This is a sad, sad story. There are so many things that I can’t understand about this story but I’m getting ahead of myself. A woman was breastfeeding her 5 month old daughter. Apparently the mother was on drugs and her milk was tainted with cocaine. Her baby died from a cocaine overdose.
The mother was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony which would have given her 9 months in jail. However, the prosecution reduced the charges when she agreed to a plea deal. She pled guilty to attempted man-slaughter, and in addition to the short stint in jail, she had to terminate her parental rights to her 5 year old daughter.
Whose Fault?
I am not at all absolving the mother of this horrible tragedy. With motherhood, comes the end of your life as you know it. That is true for everyone. Motherhood demands that even the most selfish woman become selfless. I honestly wonder if she should not have gotten more jail time. I also wonder why there is no mention of rehab in addition to her punishment.
But I have to ask myself why no one at the hospital discouraged breastfeeding? Surely the mother did not give birth clean. No one noticed that she was strung out? I also have to wonder if the mother had any type of public medical insurance or public health program? If so, she would undoubtedly have a case worker. Even with a 5 year old daughter surely someone noticed something.
I have written before about how I’m a proponent of baby friendly hospitals. They are basically hospitals that actively encourage breastfeeding and moms must receive nutritional counseling and have a doctor’s note before feeding formula. I advocate for them because I think economically it makes sense. In the long run it is cheaper for tax payers. (I also think breatmilk is healthier. However, as public health goes, it is logical to encourage breastfeeding.
A Note on Breastfeeding
It is amazing that you really can take a lot of prescription medication while you are breastfeeding. Obviously though, you shouldn’t be breastfeeding and on drugs. If you are unsure about the medication your doctor prescribed you can consult a qualified IBCLC or a fantastic reference book called Mother’s Milk and Medications. If you find that the medication that you’re supposed to be taking is dangerous for your baby, you can do what’s referred to as pumping and dumping. It is, exactly as it sounds. You pump your milk–be careful to pump as often and at least as long as your baby eats. Then take the milk you’ve pumped and dump it down the drain.
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