If You Are An Addicted Expecting Mother, There is Hope
If you are expecting a child and are addicted to drugs like cocaine, prescription narcotics, methamphetamines, heroin, or marijuana; we are very sympathetic to your plight. It is not uncommon for women to struggle with a substance use disorder, get pregnant, and be unable to stop getting high – even though they really want to. This is nothing to be ashamed of.
Addiction makes it next to impossible for women to make healthy, rational, positive choices when it comes to their own health and the safety of their unborn child. This is the nature of a substance use disorder. We want you to know that you do not have a moral deficiency or character flaw. You have a treatable medical condition.
Using drugs while you are pregnant can cause major problems for you and your unborn child. The sooner you get sober, the better it will be for you and the baby. Every minute counts when you are pregnant and addicted. We hope that you are ready to begin your recovery journey. No matter how hopeless or helpless you might feel, you can find freedom from addiction!
Detox and Pregnancy – What You Should Know
The first step to arresting the cycle of addiction is to undergo the detoxification process. This is fancy way of saying “getting the drugs out of your system.” This is not as simple as it sounds. When you’re addicted to drugs while you’re pregnant, detoxing is a major concern.
At New Directions for Women, we have been helping expecting moms get sober for more than 40 years. Over the years, many women have come to us and asked, “How do you detox drugs out of your system when you’re pregnant?” The answer is simple.
The safest, most comfortable way to detox while you are pregnant is to undergo a professional medical detox under the supervision of a medical team. You SHOULD NOT attempt to detox on your own.
Why You Shouldn’t Try to Detox on Your Own When You Are Pregnant
Many addicted pregnant women think they can detox on their own without professional help. They attempt to do this by slowly weaning themselves off the drugs, buying at-home detox kits, drinking a lot of water to flush their system. This is a bad idea for three main reasons.
- If you were able to stop doing drugs on your own, you would have done so by now. Drug cravings can be overwhelming for anyone who is early in sobriety. This is especially true when you are pregnant and the hormones are raging. You might be able to quit for a few days, but the odds of long-term, ongoing sobriety are not in your favor. This is why substance use disorder treatment is so vital for addicted expecting mothers.
- Detoxing drugs out of your system while you are pregnant is dangerous. Suddenly stopping the use of drugs can cause a miscarriage, cause birth defects, or lead to developmental problems for the child later in life. Detoxing is also a threat to your safety as well. Quitting certain drugs (opioids in particular) can cause seizures, serious health complications, and even death in some cases.
- Finally, detoxing while you are pregnant is only the first step of your recovery journey. Once the drugs are out of your system, there is a lot of work to do. Staying sober for the first year is quite challenging. It will be even more demanding once you are confronted with the daily stressors that come with caring for a newborn. You need to be equipped with the tools necessary to enjoy ongoing recovery. This happens during treatment.
Of course, it is not impossible to detox drugs out of your system when you are pregnant. However; it is absolutely not recommended. We encourage addicted expecting mothers to come to us to detox and ongoing substance use disorder treatment.
What To Expect During Detox When You Are Pregnant
It is completely normal to be afraid of going through withdrawal while you are pregnant. Many women stay stuck in the addictive cycle because they want to avoid the pain of withdrawal. Stopping the use of drugs is an unpleasant experience for anyone, but it is especially difficult for an addicted expecting mother.
Understanding what you can expect from detox might help alleviate your fears. Here is what we want you to know about detoxing while you are pregnant at New Directions for Women:
- We provide detox services to every addicted pregnant woman who comes to see us – no matter what drugs she has been using.
- The detox process lasts anywhere from three to ten days, depending on the recommended treatment plan.
- All of our detox policies and practices are supervised by our consulting detox physician. This is to ensure that women who come to see us are given the highest quality of care.
- Medications are provided when appropriate to keep our clients as comfortable as possible without risking their safety or the safety of the baby.
- Vital signs are monitored every thirty minutes in the first 12 hours and ever hour after that for the duration of the process.
- Our Program Manager implements holistic protocols including an onsite infrared dry sauna, acupuncture, mindfulness meditation, biosound lounge, aromatherapy baths, and essential oils to ease the discomfort brought on by withdrawal.
- Our chef serves delicious meals that provide wholesome nutrition. He understands personally the importance of healthy, home-made meals to the recovery process.
We do everything we can to lessen the uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal while keeping mom and baby safe. We believe addicted pregnant women have the right to detox with dignity and grace. Our compassionate and caring staff is available around-the-clock to assist with the detox process.
Addicted and Pregnant? We Can Get You on the Road to Recovery
At New Directions for Women, we specialize in treating addicted pregnant women in any stage of pregnancy. We understand the powerful effect drugs can have on a woman’s mind, body, and spirit. We provide compassionate care in a loving and supportive environment designed as a safe space for women to recover. Our facility is run by women for women.
If you need help with a substance use disorder, we offer a full continuum of care during and after pregnancy. We believe addicted expecting mothers should receive ongoing treatment even after the baby is born. This improves their chances of staying sober so they can be loving and attentive mothers to their children.
Are You Ready To Start Your Recovery Journey?
There is only one way to detox drugs out of your system when you are pregnant…… and that is to detox drugs out of your system when you are pregnant! There is no way around it. The only way to stop using drugs is to stop using drugs!
The thing is – you have a choice. You can take a risk and try to detox on your own and put the safety of you and your baby in jeopardy. OR, you can undergo a professional detox with minimal discomfort with the support of a healthcare team who wants to see you be successful in your recovery.
If you are addicted and pregnant – or you know someone who is – please reach out to us. You can get help now. We hope we have the opportunity to help you make the first step on your transformative recovery journey.
