Pregnancy should be a time of joy and excitement for a mother. When someone is in active addiction, it does not seem like such a joyous occasion. It is important for an expectant mother to get help to recover from her addiction as soon as possible to ensure the health of their unborn child.
There are drug treatment programs available that cater to the needs of pregnant women. The following guide walks you through a few things to look for when searching for a drug treatment program when you are pregnant.
Detox Services Specified for Pregnant Women
Being able to detox from a drug addiction when you are pregnant isn’t always easy to do. It can be very dangerous for an expectant mother to try to detox on her own because they can put a lot of stress on her body as well as the baby’s body.
It’s best to look for a professional treatment facility that specializes in detox care for pregnant women. The procedures put in place to help the mother detox are designed specifically with the health of the baby and mother in mind.
Throughout pregnancy, it’s important for a mother to have the health of their baby and themselves monitored regularly. Regular ultrasounds need to take place to ensure that the baby is growing properly. Searching for a rehab facility that has on-site obstetric care is essential. If any issues arise, you want to be sure that they can be addressed quickly and efficiently to ensure the health and well-being of your unborn child.
Therapy and Counseling Services
Being addicted to drugs can cause quite a bit of emotional turmoil. This is because the drugs cause your body to not be able to regulate your emotions properly. Certain drugs, such as ecstasy, cause you to feel euphoric happiness that your body cannot maintain when you are not using. This often leads to extreme bouts of depression and sadness.
Your hormones are all over the place when you’re pregnant. Many pregnant women experience emotional highs and lows throughout their pregnancy. Drug use only exasperates these mood swings. Being able to go to counseling allows you to learn how to handle your emotions in a healthy manner. You can also learn what your triggers are in possibly why you started using drugs to begin with. This can make it easier for you to avoid a relapse in the future.
Talking with a professional therapist allows you to also determine if there are any psychological issues you need to address before your baby is born. Many people turn to drugs in an effort to self-medicate themselves without even realizing that they have a mental health issue that needs to be addressed. Determining if you have any mental health issues and ensuring that they are treated properly will give you a chance to be the best parent you can possibly be.
Parental Preparation Services
If this is your first time having a child, there’s a good chance that you do not know how to take care of a baby on your own. It’s a good idea to search for a treatment facility that offers parental preparation classes. In these classes, you will learn what to expect after your baby is born, how to care for them properly and how to handle the emotional stress that comes with motherhood.
Within the classes, you will learn everything from how to change a diaper, ensuring you feed the baby properly and even their right way to a baby in the crib to ensure they can breathe well as they sleep. Knowing how to care for a child properly doesn’t always come naturally.
Services for Transitioning into the Real World
After you have your baby, you need to be able to make money to support them. Look for a treatment center that offers vocational training. This allows you to learn a skill during your recovery if you can use to seek active employment after you finish the program. Be sure to choose training that is exciting and enjoyable to you. If you can get a job that you love doing, you’ll be more fruitful at it.
Transitioning back into the real world after addiction is never easy. It’s important to learn how to properly manage life on your own. Choosing a treatment center that offers transitioning training can make starting your life over easier. Within the training, you should learn how to manage a checkbook, how to take care of a home, how to take care of yourself and how to manage some of the stresses that arise in daily life.
Services to Decrease the Chances of a Relapse
Completing a rehab treatment program does not mean that you never have to worry about addiction again. More than 40% of all individuals in recovery end up relapsing at some point in life. This is often because they become too secure in their recovery. It is important to choose a treatment facility that offers aftercare services to their patients. Being able to have group meetings with others who are in recovery can help you to see a different perspective on the things that are going on in your life and provide accountability to better your chances of staying sober.
In order to be the best mother that you can be, you need to be clean and sober. Seeking treatment while you are pregnant is the best option available to you. You want to be sure that you do it in a safe way to learn all of the skills that a new mother needs to know. Going to a treatment facility that specializes in pregnancy care allows you to not only get clean but also prepare yourself for the difficult times that can arise when you are apparent. It’s best to get started on your recovery right away to ensure you put your baby in as little danger as possible while they’re in your will.
