Research led by Leslie Young, M.D., demonstrates that the "Eat, Sleep, Console” care approach (ESC) for newborns exposed to opioids in the womb results in shorter hospital stays and decreased need for medication. National Institutes of Health funded the study. The findings are published in New England Journal of Medicine.
A healthy newborn rests with their parent at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital. (Photo: Ryan Mercer)
Research led by Leslie Young, M.D., demonstrates that the Eat, Sleep, Console” care approach (ESC) for newborns exposed to opioids in the womb results in shorter hospital stays and decreased need for morphine and methadone. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the trial examined the impact of ESC, which emphasizes parent involvement, skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, rocking, and a calm environment as a first-line treatment. The findings are published in New England Journal of Medicine. Read more about the study and findings.