"Medical" Marijuana during Labor - Page 3

[Amber Lion]

Just another perspective (and I'm actually on the left coast)...

I work for a drug treatment facility in a program called Healthy Babies that works with women who are at risk for drug abuse during pregnancy. Yes, all my clients have a history of drug abuse and/or tested pos during their pregnancies for some kind of drug, but I also get called into our valley's NICU to do chemical dependency evals on women who were never in "the system", but were tested when they were in labor at the hospitals and their babies were tested too (I have the unpleasant job of deciding whether it's safe to use their breastmilk or if they are too high risk). There was no "reason" for them to be tested, the hospital just always does a drug screen on Mommas of and babies who need NICU attention. And DHS (CPS around here) gets called in regardless of what drug or what levels, even for "just pot". If you have a medical mj card, then you will probably have the case closed pretty quickly, but if not you will be required to go through a huge rigamarol of drug treatment (yes, even for just a little pot) to keep your children even if they don't immediately take them away.

I just wanted to put that out there that even on the left coast, some areas are really strict about drug use and test anyone, even without cause and without obtaining consent. I'm not personally against mj, even during pg, (and yes, that is a little awkward with my job), but I don't choose to use it b/c I know how difficult these Momma's lives are made just for smoking a "little pot".

P.S. I don't mean to try and scare anyone, just wanted to put out my two cents b/c I work in this field.

[pixiepunk]

I would think if someone wanted to use drugs during labor why not just have a hospital birth and do it legally? To me natural birth is just that, natural. I do not want any intervention at all, be it "natural" or non natural. I don't even want to be checked. The only time I want anything given or done to me is when it is medically necessary. I know that every women is different and wants different things from their birth experience, I'm just adding my 2 cents into the discussion. Good luck and happy birthing to all.

obviously everyone has to do what they're comfortable with. and there have been discussions here before about the word "natural" and what it entails and what can be included in such a labor and still be considered "natural." like is it not natural if i have a glass of wine to relax in early labor? is it not natural if i have a few sprays of rescue remedy while i'm laboring? what about aromatherapy? Blue and black cohosh? castor oil?

Everyone's going to have a different answer to those questions, and to draw the line in a different place. but i most definitely don't think there isn't any comparison between a little MJ and an epidural or narcotics to deal with pain during labor. And frankly, even if there were more of a comparison, i think there are plenty of people who would prefer to give birth at home for a lot of reasons, even if they do desire pain management. giving birth naturally is only one of a littany of reasons why most people choose homebirth.

Amber Lion - thank you for that information, i think it's a really valuable inclusion in the discussion. People need to understand what the legal repercussions are (or could be), should a hospital transfer occur, in order to make an informed decision.

[thixle]

Parental Drug Use As Child Abuse, state by state:
http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwi...showSearchForm

[sg784]

Unauthorized drug testing of pregnant women ruled illegal act

We could debate the "natural" vs "unnatural" for ever.

There are so many studies that fail to show mj as a danger to the baby.
The only ones that do are not CONTROLLED studies, they include mothers who used other drugs as well. On top of that, they are sponsored by government agencies (supporting the "war on drugs" )

All controlled, privately funded studies show no difference, or a difference in FAVOR of the mj using group.

If someone wanted to use MJ while pregnant, during labor, or whenever, for that matter, I would only suggest that the person do some real digging and truly inform themselves.

Just like we inform ourselves about BF vs FF, western med vs alternative med, circ vs intact, vax vs selective vax vs no vax.

[alexsam]

Like others here, if mj is OK or not morally or even medically is not so much the question. The issue is that it is unequivically and unquestionably illiegal in the United States. To me, it would not be worth the risk- the risk of having CPS become involved in my life, of becoming subject to legal measures, having to worry about tests, etc.

Sure. Birth hurts. But what would hurt a million times more would be turning the beautiful birth experience into some sort of event that caused trauma to me and my family by becoming a pot fiasco. Instead of remembering a beautiful event, remebering the tests and the nurses and the social workers and worrying about all that... Not worth it.

[baby_baby_mommy]

Smoking anything during pregnancy or labor seems unwise to me, if not for your own health then for those around you. Why pollute the air for others? Especially with a child already in the house (per OP's sig).

[Mamatolea]

Only Meth abuse mentioned in NH, so I am not too concerned.

[ltk]

Amberlion thanks for your posting. And thank you to the person who provided the link, state by state.

Based on the discussion, it's clear many of us have/will consider mj as a part of our birth. It's a personal decision and can only be made with thorough information/research. There are other reasons I am debating this in my heart/head and that would be whether I would want any kind of emotional interference here. It is a beautiful moment, that I will be sure not to miss! A little MJ won't interfere with that. NOt gonna smoke a J in the hospital right before her head pops out. But I do believe it's medicinal just like other herbs I may take in my life and thus we need to gauge the individuals response.

I do have to say I resent the person who says I am polluting the air, especially with a little one in the house. For one, I don't believe MJ is a pollutant/carcinogen, as tobacco would be. And furthermore, I don't sit around blowing pot smoke in my toddlers face. Pregnant or non-pregnant mary jane participant, it happens after he goes to bed. Thanks for your concern for my child's lungs. Presumptive judgement just isn't helpful in this community.

