care for mom needed after childbirth

[kathy956]

My daughter recently gave birth to a healthy baby girl while dealing with her type 1 Diabetes and Methadone dependency.  While pregnant the medical team actually upped her Methadone from 40 mg to 90mg. just before the birth which occurred one month early.  I understand the need to increase the Methadone as the fetus can be harmed if any withdrawal symtoms occur.  My question is the day after my daughter gave birth by emergency c-section she was sent home without any medical intervention to help her adjust her insulin which needed to be decreased as well as the Methadone.  She was given pain meds and sent home.  A few days later while visiting her baby in the hospital the nurses observed my daughter behaving strangely and stated she appeared 'intoxicated'.  My daughter was banned from seeing her baby for a week.  Upon proof of a drug test showing her insulin and methadone levels at the precribed doses and nothing else in her system she was allowed to resume her visits to her baby.  Do you think the medical community failed to provide proper aid to my daughter when she was discharged from the hospital one day after childbirth?

[kathy956]

Thank you for replying.  We need to get the medical and legal community on the same page when it comes to Methadone Treatment during pregancey and how important being under medical care at this time is the best for mother and child.  There is a stigma associated with this program, as well meaning friends and family will tell the mother to 'get off that stuff' even though the mother is following her medical team's instructions. The judge in my daughter's case has reprimanded her on two occasions for her using methadone during pregnacey and even though we have had a methadone counceller and mental health rep. i court she refuses to let them explain the program.  My daughter is only allowed three days a week with her daughter under my supervision.  We hope to move forward with this and get her daughter back full time in the future.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, it would be difficult to comment specifically on the situation, though I would agree that ideally she should have been under the care of her endocrinologist and an addiction specialist during the time. I would suggest seeking a review with her primary doctors for appropriate dose adjustment of the medications.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!