methadone

[meg815]

I am on methadone and have been all through my pregnancy, its prescribed by a Dr. I keep hearing all will be fine with my baby but just wondering if that's true or should I be scared?

[renae176]

Hi, I had a baby 4 months ago on methadone, I have been on methadone for 18 years and clean for 6 years, My son was in the NICU for 11 days, i was able to go home after 11 days and give him the morphine myself, he was on morphine a total of 14 days, It was very hard to watch for 2 days he had bad shakes and trembles, Now he is a 4.5 month old happy little boy, I do breast feed him, The Pediatrician said its best to breast feed it helps with withdrawl, a small amount of methadone is passed to the baby but not enough to prolong withdrawl, and actually helps the baby, If u are on methadone and want to help your baby-     stay clean, take your methadone with no missed doses and learn the finnegan scores (scores that assess how bad withdrawl is every NICU uses this system). I learned a lot going through this. I got to administer the morphine myself cause i am clean and learned the finnegans, Meg i hope everything went well If u want to talk PM me,

[rousewife123]

Also the epidural works just fine even though you are methadone because it is not counter acting with the methadone or the receptors that methadone goes with.  Once I got the epidural it was smooth sailing from then on.  Before the epidural it hurt worse than it did with my other 2 children just because you cant take anything else and because the methadone lowers your toleration of pain so it is more severe than if you were not taking anything.  I promise the epidural works wonders I was almost to late to get it done though because I waited til the last minute. As soon as the doc got done with the epidural I turned back around in the bed and didnt feel anything from my lower stomach down and 3 mins later our little miracle was born healthy ad screaming his lungs out.

[rousewife123]

I had my 3 child when I was taking liquid methadone and my child is great.  He was born very healthy and did not with drawl at all.  For a precaution they gave him the morphine for a day and a half.  I also breast fed him and that helps the baby as well.  As long as you are only taking the methadone and nothing else drug wise your baby will be fine.  So people have said that their baby had to stay 4, 5, up to 8 months in the hospital but from the stories I have heard it is the women that also were taking other illegal drugs off the street along with the methadone and also taking z.  I hope this helps you and makes you feel a little better about the situation.  I believe that if you are only taking the methadone and nothing else your baby will be just fine.  Good luck and congrats on the wonderful world of pregnancy and baby!!!!  I hope you have a safe and comfortable delivery.  

[gnarly_1]

HI  it ok to deliver a baby on methadone just so they know your on it ....im personal freinds with a neo/natal icu nurse whose job it is to bring theses babys off the stuff ....Jenny is a worm compatanet nurse and if done right the babys feel very little I had to detox off methadone and used here formula and it worked great your baby will be fine trust the doctors and nurces they know how to handle this stuff congrats on your new baby good luck and God bless.....GnArly

[sandstone27]

Hi Meg, I agree with Vicki that you should follow your doctor's advice.

You didn't mention if the doctor is your OBGyn.  Is this the case or is the prescribing doctor a GP or another type of doctor?

Keep us posted...

S.

[vicki595]

Meg:  Do you trust your doctor? He/she knows you're pregnant...

You need to go with that and/or ask another OB about your situation. Sometimes, getting on a forum will only increase any anxiety you have.

You might want to pop over to the pregnancy forum. They know so much over there and are just lovely!

[Hollaatme]

My friend did the same thing. Its rough but not "dangerous" . The baby will be born addicted to the opiates and will go thru alot of pain, but it IS dangerous to go cold Turkey so there isn't much u can do. Weaning to a lower dose before birth is usually reccomended. Also because of the methadone the DR. Might have ALOT of trouble controlling ur pain during birth because the pain meds wont work with methadone In ur brain taking up the receptors. Good luck!

[Psychobillyqueen]

There was a girl at my clinic who was pregnant and on methadone. The doctor said ct would be worse then staying on methadone. But I don't know I'm not a doctor? Defiantly get a second opinion

[drifter0213]

try asking for a second opinion