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