But to all you others out there, I am loving the conversation and the knowledge we are generating on the topic. Not talking about it doesn't make it go away.

[baby_baby_mommy]

It's one thing if you choose to smoke and know what you're doing, but I don't think deluding yourself that smoke, of any kind, is not a pollutant is anything but ignorant. Many studies and articles on the downsides of ANY smoke are widely available. Here's one BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7150274.stm

"Tobacco and cannabis smoke contain the same carcinogenic compounds and depending on which part of the plant is smoked, cannabis smoke can contain more of them but, whereas nicotine activates these carcinogenic compounds, THC has been shown to inhibit them in mice cells. THC is very likely to have protective effects against the carcinogens present in smoke in humans too, but cannabis smoke remains nonetheless carcinogenic."

I'd advocate for another method of consumption, like eating, though I know the "dosage" is more difficult to control that way.

[Galatea]

I know a woman who smoked in labor and though she was a regular and actually sort of heavy pot smoker, being high wigged her out and she actually stopped progressing. I guess she got too far into her head and thought herself into dysfunctional labor. She ended up in a c-section for failure to progress. So you'd have to think about what it does to your thoughts (if anything) and how you would react if there were any problems during labor while you were stoned.

[Barcino]

Sounds like a really bad idea to me. First I would be concerned about risks to the baby. *I* would never do MJ but much less much much less pregnant. And being high does not equal a good birth experience in my opinion. I want to have my all my senses with me when I birth.

[gentleearthmama]

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[Barcino]

Well if I question an epidural I for sure also question mj. Just because it is natural doesn't mean that it cannot have an effect. I have never smoked mj but I have been around it years ago (high school in europe) and even second hand exposure affected me badly so no way that with that experience I would want my baby around it. To me just because it is natural does not mean I am going to assume it is safe. I felt extremely lethargic and out of control JUST with second hand exposure. Obviously she can do what she feels comfortable with but that is my opinion on the subject with the experience I have had with it and what I know labor to be like.

[gentleearthmama]

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[homebirthing]

I just read Minnesota's and they are very clear on it being highly illegal. If for whatever reason you have to have your baby in the NICU (homebirth transfer or hospital birth) they will run a tox screen on a baby, and I think that is probably true in every state.

I personally wouldn't ever put MJ into my unborn babies system. It is your choice to smoke or not, but your baby has no say in the matter.

[lovingmommyhood]

Originally Posted by akilamonique

I think a drug test and an Aids test is done automatically when you go in the hospital.

Nope. Not true.

[arpetree1]

I would just be worried about being zoned out and not totally in tune with the birth.
They cannot take your baby away just for a +pot.

[wildflowermama]

Labor hurts. I don't think pot would do anything for the pain anyway.

I honestly can't give anyone who chooses pain relief during labor any grief because I know that during labor for me, I sure do think about it. I'll avoid it unless medically needed. But, I certainly can't tell anyone else they are wrong for choosing it.

[sg784]

Originally Posted by arpetree1

I would just be worried about being zoned out and not totally in tune with the birth.
They cannot take your baby away just for a +pot.

repeating what has already been said,clarified, and explained again...

If youre ZONED OUT, HIGH, "too far into your mind", stoned, baked, insert word for "messed up" here....Then its not MEDICINAL use. Its recreational.

The OP and anyone else talking about the medicinal use of MJ is not advocating, or even speaking of the recreational use (point of which is to get high, or any other word above) But we are talking about the medicinal use.

And why does everyone think you have to SMOKe mj in order to partake of it? you can use a vaporizer, bake with it, make tea with it, many many other ways of getting the desired MEDICINAL effects without actually smoking.

Let me delve into this more deeply.

Marijuana is an herb. no different than any other. If teenagers commonly used sassafras to get "high" (which they can by the way) would you cringe and say Oh, *I* would never.......and judge those who do?

name another herb used for medicinal purposes during pregnancy. OH, red raspberry leaf! Do you think the only way to use it it to smoke it? of course not. And red raspberry leaf is an oxytocic is it not? isnt that why its considered a uterine toner? You can feel free to correct me if Im wrong.

Just because with recreational use its "popular" to smoke mj, doesnt mean its the only way, or even preferred way by people using for medicinal purposes.

[barefootpoetry]

Originally Posted by sg784

name another herb used for medicinal purposes during pregnancy. OH, red raspberry leaf!

Totally OT here but you should have seen the look on my BIL's face when he came over the day I got my shipment of RRL in the mail. Three 1-pound Ziploc bags sitting on the kitchen table looking a helluva lot like YOU KNOW WHAT!

For me, the worry about being stoned comes from the fact that I hardly ever partake anymore, I don't think I've smoked in over six months. So my tolerance is about nil, and in order to take a few good hits to relax me, I'd probably wind up baked. It's not that I think I'll be sitting there puffing on a huge rasta spliff getting wasted, it's that I KNOW what a wimp I am when I haven't been smoking and how high I can get off just a little bit as a result, esp. if it's good stuff.

I have never tried to make tea out of it. How much would you use?