Help Is Out There For Pregnant Women Struggling with Addiction

If you find yourself pregnant and addicted to drugs or alcohol, you’re probably feeling scared, alone, even hopeless. But you are not alone. Women are at the highest risk of developing a substance use disorder during their reproductive years, greatly increasing the risk that the experiences of addiction and pregnancy can overlap in a woman’s life.

The Family Place is an alcohol and drug rehab that serves the unique needs of pregnant women and mothers of small children who are struggling with addiction. The Family Place operates under The Source umbrella and is one of the very few addiction treatment centers in the country that offers specialized treatment for pregnant women and new moms. The Family Place is fully recognized by the Joint Commission and the Florida Department of Children and Families.

If you are pregnant and addicted, we’re ready to welcome you with open arms and provide an unconditionally loving environment where you can heal. At The Family Place, we don’t judge anyone. There’s no shame in seeking treatment that will allow you to transform your life, have a healthier delivery, and be better equipped to embark on this new journey of parenthood – and sobriety.

How Abusing Alcohol and Drugs Affects Pregnant Moms and Babies

The negative consequences of addiction during pregnancy are extensive and even potentially life-threatening for both mom and baby. Risks of drug and alcohol addiction during pregnancy include:  

• Premature labor and birth: This is labor or birth that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
• Miscarriage: A miscarriage is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Stillbirth: Stillbirth is the delivery of a baby who has died in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or Postnatal Withdrawal Syndrome: NAS/PWS occurs when a baby who has been exposed to drugs in the womb, and after birth, displays withdrawal symptoms including high-pitched crying, hyperirritability, seizures, sleep deprivation, vomiting, excessive weight loss, poor feeding, tremors, and hyperthermia.
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): SIDS can occur up to a year after birth.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Exposure to alcohol in the womb can cause a variety of physical birth defects as well as behavioral issues for your baby as they get older.
• Low birth weight: Substance use during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth which almost guarantees a low birth weight.
• Physical, cognitive, and social disabilities

The Unique Needs of Pregnant Women in Addiction Treatment

The Family Place provides specialized care for women at any stage of pregnancy as well as mothers of young children, some of whom have lost custody of a child to DCF. To serve the needs of clients from varying backgrounds, our addiction treatment programs utilize all appropriate levels of care. Each individual we work with is unique and therefore so is their treatment plan. We’ll create a completely customized treatment program using proven strategies, therapies, and techniques that will be most beneficial for each individual client. 

Prior to beginning treatment, we will complete a full medical and psychological assessment in order to determine the best course of treatment. If detox is necessary, the client will be monitored 24/7 by a team of experienced doctors and nurses who understand the unique needs of detoxing while pregnant or nursing. The process of detox can be painful and uncomfortable, but medications can be administered to make it easier. Once detox is complete, you’ll be ready to begin your specialized treatment at The Family Place. 

Comprehensive and Loving Care for Pregnant Women Struggling with Addiction

Our experience working with pregnant women and mothers of young children allows us to provide care that’s formulated to ensure all your needs are met. The ultimate goal of treatment is to help you explore and heal the underlying causes of your addiction. During your time at The Family Place, you’ll participate in extensive individual and group therapy sessions, as many as needed. You’ll also receive specialized therapies that are appropriate for your unique situation. These may include:

• Music & Art Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Brain Mapping
• Trauma Therapies like EMDR, TIR, and RRT 

We also emphasize education to help pregnant women and new moms gain the skills they need to be successful in recovery and in motherhood. Activities to help you learn new skills include: 

• Prenatal Care
• Pregnancy Education and Counseling
• Parenting Education
• Nutritional Consultations
• Life Skills Workshops
• Infant Care and Nutrition
• Reading and Writing Assignments
• Exercise
• 12-Step Meetings (AA/NA)

Levels of Care

The Family Place also offers three levels of care to support our clients in every step of recovery. 

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) 

Our Partial Hospitalization Program is a residential treatment facility unlike any other. Our clients are surrounded by encouraging and loving staff and peers while focusing on their health and the health of their baby. Clients will learn the skills they need to raise a child and how to remain sober in their journey to recovery. 

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) 

Once residential treatment is complete, we offer an Intensive Outpatient Program where you will continue building on the foundation you built in residential. Research has shown that completing an IOP makes you ten times more likely to maintain sobriety than those who only attend a residential program. 

Outpatient Programs (OP) 

A Continuing Care Outpatient Program is designed to provide consistent care in an outpatient setting. For 5-7 hours, a week you will receive additional counseling, group therapy, parenting classes, biofeedback; all while having the freedom to return home each day.

With all of our treatment programs, we also offer the option of housing in our upscale residences which are located in a safe neighborhood two miles from the beach. 

What One Recent Patient Had to Say

There’s no one who can better describe what we do at The Family Place than our clients themselves. A recent patient, Tess, came to us after an unplanned pregnancy. This is what she had to say:

“I was scared and broken in every way possible. I had burned every bridge with my loved ones and desperately needed help. What I found far exceeded my expectations. I was greeted with love, compassion, and unending support… best of all they gave me HOPE that change was possible. Here everything was different. I began to open up and come out of my shell. They helped me rebuild broken relationships with my family, for which I’ll be eternally grateful. I also have a new sense of purpose, my family back in my life, and a newfound excitement for motherhood and a future I never thought existed.” 

Pregnancy and early motherhood are a precious time in life. We don’t want to see the pain of addiction steal this time away from anyone. At The Family Place and The Source, we will walk together, hand in hand, through the pain, joy, and everything in between on your journey to a happy life free from addiction. If you or someone you care about are struggling with addiction while pregnant or living with young children, we urge you to call us at (800) 204-0418.