, and paying for medication does no good.

 

[luvsJack]

Fair enough -- we know that if two people take drugs today for the first time ever, one of them could become an addict while the other is able to walk away. But we also know that SOMEONE is going to become an addict. WHY would anyone EVER take that chance? It's not a sensible choice.

Why do people take the chance with alcohol? Not really a lot different. If most people knew the chance of them becoming an alcoholic, how many would still take that first drink? How many would still get drunk that first time?

I think most would because it’s human nature to think it won’t happen to you. To think you ( General) are stronger than the other guy.