It is no secret that smoking, drinking, and using drugs during pregnancy is unhealthy for both the mother and the developing baby. Substance use can put both the mother and baby at risk for life-altering and even fatal complications.
However, detoxing without medical help can be just as dangerous. That is why residential detox programs are essential for mother and baby health. Here are some of the pregnancy-specific benefits mothers can find through medically-supervised detox at women’s drug and alcohol treatment.
Medical Detox
Withdrawal symptoms can include irregular heartbeat, seizures, spontaneous abortion, heart attack, and stroke. When a mother considers getting clean, she must get help from a doctor who specializes in both addiction and pre and post-natal care. Some steps she can take include:
Medication:
Doctors can prescribe medication that will lessen withdrawal symptoms, like Methadone and Buprenorphine.
Methadone
This synthetic opioid agonist activates the same receptors in the brain that addictive drugs do, but it doesn’t have the euphoric effect of opioids. It has a 40-year track record of helping people by making withdrawal symptoms less intense and managing cravings, allowing doctors to wean patients off the less destructive and addictive drug.
Buprenorphine
This opioid agonist works like Methadone but isn’t as strong. The doctor may prescribe a higher dose for longer to achieve the same effects or may decide to use the lesser dose due to a mother’s specific situation.
Naltrexone
Once the initial detoxification and withdrawal symptoms are handled, the doctor may prescribe Naltrexone, which blocks the euphoric and sedative effects of drugs and alcohol. If the patient relapses, it prevents the user’s drug of choice from affecting the body in the same way that caused the addiction, making it easier for the patient to resume their sobriety efforts. It is non-addictive and is generally prescribed during the first three months of sobriety.
As Needed
During the detox process, the doctor can manage other physiological symptoms of withdrawal using various medications as needed. Examples would include controlling elevated blood pressure or helping with nausea so the mother can get the needed nutrition for her and her child.
Pre-Natal Care
A Detox should be paired with good pre-natal care to support the mother and unborn baby. women’s rehab program can ensure mothers get the appropriate help they need from a doctor. The doctor who can monitor the baby for signs of distress, address any problems, and ensure proper nutrition through the use of prenatal vitamins. With this critical support, the baby has the best chance of healthy development, and the mother can focus on getting healthy without undue stress.
Therapy After Detox
Detox is a critical first step to addiction recovery, but the last thing a mother needs is to relapse and go back to square one. Detox should be followed up with effective help so mothers can stay on the road to recovery.
After the initial stages of withdrawal, a women’s recovery center can help the mother through various forms of therapy to aid her in long-term sobriety.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT is used to identify negative and counter-productive thought patterns and behaviors that drive addiction. With a therapist to help, the mother can learn healthier coping techniques that don’t involve substance use. She can learn problem-solving skills to help her manage her life and stress levels. Through CBT, she can work on improving self-esteem and replacing negative thought patterns with healthier ones.
Contingency Management
CM is a reward system for positive behavioral changes to reinforce the mother’s commitment to recovery. If the mother completes a goal, goes to therapy, and attends all her classes, she would have greater privileges or receive prizes.
Family Therapy
Addictions can strain family relationships, and strife can cause relapses. FT helps the mother work through problems in her relationships with her spouse, parents, siblings, or other children. It is designed to mend bridges and help family members communicate in positive ways so they can learn to support one another. It also helps families address contributing factors to addiction.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy
MET helps the mother discover her deepest reasons for sobriety and reinforces her value systems so she is less likely to return to old habits and addictions.
Parenting Classes
Raising children can be the most wonderful and fulfilling experience of life, but it also causes a lot of sleepless nights. Parents can find their new responsibilities overwhelming, especially during high-stress situations. Chronic sleep deprivation, increased household expenses, illness, injury, and other stressors can make parents feel unable to cope. Learning parenting strategies and finding supportive resources help parents to make positive choices for their families.
Diagnosis
A new mother may be dealing with more than regular stressors. Many women use drugs and alcohol to deal with an undiagnosed mental illness such as clinical depression. They may use it to deal with past trauma or abuse. In these cases, the new mother needs help addressing these issues in addition to her addiction. Otherwise, the reasons she turned to drugs and alcohol in the first place will make recovery difficult.
Conclusion
If you or someone you love is pregnant and trapped in addiction, there is a way to get clean and limit the risk to you and your child. The sooner you act, the better the outcome will be. Call our women’s drug treatment centers in Idaho today.