[ozmidwifery] drug use in pregnancy

[Nicole Christensen]

Hello beautiful wise women, The article re. woman charged with murder after drug-taking caused still-birth - has interesting timing (for me)....as my heart is weighing quite heavy at the moment..... I have just found out that the girlfriend of my cousin (21 yrs)  - is pregnant. She is 16 years old - still smoking; still drinking and still smoking pot. Unfortunately my relationship with my cousin is strained - so it is extremely difficult to have a chat with them... (nor would my husband want me to - as he has lots of 'issues'...one of them being violence...). Apart from my deep sadness for this baby...and what will lie ahead for him/her...I wonder what the process is ie. at hospital check-ups etc - when a pregnant woman (girl) presents so young...AND when they answer yes to such initial general health questions - ie. do you smoke; are you taking any drugs etc etc (or do they not admit to taking drugs/drinking???). I'm sorry - but as I snuggle up in bed with my sweet divine 3rd baby at my breast at night....my mind so quickly races with sad thoughts for this little baby ..... along with animal cruelty...I have always found the reality that 'anyone' can have a baby - very upsetting. Even when I was younger and at uni - I used to see drug addicts at the train station -barely keeping their eyes open, and themselves upright - as the pushed their babies in a pram, sometimes other children in toe....I found witnessing this excrutiating..... kindest regards, Nicole