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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Breastfeeding and drugs...

56 replies

jodie84 · 29/09/2007 23:12

Specifically heroin My daughter is 5 weeks old and I've breastfed her successfully since birth. In the last few days I've smoked heroin twice, and fed my daughter within 3 or so hours each time. I really need some information on the effect this could have on her. I don't want to ask the health visitor or doctor for obvious reasons.

OP posts:
Flamesparrow · 29/09/2007 23:17

Oh no

Breastfeeding

Heroin passes into breast milk in small amounts and can affect your baby. If you continue to use heroin, breast feeding is not recommended.

To safely breast feed your baby, it is important you seek assistance from a health worker to cease using.

If you are injecting heroin you are at greater risk of contracting Hepatitis C, HIV and other blood borne viruses.

After using heroin, it is not safe for you to care for or breastfeed your baby. You may accidentally smother your baby as you will not be alert to your baby's needs.

You NEED help.

You are taking opiates and caring for a newborn, please please get help.

geordiemacminx · 29/09/2007 23:21

Please Please Please speak to your HV. Hopefully she wont judge you - she'll be able to help you.

I dont know much about this but I presume that since heroin is passed through you milk into the baby then the baby will experience extreme adverse effects... high? come-down?

In the interem period can you get her some formula?

bookthief · 29/09/2007 23:22

Jodie - are you a habitual user of heroin? If so, you need to talk to someone before you stop breastfeeding as your daughter could suffer withdrawal.

If you are an occasional user you need to stop using now as the heroin does pass into your breastmilk.

Flamesparrow · 29/09/2007 23:30

Oh yes - did you use during the pregnancy at all? Has she already had to go through withdrawal?

Original poster
jodie84 · 29/09/2007 23:31

I'm not a habitual user anymore bookthief - this is the first time I've touched gear for over a year now. I have a 5 year old too and couldn't breastfeed her because I was on a methadone prescription when she was born, so I really want to be able to breastfeed this baby.

OP posts:
bookthief · 29/09/2007 23:37

Do you think you can not use again - at least for as long as you're breastfeeding? Do you think that you maybe could do with some support to achieve this?

You can breastfeed your baby but you can't breastfeed and smoke heroin. You will have to make a choice.

Please speak to someone in real life about this. You need support. Good luck.

Original poster
jodie84 · 29/09/2007 23:40

I don't know who to speak to in real life, I don't want to risk social services getting involved.

OP posts:
bookthief · 29/09/2007 23:52

I'm worried because you say that you've smoked twice in the last few days. Your daughter will be affected by the heroin and if you use again then you must stop breastfeeding .

I can totally understand that you don't want social services involved but if you get a habit again then they will get involved and I just wonder if you need to speak to someone now before it gets to that.

Only you know how likely it is that you will be tempted again. It's hard having a newborn to deal with and I'm scared that you don't need this extra pressure dealing with a possible relapse alone.

Original poster
jodie84 · 29/09/2007 23:58

I guess really I can't guarantee that I'm not going to use again, so it would be better to switch to formula. I feel so guilty that my oldest was born addicted to methadone (doctor advised me not to come off it during pregnancy) and I'm worried that this gear might have affected the little one in the last few days... I just wish I had some definite facts on how it might affect her, or how long the heroin stays in my system, how much is passed on to the baby, harm reduction stuff. Then I feel like I could make an informed choice.

OP posts:
Flamesparrow · 30/09/2007 00:06

An informed choice - if you are likely to use it again, then stop.

It WILL pass over - it doesn't matter if it makes her a little bit high or desperately ill - either way it WILL harm her.

Please switch to formula. It is better for your baby.

Please get help too - being high in charge of a baby is so so bad too

determination · 30/09/2007 00:14

Jodie,

Why have you started smoking heroin again?

Do you have some other problems that you are needing help with that you are trying to block out?

Do you feel depressed?

What you need to do here is get to the root of the problem and sort out the reasons for taking it again.

You have been doing so well to have continued BFing for 5 weeks and you have given you baby the very best start in life.

Please just think of the life that you will be giving your children if you do get hooked again...

bookthief · 30/09/2007 00:16

This is all I can find which discusses the effects of heroin on breastfed babies. I need to go to bed now, but please think about telling someone about this in real life. You need help so that you can take care of yourself and your babies.

KristinaM · 30/09/2007 00:26

jodie - if you google heroin and Bf you will find lots of info out there. its not good - but i suspect you knew that or you wouldnt be posting

please get help - if you have been clean befroe you must knwo of places who can help, who are not teh dr or HV. I can understand you are scared of social services.

switching to formula or avoiding feeding for a few hours will not keep your baby and child safe when you are high

Spidermama · 30/09/2007 01:51

jodie I guess you could do with knowing how long it takes to get out of the breast milk and therefore out of the system? I'm not sure, but I wonder if it might be possible to express away the affected milk, or to express when you're clean so you can bottle feed expressed milk if you were ever tempted again.

I'm not sure.

I agree it's a very bad idea to be high and left in charge of a young baby. So that would be my main consideration.

