Babies and addiction

[sgluckadoo]

The number of babies being born addicted to a substance (prescribed or illicit) is growing, and the consequences are terrible. Babies are in pain, experienced withdrawal, seizures, possible permanent developmental delays, etc. depending on the drug, dose, and duration of mothers use.

What is your opinion on the mothers getting to keep these infants?

[mstevenson2]

its a sad thing the babys suffer for life

[faamanatu68]

I know from experience because I'm a addict and have been for 25 years. I have 3 children but when I found out I was pregnet I stopped useing!!! I did smoke ciggerettes with my last child & I feel horrible about that. I've always been a firm believer that unless the unborn baby pops its head out & says 'pass the pipe or needle' then the carring & expected mother has NO RIGHT to get high!!! If doing that drug is that important then she should have been abit more careful so getting in this situation is & can be avoided...

I really would like it if some one could talk to me about my addiction...

[hotcocoa]

I think it's terrible when mothers can't their unborn children into account.  As to leaving the babies with the mothers, that depends on doctors and child welfare agencys.  There are many non-addicted adults willing to give a child a good home.

[nickylanena]

Wow! I didn't know it was that bad! That's sad.

[Tresbn00]

Our first day care provider used to be a foster mom for babies.  A lot of these babies would come from social services in incubators because they were born pre-maturely...generally as a result of the mother's drug use. A huge percentage of the babies were born from mothers who had been taking methamphetamines.  These babies had accelerated heart rates, were born way under weight, and were very irritable.  I think that these babies should be taken from the mothers and put into the hands of the large population that actually wants to have a baby and is fighting to get past the mounds of red tape involved.  The mother who had been on drugs should be put in jail for a minimum of three years so that her system can dry out from the drugs she had been taking.

[vickysue]

If a woman won't or will not take care of her , they should have kept their legs crossed and never got pregnant.  I know of plenty of young familys that cannot have a child would give anything to be able too and those that don't care just pop them out right and left and then not take care of the before they are born or after. Make more on welfare that way. I would have loved to had more then i had but it did not work out for me. Or my daughter-in-law She and my son would hae made great parents. But they did adopt and give a little one a home. Proud of them And then he passed away and she really worked at raising him right.

[sherryinutah]

I have a difficult time believing that someone with overwhelming addictions would consciously conceive a child.  Maybe they're accidentally getting pregnant?  Either way, it's sad for the mom and the child.