to those that foster drug affected babies...

[crunchymom2b]

I just want to say thank you. A medication I take resulted in our baby having to deal with withdrawals and a 3 weeks NICU stay. It was heartbreaking but we were educated and knew what to expect. Not that it makes it any easier. We were there to hold and love on our squish every day until he came home. But so so many babies there don't have that kind of love. The majority of babies born with NAS don't come from mothers who take medications out of necessity and therefor they have an entirely different emotional experience (unfortunately the physical aspect is the same regardless ). Seeing those babies crying, myself knowing how much pain they were experiencing, including my own son, just broke my heart. How a mother could do that to her child when she had a choice, I don't know. I feel guilt every day and I didn't have a choice. Knowing that there are wonderful mamas and families that take in these precious babies and love on them like their own warms my heart and I'm honored to know or at least know of the great mamas on here who do so. I know it's not always easy, hearing those shrill cries, seeing tiny babies shake, and spending hours trying to make them comfortable, but you guys volunteer to do so. You are a very special group so, thank you so very much. really.

[luvsviola]

((((HUGS MAMA!!!!))))

[MrsCrafty]

Oh I so agree! I worked in the NICU and it was so hard at times, even nurses would switch off. It's so hard when a baby cannot be comforted. Amazing thing those foster parents do!

[thtr4me]

My parents did this, and adopted 4. Watching the struggles they had as babies was so so hard. I am so sorry you had to watch your own precious LO go through that. Big hugs to you mama .

[MuntryMomma]

Major hugs to you Mama! Thank you for sharing.

[kfosmom]

I am so sorry that you and your son had to go through this :-(. The best thing that you could have done for your son, you did (hold and comfort him). My wife works in a NICU and she feels that these babies really need just to be held and comforted. They would do much better and have a shorter stay (she has some babies that stay for months) if they were held and soothed for most of the time. We foster adopted our son who was born addicted. We brought him home from the hospital a day before his withdrawal symptoms started. It was heartbreaking and we would just cry for him. Oddly I was never mad at his biomom but very thankful that she had him and did not have an abortion or throw him in a dumpster (biograndma told us she was very worried that she would do the latter and begged her not too).

[BeccaSueCongdon]

Are there any volunteer opportunities to hold babies like this during their NICU stay? I'm not in a position to foster right now, but fostering these babies is a big passion on my heart. I have an old coach from college who did something similar - I should contact her. I just wondered of any of you knew the right vocabulary I should ask about. I'm not familiar with this system at all, just think about these babies a lot and look forward to being able to hold them. :-/

[newmommy13]

I don't remember what they were called but there were volunteers like that when my dd was at childrens hospital. There was a 2 year old there and I never saw a parent, he was in his crib (more like a cage with a top ) whenever there wasnt a volunteer there.

[BeccaSueCongdon]

Originally Posted by newmommy13 I don't remember what they were called but there were volunteers like that when my dd was at childrens hospital. There was a 2 year old there and I never saw a parent, he was in his crib (more like a cage with a top ) whenever there wasnt a volunteer there.

:*-(

[crunchymom2b]

Becca- at our hospital they're called cuddlers :-)

I wish we could have been with our son more, but we were extremely lucky to have some great nurses. I never walked in to him crying alone in his bassinet, and during one particularly bad night the nurses took nurses holding him for 5 hours straight. He typically would only be awake for feedings so if he wasn't awake we'dlet him be, as sleep and cuddles were most important. He was also lucky to have a space on the end of the row so he could have lotsof privacy with the screens put up.

Our first son also went through withdrawals but didn't have to be hospitalized or medicatedand he's now the smartest kid ever, and such a sweetheart.DS2 is a cuddlemuffin and just is sooooo happy. These kids are true blessings and while I hate that any of these children (not just mine!) had to endure such pain I am so happy they're here!