New mothers who are also addicted to opioid drugs require treatment options catered to their needs––and the needs of their children––as part of a specific population. Call 800-442-6158 Who Answers? today if you are a new mother struggling with opioid abuse, and find a rehab program that will help you make a positive change in your life.
Making the Distinction and Addressing the Concerns
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Using drugs, alcohol, or tobacco during pregnancy exposes not just the woman but also her developing fetus to the substance and can have potentially deleterious and even long-term effects on exposed children.”
This second part is important to remember because, even after a woman has given birth to her child, her addiction can still be a problem that affects both individuals. Therefore, the concerns of new mothers seeking opioid addiction treatment are just as significant and important to attend to as the concerns for pregnant individuals.
- New mothers, like every other population, may have certain individuals who require inpatient care, but many do not wish to leave their very young children behind in order to do so.
- Breastfeeding is another important concern that new mothers face, especially if they want to start taking medication during their addiction treatment.
- Babies whose mothers were abusing opioids while they were in the womb will also experience issues with withdrawal, which is something else many individuals in this group are concerned about.
How Can Treatment Address These Issues?
New mothers must look out for signs of opioid withdrawal.
Your treatment program needs to be able to address all your issues and concerns, even those not directly related to your substance abuse. The problems listed above are serious, and you should be able to find treatment facility that can offer you help for these issues.
- A few inpatient centers will allow new mothers with very young children to bring them to the facility. This is not common, though, and if you have a baby at home and a strong support system, you may want to consider outpatient care so you will not have to be away from your child. However, it is important to try to find a rehab program that will compromise with you as much as possible to attend to your needs.
- Women who are on methadone and have young children should usually still breastfeed because, as stated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “The benefits of breastfeeding often outweigh the effect of the tiny amount of methadone that enters the breast milk.” However, it is important to discuss this with your doctor as well.
- You should seek medical treatment for your baby if you begin to notice signs of withdrawal. Talk to their pediatrician or your own doctor to find out how they can receive detox treatment to make their withdrawal less difficult.
Treatment Can Help
It is important all your needs are addressed by your treatment program so you can have the best chance at recovery as well as a low relapse risk. Call 800-442-6158 Who Answers? today to find a rehab program that will cater to all of your needs, even those specific to your motherhood and to you as an individual, and start your journey of recovery.
Help, I’m Pregnant! Do I Need Help for Prescription Painkiller Addiction?
