The mother was a heavy smoker, she had not gained weight during her pregnancies, her babies were born early and had been too little, and she had failed to bond with some of them after birth. The mother now lived 75 miles from my office, but her husband did bring her in for me to see before she delivered this fifth child. The first time I saw my patient and her husband, both were very unhappy with the situation. The husband had been extremely suspicious of me at the initial interview. And why shouldn't he be.
Doctors are the persons who usually trigger the system which takes children away from parents.
However, I was able to observe him in the waiting room with his children and he was at ease with them and treated them appropriately. I spent a good deal of time talking with the mother about cutting her smoking down so she would have a healthier baby. I observed the father each time she came, and he continuted to interact normally with his children. The delivery was unremarkable. The mother was still smoking, but she had cut down and her baby was full term, normal weight, and healthy.