I agree with Mimi that it's a crime that the funding for drug/alcohol rehab
is so scarce.  In Austin, one of the few publically funded rehab facilities
(ie free to people with no insurance) is experiencing funding cuts due to
careless mistakes in the bookkeeping done in the state's Mental
Health/Mental Retardation budget process.  It has been my experience that
pregnancy and parenthood provide many people with their first real reason to
get sober, or to seek freedom from the effects of someone elses drug/alcohol
use.  In my opinion, anyone working with families ought to do some
self-education or formal education on the issue of substance abuse and
family systems theory.  I can't tell you how many times in my practice I've
discovered that what appears to be a lack of family support for
breastfeeding turns out to be a marker for dysfunction.  The scenario looks
like this:  Dad doesn't support the plan, mom is a nervous wreck trying to
pick between the baby and dad.  Mom tells me she is fighting chronic
depression, needs to go back on anti-depressants.  At some point, if I ask a
neutral type question about does someone in the family have a drinking
problem, tears and a  flood of despair pours out.  It becomes an opportunity
to mention Al-Anon.   Which is a good thing.

Barbara Wilson-Clay, BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates, Austin, Texas
http://www.jump.net/~bwc/lactnews.html

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