got the call!!!! please give advice!

vanceke08

we got a call about foster to adopt on a 3 day old meth exposed baby. SO SCARED! and excited. and maybe i might throw up. anyone know anything about meth exposure? I am trying to google it, but that's always scary. court is on monday and we could get him then. aaaahhhhhh. freaking out here. 

silliestbunny

No experience but I've been told that the initial two months can be rough as the little one recovers from exposure. 

How exciting... and good luck.  And when the going is tough.. remember this little person needs your love more than anything

CaptainSerious

How exciting!  I wish you the best!

lafayettegirl

Exciting! 

Do you have a pediatrician yet? If so, call and ask for some advice. If not, ask your SW to maybe recommend someone you can ask - another adoptive parent or doctor or someone. Surely the SW has another adoptive parent who has dealt with something similar before. That might be your best bet.

Good luck!!!

 

 

 

Cissi64

Youngest DS was DE but we don't know  to what beside Marijuana.  You might PM Fredalina.  I think she has the most experience/knowledge. Also mamatojts.

I seem to remember them saying the babies are very sensitive to stimuli so to keep noise and light to a minimum and I believe Fred recommended wearing them in a sling.

With our DS, noise was a problem as well as getting out of routine.  He also reacted badly to vaccinations....ran a fever and cried, would swell at the injection sight, but that may not have been due to the DE.  DS also had ( and still does despite being 14, LOL) what we called crazy hour in the evening about dinner time where  nothing suited hime.  There would be crying fits and temper tantrums utnil we got through dinner and bath time. It didn't have anything to do with being tired or hungry because we were very careful about snacks and naps

firecracker8

How exciting! 

Here's what I've learned about exposure to meth.... There's not a whole lot of research on the long term effects, but they think that it could be similar to cocaine exposure. The hardest part is the first few months when baby is experiencing any withdrawals. Babies can tend to be jittery and easily over stimulated. It best to keep them in a quiet and dimly lit environment. They tend to be very sensitive to light, sound and touch. It's best to hold them very stiffly, no rubbing of the back or cuddling for that first few months. Once that period is gone, they seem to not have many issues. I've heard that those few months can be very hard though.... However, some babies don't show many, or any, problems.

It sound like this sweet baby has been through a lot already and I'm sure would be so lucky to be in a loving family like yours. Find a pediatrician to talk to and get their take on the whole thing.

militarywife2b

silliestbunny:

No experience but I've been told that the initial two months can be rough as the little one recovers from exposure.   

Ditto this and wishing you all the best 

Cissi64

fredalina:

We dealt with cocaine, marijuana, and methadone, not methamphetamines, but many are similar in how to handle. Swaddling and wearing were huge; I think I walked 100 miles a day with her at first!  We kept the lights very low and white noise on, and tried to feed her before she cried because once she started really crying it was so much harder to stop than just to prevent. The little tremors were so heartbreaking! Keep the diaper changed quickly and thoroughly as the BM and meconium have drugs in them and that makes it burn the poor skin. Use washcloths with water instead of wipes at first because of the skin irritation around the diaper area. Good luck!

Hooray Fred is here!  I knew you would have the right advice!

vanceke08

thank you all so much for the advice. we called the SW and told her we are in, so pending court he will be here monday! and needless to say, I am going shopping for...everything! We re excited, and scared, and trusting the Lord! can't wait to meet this little guy on monday! 

sarai0316

vanceke08:

thank you all so much for the advice. we called the SW and told her we are in, so pending court he will be here monday! and needless to say, I am going shopping for...everything! We re excited, and scared, and trusting the Lord! can't wait to meet this little guy on monday! 

So excited and happy for you!!! This gives me hope that we will get our call or fost/adopt soon!! T&P's are with you!!!!  

cogbot

So exciting! Congrats!

mamatojts

I posted to you on the FB group

mommytoconnor

I also adopted a DE infant and I am an newborn nurse, so I have taken care of DE babies and have one myself. I will tell you that each substance can vary a little as to how they affect the baby.  Most babies have issues with sensory stuff.  So lights and sounds may bother them as well as tactile stuff.  I found it really helpful to wrap my son tightly and it helped to calm him.  Most DE babies have issues with sleeping, so just keep this in mind. I also still find that it is very important to have a routine schedule.  My son still does best on schedule and he doesn't like change. You will find out what works for you and your baby and get into a routine.  One thing I found that has been a life saver is a soundspa machine by home medics.  It's a little sound machine that you can program to run for 15,30,45,60 minutes or all night and when I put him down to sleep I turn that on and man it really helps.  You can play either lullabies or white noise sounds.  I still use it today and my son is 19 months old.  I would definately take one day at a time.  You won't really know what effects the baby will have.  Alot depends on how much exposure the baby had and if they were born addicted.  It is important to find out if they were addicted at birth or just exposed.  There is a big difference.  Addicted babies actually go thru a withdrawl.  I would talk with a pediatrician who is familiar with DE babies and they can help you also.  Don't look too much into internet stuff as that will just scare you and may not be the most accurate.