These Babies Are Born Addicted—and What This Woman Does Next Will Leave You Speechless

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, host Jason Rigby sits down with Tara Sundem, a neonatal nurse practitioner with over 30 years of experience and the visionary behind Hushabye Nursery. Tara shares her journey of founding a revolutionary care facility in Phoenix, Arizona, dedicated to supporting infants born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) due to prenatal opioid exposure. This episode dives deep into the realities of NAS, the innovative Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) model, and the power of compassionate, family-centered care in breaking cycles of addiction and trauma.

1. Tara’s Journey to Hushabye Nursery

• How Tara’s 30-year career in neonatal care led her to focus on NAS babies.

• The eye-opening moment in a small hospital that sparked a mission to do better for substance-exposed newborns.

2. Understanding Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)

• What NAS looks like through a newborn’s eyes: the pain, withdrawal symptoms, and critical first weeks.

• National average withdrawal period (22 days) vs. Hushabye’s reduced 8-day timeline.

3. The Hushabye Nursery Difference

• Introduction to the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) model and its drastic reduction in morphine use (8% vs. 95% in traditional NICUs).

• The family-centered approach: private rooms, 24/7 caregiver support, and fostering parental bonding.

4. Breaking Stigmas Around Addiction and Motherhood

• Common misconceptions about mothers with substance use disorders and the truth about their love for their babies.

• How society can shift from judgment to compassion through understanding the science of addiction.

5. Success Stories and Impact

• A powerful story of a mother’s recovery journey, from homelessness to reunification with her baby in under three months.

• How Hushabye Nursery builds community partnerships to ensure long-term family success.

6. Challenges and Dreams for the Future

• The need for policy changes, like automatic care pathways for pregnant and parenting families with substance use.

• Tara’s vision: expanding Hushabye Nursery to serve more families prenatally and beyond.

Title: Co-Founder and Executive Director, Hushabye Nursery

Email: tara.sundem@hushabyenursery.org

Bio: Tara Sundem is a neonatal nurse practitioner with over three decades of experience caring for newborns. After witnessing the unmet needs of babies born with NAS and their families, she co-founded Hushabye Nursery in Phoenix, Arizona. Her mission is to provide compassionate, evidence-based care that heals infants and empowers families to break the cycle of addiction and trauma.

Mission: “To embrace substance-exposed babies and their caregivers with compassionate, evidence-based care that positively changes the course of their entire lives.”

Founded: By Tara Sundem, Hushabye Nursery addresses the opioid crisis’s impact on newborns and families.

Services:

• Prenatal and postpartum support groups.

• Inpatient nursery care using the ESC model.

• Outpatient therapies for ongoing family support. Stats:

• Reduces morphine use to 8% (vs. 95% in NICUs).

• Cuts hospital stays from 22 days to 8 days on average.

• Licensed as a Level 1 Sub-Acute facility by the Arizona Department of Health and accredited by CARF International.

• The Reality of NAS: Tara describes withdrawal as “the worst flu and migraine times a hundred” for a newborn, emphasizing the need for a quiet, nurturing environment.

• A Turning Point: A mother’s decision to never return after a nurse’s harsh words inspired Tara to create a better way.

• Hope in Action: A homeless mother’s journey to breastfeeding and reunification showcases Hushabye’s transformative impact.

• Call to Action: Tara urges listeners to share this episode and support Hushabye Nursery to amplify hope and healing.

1. Donate: Visit HushabyeNursery.org to contribute—over 50% of their budget relies on fundraising.

2. Spread the Word: Share this podcast episode and follow @hushabye.nursery on social media.

3. Learn More: Explore educational resources on their website to support substance-exposed babies in your community.