Supporting Mothers and Babies with Opioid Use Disorders

Since 2012, Levine Children Hospital’s Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) program has helped new moms and their babies avoid the tragic consequences of opioid dependency. Relying on research showing that breast milk and physical contact help with opioid withdrawal, Atrium Health is helping moms and babies get a healthy start – safely and without unnecessary medications.

Our approach emphasizes patient education and involves a multidisciplinary team that includes physicians, nurses, navigators, and registered dieticians. We provide behavioral health counseling to help families manage day-to-day challenges around eating and sleeping transitions. We also coach caregivers to perform evidence-based soothing techniques such as swaddling and infant massage.

To date, our NAS program has had a significant impact in reducing the length of hospital stays for new families and helped to establish healthy growing environments for our youngest patients.