snitch

Hey all ,
I am a recovering alcoholic with not much experience of pain meds and was after some info if possible. I have been friends with a lovely mum I met at my daughter's school for about 7 months. She has a 6 month old baby and after her c section she was prescribed dihydrocodeine for pain relief. 6 months later she is on 6 X 30mg (I believe) tablets a day. She has told me she is addicted and has no intention of coming off them as she says they calm her and make her happy and increase her creativity and that she cannot function without them. She is breastfeeding and Co sleeping with her baby and frequently drinks alcohol, sometimes to excess. She believes that it is okay to drink and breastfeed, that only a minimum amount of alcohol passes through the milk if at all and she doesn't seem to believe that the dihydrocodeine will pass through at all.

Today we were out having lunch and her baby was really fractious and wouldn't settle. I know babies do cry especially teething babies but nothing could calm this one and the crying seemed odd to me.

My question is, could this baby be suffering from withdrawals?

I am worried about both of them and being in recovery Myself I know too well the power of denial!!

Any thoughts would be greatly received.

Dee74

Hi Snitch,

commonsense suggests that anything a breastfeeding mum ingests can be passed onto the baby.

If you're shared your concerns with the mum, I'm not sure what else you can do short of calling in the authorities.

There's a number here where you could discuss it:
https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse

D

snitch

Thanks Dee. I spoke to her about it yesterday but she said the amount she takes doesn't pass through her milk in quantities that would harm her baby and that she "only" had 2 white wine and sodas yesterday and had "tonnes of food". So I have to assume I think that as she is being prescribed them by her GP that the GP knows she is breastfeeding. I just wondered if anyone here had any experience but I do feel better that I at least voiced my concerns and thank you for the link, I hope I don't have to use it.

treeguy24

It's great that you''re concerned for her but, it his her life and her choices to make. Not yours. You're in recovery, you need to focus on yourself and not make someone else's addiction or drug or alcohol use your problems too. Sometimes when someone tries to tell someone how to live their life or that what they are doing is wrong it makes them dig their heels in more.

Of course it's scary when a child is in the picture. Nobody wants to see any harm come to that child. Maybe you could talk to your doctor or an addiction specialist and just ask the question whether alcohol and drugs can be passed from breast milk to the baby. While keeping your friend and her baby in confidence obviously. If they say yes you can tell the mom that what she is doing is harming the baby and that a professional said drugs and alcohol can be passed through breastfeeding. Maybe if she has proof from a professional that it's not ok she will change.

But ultimately the decision has to be hers. You can't make it for her.

snitch

Thanks treeguy for your reply. You are right and I have done just that. I am responsible for my recovery and I am doing this for me and my own daughter. That is what I am concentrating on. Hope you are doing good, I have followed your story.

teatreeoil007

If this mom wants to be an addict and have 'no plans' to to stop taking the pain pills 6 months out from the C-section I see that as a BIG problem. If it only involved her and not her baby I would take the attitude of 'it's her life, oh well, she's going to do what she's going to do". But in some places, she would be viewed as actually abusing her baby. That baby has not choice in the matter! Therefore, as a concerned citizen, I might consider what she is inflicting on her baby worthy of reporting to child protective services. Also, the doctor who is prescribing these pills to her is at fault. Beyond irresponsible.

godsdrummer209

hardcore opiate addict .... im getting clean for myself and then obviously for my family. im 50 hours clean and im hurting but hurting this pain is such successs because i can finally be the son and the boyfriend i was intended to be.
Unfortunately once you decide to bring a baby into this world then it is very selfish to buy abusing those medications.... eventually she will move onto stronger things..... stealing getting her baby taken away going to jail institution and even death.... Wake up lady please