By Hushabye Staff

“When I first heard about Hushabye I was still using, very pregnant and scared about becoming a first-time mom. But then I found Hushabye. I had this overwhelming sense of relief. I finally found a place where I wasn’t judged, connected with people I related to and saw people who wanted to help me.”  — Actual Hushabye Mom

Babies exposed to opioids in the womb are at high-risk for NAS (Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome) which is painful withdrawal from these opioids soon after birth. If you are pregnant and struggling with Opioid or Substance Use Disorder (OUD/SUD), Hushabye can help you.

Care, Support and Compassion

Hushabye Nursery was founded by Tara Sundem, a neonatal nurse practitioner who witnessed firsthand the challenges of newborns exposed prenatally to opioids and the families struggling with OUD/SUD who were trying to care for them. Its mission is to ‘embrace substance exposed babies and their caregivers with compassionate, evidence-based care that changes the course of their entire lives.’

Hushabye works to reduce disparities in access to health services to improve the health and well-being of newborns who are suffering from opioid withdrawal and their families who are suffering from OUD/SUD. Family engagement and health equity are its two guiding principles.

In November 2020, Hushabye Nursery opened its 12-bed residential NAS detoxification nursery in Phoenix with state-of-the-art, evidence-based NAS care and wraparound family support services. It is the first-of-its-kind NAS nursery in the US to integrate health care and social services based on keeping children safely with their families instead of from their families. It is a safe and inclusive space where the parent(s) and baby can room-in and experience a gentle, non-stimulating environment that was supportive of bonding and breastfeeding. Hushabye Nursery treats these parents with the care, support, compassion and dignity that they need and deserve.

“I was pregnant and in recovery for opioids and getting Methadone. I wasn’t feeling great knowing I was pregnant and my baby was going have to be put on Morphine. Hushabye gave me education on my rights and all the different ways you can help a baby in withdrawal without medication.” — Actual Hushabye Mom 

Every baby deserves a chance for a healthy start. In its two years, Hushabye Nursery has served almost 400 Arizona babies and their families.

Hushabye’s outcome improvements continue to exceed existing models of care:

• An average 5% of babies received their 1st Morphine dose at Hushabye Nursery compared to the national average 98% in the hospital NICU.
• Average length of stay was 7 days at HN compared to the national average length of stay of 22 days in the hospital NICU.
• An average 77% of mothers prenatally involved with HN safely maintained custody of their infants and an average 50% of mothers who were not prenatally involved with HN safely maintained custody of their infants.

Inpatient, while caring for babies with NAS, and outpatient, after baby’s discharge, Hushabye Nursery offers parent(s) extensive, trauma-informed programs and services such as psychological evaluations and treatment recommendations; rigorous case management; relapse prevention and recovery support; parenting (includes NAS care) and life skills education; Department of Child Safety (DCS) navigation; individual and small recovery groups; development of coping and self-regulation skills; social connections activities; and housing referrals.

Hushabye’s Lived Experience Peer Supports have been pregnant and/or parenting with OUD/SUD and know first-hand the unique challenges and struggles, fears and anxieties. They meet parents where they are in their recovery journey with what they need in a non-judgmental and compassionate way.

Hushabye provides a calm, serene environment for mom and baby.

Hushabye Dads group is led by one of our peer mentors who went through the Hushabye program when his son was born substance-exposed. After becoming a certified peer mentor, Joey joined the Hushabye team and leads outreach to all of Hushabye dads. During these weekly groups, dads have a safe place to share concerns, ask questions, and get the support they need to be the best parents they can be. Topics discussed include Understanding NAS, What to Expect in Pregnancy, and Understanding DCS.

Inpatient Services 

• Care for babies as they go through the withdrawal process
• Families may room-in with their babies
• Connect families with onsite behavioral health services
• DCS Support
• Family education
• Counseling
• Family coaching
• Lactation support
• Medication management of NAS symptoms if necessary
• Gavage feedings if necessary
• Phototherapy

Outpatient Services

• Transportation, food and housing support
• NAS education-diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care
• Infant CPR
• Car seat education
• Safe sleep education
• Baby supplies and resources
• Care coordination
• Evidence based Triple P Parenting class
• Baby soothing education
• Social connections
• SMART Recovery
• Peer support
• Outpatient behavioral health services
• Family coaching
• Trauma and family counseling
• Doula services

“My daughter is home now and my CPS case is ending. I am truly thankful for being referred to Hushabye nursery. They helped me make a drastic change in my life and I know day or night I can always count on them if I need help.” —Actual Hushabye Mom

If you need help or know someone who does, call/text 480-628-7500 or email [email protected]   Website www.hushabyenursery.org