Also though I applaud you for wanting to breastfeed this one as it can be such a lovely bond and can be so good for your mental health. I don't know what's going on with your mental health or if there are other ways you can get help.

When you've smoked the heroin, has anyone been around with you? Is there someone you could do with getting away from while you concentrate on your daughter for a while?

Best of luck.

liath · 30/09/2007 07:29

If you switch to formula then you'll be giving yourself "permission" to use. That could be more risky becuase as has been pointed out you are not safe with a baby when you are high.

Well done for staying off for a year - that shows you do have the strength of character not to use heroin and well done for BF so far.

tiktok · 30/09/2007 09:51

Jodie, you do need help and not from a talkboard

Heroin seems to be poorly absorbed by the breastmilk, and in the short term, the risk to the baby is more connected with being in the care of a user, who can't possibly be in a state to care for a newborn properly.

On my reading of the literature, it doesn't seem as if there is an immediate need to switch to formula - to do so removes the benefits of breastfeeding and may also mean you end up using again, jodie....and that means your kids are at risk of not being cared for properly, and that means risk of being removed from your care, and all that entails.

None of us here are expert enough to advise you on what you should do about feeding, but we know enough to say you have to seek proper help from whoever you have found informed and supportive in the past. Is there not an anonymous drugsline you could call?

I really hope things work out for you and your children.

Original poster
jodie84 · 30/09/2007 11:57

Thanks tiktok, I think I will persevere with the breastfeeding and obviously avoid the gear. The couple of times I have smoked it recently I haven't got completely wasted, there have been other people around and both kids were asleep anyway.

My older daughter has always been well cared for, well fed, taken to school every day etc, and so will the little one. I am careful around my kids and never sleep with them if I'm wasted.

OP posts:
meemar · 30/09/2007 12:12

Hi Jodie, the thing that worries me about your last post is where you say
"The couple of times I have smoked it recently I haven't got completely wasted, there have been other people around and both kids were asleep anyway."

It sounds like you are smoking socially, with others - is this the case? Do you think you will find it harder to give up if you have others around you also smoking and there is social pressure to do so?

It sounds like you really want to avoid smoking, but without help you might not find it easy.

Good luck x

KristinaM · 30/09/2007 19:18

sorry jodie - you are kidding yourself that its safe to get high as long as your kids are asleep. there is no way you can guarantee that a 5 week old wont wake up. There is more to being a loving mum that simply feeding your kid and taking her to school - i think you are in denial about how your habit is affecting your children. well it is and I'm not going to collude with you in pretending that its ok as long as you dont sleep with them or if you wait x hours befroe feeding teh baby!

My half sister and bros had their childhood totally screwed up by their mother's addiction and she thought she had it totally under control

harm reduction is about REDUCING the harm you are doing to yourself and your kids. Its doesnt mean you are not harming them at all. please get help to get clean again. Your kids deserve it

Upwind · 30/09/2007 19:27

"I guess really I can't guarantee that I'm not going to use again"

Why can't you guarantee that? You have two children who depend on you. At least for their sakes you should not abuse yourself in this way.

If these other people in your life are happy to sit about while you smoke heroin while "caring" for your children, they are not good enough to have around your family.

Original poster
jodie84 · 30/09/2007 20:04

I didn't come here to be judged, I just wanted to get information (so thanks to those who tried to help me with that). My life may not be perfect but none of you know me or my situation, it's easy to say just don't do it, get rid of the people around you but not so easy to do, believe me. My kids are loved and healthy.

OP posts:
Original poster
jodie84 · 30/09/2007 20:11

And thanks for that link bookthief, that article was useful.

OP posts:
Lorayn · 30/09/2007 20:19

jodie, you cannot expect to come to a parenting board and admit to using heroin, in the same house as your children, and expect not to be judged.

Of course people are going to try helping you, but the most important thing here is your children, you simply cannot claim they are being well looked after if you and others are taking drugs whilst they are in your care.

I dont want to get all holier than thou on you, but maybe you should try being less selfish, your 5 week old baby needs her mum more than you need smack.

Washersaurus · 30/09/2007 20:30

Lorayn I think you need to have a better understanding of a heroin addiction. Unfortunately it really isn't as simple as someone being selfish for using, it goes much deeper.

I have a family member who has and will soon again be in the same situation as the OP so I can sort of understand her problem.

All I will say is that Social Services being involved is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you show that you have your children's best interests as your priority. Maybe seeking help from them would be a positive step- they need not be your enemies.

Lorayn · 30/09/2007 20:37

I have smoked heroin, and have seen friends go down that road. I'm far from perfect, but I would not in any shape or form be incapable of looking after a 5 week old child and justify it by saying I wasn't 'completely wasted'.

She hadn't smoked it for a year, yet within 5 weeks of her child being born she uses, and allows friends to use it, in her house, her childs home.

What if something had happened to the baby whilst her and her friends were stoned off their faces???

I hope to God it never does, and pray that neither child ever gets hold of the heroin.