Every 15 minutes in the United States a baby is born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). This diagnosis refers to babies who are born to mothers who are addicted to opioids, or strong prescription pain medications, that easily cross the placenta. Newborns with NOWS may experience irritability, trouble sleeping and feeding problems as they withdraw from the medication. We discuss how this is treated- for many babies breastfeeding is safe and recommended! We also review the stigma surrounding NOWS and empower mothers who struggle with opioid addiction to seek help to ensure the best outcomes for both themselves and their babies. 

This episode was written by Dr.  Kara Kuhn-Riordon, Dr. Dean Blumberg and Dr. Lena van der List 

We thank Dr. Kara Kuhn-Riordon,  a neonatologist at UC Davis Children's Hospital for joining us for this episode, although Drs. Lena and Dean take responsibility for any errors or misinformation.

Supplemental Information:

• Healthy Children Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS): What Families Need to Know
• Healthy Children How to Improve Health Outcomes for Infants Born with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome
• American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome