The Problem
Another epidemic is silently occurring alongside the current Opioid Crisis in the US. This epidemic is not often in the headlines, and is quite unknown in many circles. This silent epidemic is the prenatal exposure of infants to drugs and alcohol, and it increases tangentially with the increase of substance use in our country. Nearly 15% of live births across our country have a prenatal course that involves substance use, and this is likely an underestimate. In the state of Washington, the rate of prenatal substance use has increased at least 15% every year for the past 10 years. Eighty to ninety percent of infants born exposed to substances will show symptoms of withdrawal and/or neuro-behavioral changes that interfere with the basic functions of eating, sleeping, communicating cues and connecting with a caregiver. These functions are absolutely critical as a newborn navigates life outside of the womb, and when they are disrupted or disorganized, there are lifelong consequences.
Withdrawal symptoms typically appear between day 2 and day 6 of life, peak around 2 weeks of age, and can persist for 4-6 months. Even when symptoms do begin to fade, there are lasting effects and risks as these children grow. Currently, a child born prenatally exposed to drugs and/or alcohol is twice as likely as a healthy newborn to be readmitted to the hospital within the first 30 days, 21 times more likely to be admitted to a hospital for injuries in childhood, and 3 times more likely to die before age 12.
Maddie's Solution
Maddie’s Place is a 501(c)3 non-profit, free-standing recovery nursery for babies experiencing withdrawal due to prenatal substance exposure. We firmly believe that low-intervention, highly nurturing care is the best way to help babies through this difficult time. We also believe that “mom is the best medicine,” and aim to support moms and babies together, encouraging bonding and attachment and alleviating physical symptoms.
This major philosophical shift in the care of babies experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, or NAS, is evidence-based and leads to greatly improved long-term results. Our method also provides a cost savings of 70-80%, when compared to caring for these babies in the NICU, as well as an even greater reduction in the amount of Morphine required to help a baby through the peak of their symptoms.
Supporting early connections and providing nurturing comfort from the beginning results in a happier, healthier baby and a more stable attachment, which changes the trajectory of lives.
