Tammy,
You have chosen an extremely interesting topic of study.  It must have
been very difficult for you to care for a baby in such obvious distress.

Anne's suggestion of reading Tom Hale's '99 Medications in Mother's Milk
is an excellent one.  I believe his review will give you the clearest
data available.

As you think of a care plan for this baby, also consider the effect of
breastfeeding on a mother who has used coccaine.  In most states, the
use of coccaine in pregnancy draws the attention of Child Protective
Services.  A mother may be faced with the loss of custody of her baby if
she does not agree to abstain from further use of coccaine.
Breastfeeding may give a mother further motivation to refrain from using
coccaine.  Combined with an abstinence program, breastfeeding may help
improve a mother's parenting and provided that added incentive to stay
away from the drug.

As nurses, our job is not only to protect the infant, but to help the
mother learn to be a mother.  Breastfeeding should not be taken away
from this mother as a punishment for using coccaine, but may be used as
a tool to improve her situation.

Good luck in your studies.

--
Jeanne Mitchell, Austin, TX
http://www.flash.net/~xanth/home.htm
mailto:[log in to unmask]
"You can tell the quality of a person by how
they treat people they don't need." My Dad

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