To      : Jay
Re      : Methadone therapy

If the mom has "Completed" methadone therapy and is no longer on methadone,
then the infant will not go through withdrawal after delivery.  But if mom is
still on daily methadone,  the infant will go through a withdrawal (somewhat
delayed).

If mom has not completed therapy and is still on methadone,  the infant will
probably be 'near' normal but maybe small for gestational age (SGA),  but
addicted to methadone.  There are too many imponderables to really answer this
question.

The AAP approves the continuation of breastfeeding if the methadone dose is =<
20 mg /day.

Infant withdrawal following delivery to a methadone-addicted mother is slow,
may take 2-3 weeks to occur.  It has been popular opinion in the past that the
small amount in breastmilk will prevent a rapid withdrawal, but this is not
true.  There is simply too little methadone in breastmilk to adequately prevent
a significant withdrawal in an infant.

Regards

Tom Hale