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Numerous reports in the literature from the 1920's to the 1950's revealed
that breastfeeding was used as a form of therapy for infants suffering from
narcotic (usually heroin) withdrawal.
If these infants stopped breastfeeding,
they suffered withdrawal symptoms similar to those of newborns
fed formula born to heroin addicted mothers.
If the mothers were slowly withdrawn from heroin and
the infants continued nursing during this time, they suffered no withdrawal
symptoms
(
Cobrinik, 1959
).
The lack of control over the amount of narcotic administered to the
infant makes this a less desirable method of drug withdrawal
than other methods used today.
Consequently heroin using women should not breastfeed.
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