drug dependant baby, advice needed

[EarthMotherImNot]

I've been asked to foster a baby expected to be suffering drug withdrawal when it is born next week.

It is years since I've cared for one of these and any advice would be most gratefully received.

I suppose it will be in a sort of 'shock' being born and withdrawing all in the same week... ( I always bathed my son in chamomile tea (just a make a mug and add it to the bath) seemed to help him be calm and sleep. Good luck and well done!

If the baby is fully addicted (which it probably is) then it will spend the first month of life in a special care unit weaning/withdrawing off the drug, I don't think you would be expected to care for such a sick baby so soon after birth - I am of course open to correction. If you are expected to care for this baby immediately postnatally, then you should be made very aware of the help available to you and the baby, medically and otherwise, good luck with it all.

Thanks all, I'm expecting baby to have quite bad symptoms as his mum has tested positive repeatedly.

Verity I remember swaddling one of the babies years ago on the advice of a midwife but I'd forgotten that until your post.

I may be back in the next few days once baby is born and the extent is known.

Quick update, baby born late last week, Was fine at first then developed withdrawal symptoms and is now in the high dependency unit at the hospital.

I'm busy re-reading all my stuff on drug dependent babies from courses I've gone to over the years and keeping my fingers crossed for lo.

I'm no help at all, but this thread just made me very sad. Poor little mites.

Hope all is well EMIN.

Wishing you all the luck in the world. You are a marvellous person.

Thanks solo, me too.

don't, you'll make my head grow

As long as lo is ok I'll be happy.

Baby may be discharged early next week.

I've spoken to the sw and baby is on Oramorph?

and is being tube fed at present. She weighs 2.22 kilo's, god thats tiny isn't it

Oh bless - teeny tiny for term. The oramorph will be to let her be weaned off opiates, rather than going cold turkey

Would you have any idea how long she'll need to take that for CMOT?

2.22 is under 5lbs I think.

I don't know - sorry. The little I know was from chatting to the foster carer of a little boy who was born to an addicted mother, and when I met him, had a brain tumour aged 18 months. I remember him so well as it was such a sad story, and his foster mum was so fabulous

Thanks CMOT, poor little boy

I've had a chat to my hv and she seems to think baby will be off tube feeding and Oramorph before she is discharged but I guess its just wait and see really.

One of the side effects of oramorph is constipation. Just in case they forget to tell you.

Wishing you all the luck in the world x

Brief update:

Baby got here yesterday afternoon. She is tiny!

I obviously knew she was small but opening the door to the sw's and seeing her for the first time made me gasp.

She is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.

She is a very slow feeder and it is very obvious when she needs her medication. I had forgotten how piercing a drug dependent baby's cries are. She is quite jumpy and doesn't sleep for longer than 10 minutes at a time, hence the silly-o-clock posting.

Wish me luck

good luck and well done you

wow...how fab you are!

good luck with your new baby on your first full day together. do you know how long you'll have her for?

can you try "wearing" her in a wrap or a sling to help with the sleeping and jumpiness?

Thank you

I am wearing her, she is tucked inside my dressing gown as we speak
She is due her medicine around 7am and is beginning to show signs that she needs it.

EMIN - Gosh, what a hard job. Good luck with the little one.

Do you know how the mother is coping? I hope she is also getting help and support.

Sad situation. Just lovely to know the little one has you.

From what sw's said baby's mum is not doing too well, she is trying desperately to cope with her addiction as well as having to let her lo go.

I cannot begin to imagine how she must feel

Oh, how desperatly sad.... I simply cannot imagine being without my babies. My two were both 6lbs 8oz and that seemed so tiny.

I hope that she can beat her addiction and perhaps have a chance to have a relationship with her baby.

No idea, I know they very gradually reduce the dose until she's weaned off it.

Again I'm unsure of lasting effects, I will ask that when we see her consultant.

She is the smallest baby we've cared for so far. She has a beautiful name chosen by her mum but obviously I can't say what it is I'm afraid.