>In a message dated 1/8/2006 7:36:00 PM Pacific Standard Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>Nanc, my info comes from a presentation given by the director of
>Glasgow Womens Reproductive Health service, consultant obstetrician 
>Dr  Mary Hepburn, whose clientele includes many drug using women. The
>work in their unit encourages breastfeeding, because (says Dr Mary)
>withdrawal sypmtoms are indeed lessened (and I was careful not to say
>'prevented' in my post), as well as (of course) giving a boost to
>mothering skills and supporting the mother-baby relationship.
>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
>I agree with Dr. Hepburn's approach, and it may be her clinical impression,
>but there is no research to suggest that there is enough methadone 
>or any other
>drug in breastmilk to clinically affect the infant.  I would bet that the ACT
>of breastfeeding and maternal-child closeness lessens the withdrawal
>symptoms, not the drug in the breastmilk.
>
>Nancy E. Wight MD, IBCLC, FABM, FAAP
>Neonatologist
>Medical Director, Lactation Services
>Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women
>San Diego, CA USA
>[log in to unmask]


You may well be right, Nancy....I certainly bow to your clinical 
knowledge and judgement on this.

It's horrifying that any HCPs anywhere can feel they have a right to 
'allow' or 'forbid' breastfeeding on the grounds of maternal drug use 
(or on any other grounds, IMHO....is there any situation where this 
would be justified?).

I think, too, then that physicians and others should be honest with 
mothers and tell them the amount of drug is probably too small to 
affect their infant, but that the withdrawal symptoms experienced by 
their babies can be alleviated by bf - by whatever mechanism it works.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK

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