August 7, 2006 — By JOSEPHINE CHENG

Someone injected heroin into baby "Anthony" and he could do nothing to stop it. Baby "Nikki" was fed crack cocaine. Who would do such a thing? Their mothers – though none wants to.

All these babies are born addicted to drugs, their tiny bodies craving the high they got in the womb. But believe it or not, they are the lucky ones because they have Barbara Drennen to care for them. "Your heart hurts and you want to help them in any way you possibly can," she said.

Barbara is a former foster mom who founded the non-profit Pediatric Interim Care Center – or PICC – in Kent, Washington. It's the only place of its kind in the country: a drug rehab for newborns. . .

"Babies were being born a pound and a half. Hospitals were struggling to help these tiny neonates survive only to send them out to foster homes, only to have them not do well or possibly die," she said.

So Barbara and her nursing staff became unique experts at caring for the tiniest victims of the drug crisis. They learned from experience that every narcotic grabs hold of a baby differently.

Baby "Joseph" was withdrawing painfully from heroin and methadone, frantically crying, trembling, unable to calm himself. With cocaine, on the other hand, one baby was limp and lethargic, barely able to suck.

And a recent change in methamphetamine production had shocking consequences for newborn baby "Zoe." "Some of the babies come in actually with third-degree burns where the skin is so excoriated to the point of bleeding," said Denise Shuff, RN. All because meth cooks are skipping purification and instead mixing the drug with toxic chemicals like Draino.

As hard as it is for Barbara, what must it be like for a mother, knowing she's done this to her child? Twenty-nine-year-old Traci Miller was willing to share her experience. She says she was on Oxycontin pain killer for chronic back pain, an anti-depressant, and a couple other things she didn't want to discuss when she discovered she was pregnant with Justin.

"After I had him, I felt what I did was wrong. I felt guilty of something," she said. Traci saw all of her three children taken away by the state. She's allowed to visit Justin at PICC and help wean him off morphine.

"I don't condone what the mothers are doing in any manner. If we could have a healthy society, it'd be great. But we don't have a healthy society, and drugs have hit every family in America," said Barbara.

How many babies in the Northwest are there born exposed to drugs?
"Over 12,000 a year are drug exposed, prenatally drug exposed," she said.
What would happen to these babies if it weren't for PICC? "These babies would be going home behind closed doors," she said. "How many of our babies are dying right now I can't tell you because often they're diagnosed SIDS."

The infants need round-the-clock care. At PICC, a legion of volunteers help out. After a few months there and with proper training for foster parents and adoptive parents, most babies get a clean start, a chance at the natural high of growing up.

And that is what Barbara Drennen lives for – saving these babies who've lived nine lives before they're born and giving them finally a good one. "It's the greatest reward sitting here after hours and just holding a baby. I feel so cherished that I am allowed to do this," she said.

Barbara Drennen says a few children who were nursed at PICC have come in to visit her years later. Seeing them thrive and doing great in school is what keeps her doing what she does.

On April 15, 2006, PICC's dream came true. Babies from across Washington State, who have been prenatally exposed to drugs, have a new place to call home.