Substance use is the continual misuse of drugs, thus leading to a gross dependence on them for satisfaction and enjoyment.
With the continual increase in the drug abuse rate, medical professionals have been researching ways by which it can be controlled. Rehabilitation has been the best option, but there is a need for other alternatives.
With our primary focus on nursing mothers, we see a significant setback as substance use abuse is detrimental to the health of the mother and that of the baby. It can adversely affect the normal maternal behavior of the mother and make breastfeeding more harmful than good.
It has sponsored the quest for necessary solutions as well as step-by-step instructions on what to do. There are few alternatives to substance addiction for nursing mothers. For now, let’s address the most important of all.
- Working with midwives
Midwives play an important role during pregnancy since they are often the first people she sees when she is pregnant.
Booking a maternity appointment is the first time a woman contacts the department. As part of the medical history, the midwife generally asks about the nursing mom’s social and medical history.
To build a successful relationship with the woman, it is very crucial to ask the right questions in a way that don’t seem threatening. Midwives must be willing to re-examine issues and recognize their own biases. In their role as health care providers, midwives must be on the side of addicted clients as well as at their side.
The midwives of communities must acknowledge the inter-relationships among illicit drug use, domestic violence, and mental illness to provide comprehensive assessment and care to women with these conditions.
We encourage pregnant women to visit their midwife more often, even weekly, since the good relationships formed between women and midwives enable us to practice case management.
In addition to working closely with the social worker, midwives should also become thoroughly informed about these topics by having continuing professional development opportunities, attending study days, or listening to guest speakers from treatment centers.