Every twenty-five minutes, a baby is born struggling with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, as established by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. With such unforgiving numbers, it is not surprising that expecting mothers in the midst of trying to recover from substance use disorders have serious concerns about their health and the health of their unborn child. Addiction always comes with a heavy price in both the immediate and long term state of health. This is why it is always important to be aware of what expecting moms can come across in the middle of their pregnancy as they aim for recovery.
Health Concerns for The Mother
Expectant mothers who struggled or continue to struggle with illegal drug addiction often find it difficult to raise their concerns about their own health. The primary focus tends to be on the life growing inside of them and how the drugs may have effects in the future. But the life of the expecting mother must be valued as well.
A lot of recovering mothers have a wide array of physical issues that follow drug use like poor muscle control, withdrawal symptoms, preeclampsia, and malnutrition to name a few. Then, there are mental health issues. A recent economic research report concluded that there is a definite link between mental health illness and drug use. It is not uncommon for a recovering mother to find herself dealing with depression and thoughts of self-harm in the middle of her pregnancy.
Health Concerns for The Child
A child carried by a mother in recovery tends to have health issues while in the womb and after being born. Common health concerns in utero are low birth weight, altered brain development, and abnormal neurobehavior. After birth, a child may suffer from their own withdrawal symptoms, difficulty breathing and eating, seizures, and many other issues. With all these as potential risks, many health practitioners, rehab staff, and even the mother of the child all focus heavily on the life of the child.
A Mother’s Love
Mothers aiming to achieve sobriety feel a lot of guilt over the situation that they and their child are in; this is absolutely normal. What they need to do is to find the will to care for themselves at this moment. If they find that they are unable to do so, it is always wise to seek out people who can. For example, rehab is an ideal location for a mother struggling to stay sober and her child to stay safe while the mother wrestles with addiction.
There are qualified individuals in rehab centers who give them the help that they need. Once they are in a safe place, focusing their energy on eating healthy meals, listening to their case handler, and going to all their counseling sessions are pertinent. When they have worries about the physical effects of their addiction, consulting with the attending physicians to get a clear set of protocols on what they should do can help ease fears.
Ultimately, it will all be about their continued vigilance. Mothers who are in the midst of early recovery whether in a professional setting or on their own should never feel that they are alone in their endeavor. Everyone makes mistakes and in the case of recovering future mothers, it is important to put in the right steps to secure their health and the health of their baby.
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