A program for opioid dependent mothers and their newborns at Belleville General Hospital is making national headlines.
In a CBC.ca report posted today (Saturday), a program called “rooming in”, which was started at BGH last year, is featured.
The story describes the experiences of 28 year old Belleville mother Brenda Banks as she struggled with an addiction to percocets and the birth of her son Anias at BGH.
The “rooming in” program allows drug dependent mothers a private room where they’ll stay with their newborn under hospital staff supervision.
This allows normal bonding and skin to skin contact on a regular basis right after childbirth.
In the past, the babies of opioid dependent mothers would be taken from them and placed in the Intensive Care Unit to be monitored for withdrawal symptoms which can be problematic.
Previous to the “rooming in” program at BGH, 80% of babies born to addicted mothers suffered from withdrawal symptoms and needed treatment with morphine.
Now, that figure has dropped dramatically to just 20%.
