Pregnant and smoking

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  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    yeah, I don't even buy beefaroni. But I do work with low-income families who will go to the 10 for $10 sale and buy as much as they can.

    I wasn't knocking it, because I've been down on hard times for a long time myself. I was just pointing it out. :wink:

    I know. I just wanted to remind you that it was an example, not something that I actually have to do at this point in my life and I'm thankful for that everyday.

    That being said, I personally believe that smokers are some of the rudest people in the world. Most of them wouldn't even hesitate to light up with their kids in the car, blow smoke in your face, or my personal favorite stand in front of the door to the mall or an office building and blow smoke into the baby carriage as I attempt to enter.. Working with children who come from smokers homes is so difficult. They smell like smoke and they're sick all the time.

    You really must be careful of generalizing a full population of people. This actually only characterizes the minority of smokers that I know.

    well, it's been my experience that it happens more often than not. I can count the number of times that someone as actively attempted to avoid blowing smoke in my face on one hand.

    I suspect that it's because it's usually negativity that draws attention and response, not positivity. There's no reason to acknowledge the people who are being as thoughtful as possible while exercising their right to make a decision because they are not doing what you seem to perceive as "actively inconveniencing" you.
  • bry_all01
    bry_all01 Posts: 3,100 Member
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    yeah, I don't even buy beefaroni. But I do work with low-income families who will go to the 10 for $10 sale and buy as much as they can.

    I wasn't knocking it, because I've been down on hard times for a long time myself. I was just pointing it out. :wink:

    I know. I just wanted to remind you that it was an example, not something that I actually have to do at this point in my life and I'm thankful for that everyday.

    That being said, I personally believe that smokers are some of the rudest people in the world. Most of them wouldn't even hesitate to light up with their kids in the car, blow smoke in your face, or my personal favorite stand in front of the door to the mall or an office building and blow smoke into the baby carriage as I attempt to enter.. Working with children who come from smokers homes is so difficult. They smell like smoke and they're sick all the time.

    You really must be careful of generalizing a full population of people. This actually only characterizes the minority of smokers that I know.

    well, it's been my experience that it happens more often than not. I can count the number of times that someone as actively attempted to avoid blowing smoke in my face on one hand.


    Were you making generalizations? Not saying you deserved it, because no one does. I'm just asking...

    funny, but no

    It's simply my experience. I don't think that all smokers do it, but there is definitely a large portion of them that don't consider others that have to walk through it. I mean there are people who will light up right under a non-smoking sign

    Well, yea, there are asstarts in the world, but they aren't ALL smokers.
  • 0PhAtDaDdY
    0PhAtDaDdY Posts: 569 Member
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    Sooo... thoughts?

    I was a smoker both times I got pregnant. When I found I was pregnant, quit cold turkey.

    I have had some friends smoke less while pregnant but still continues to do so.

    In a discussion with a friend, she stated that someone who is pregnant and smokes is not selfish. I had to disagree.. to which she blew up that some people just can't handle stress, blah blah blah. And, again I had to say.. yeah.. but its still selfish.. LOL

    Sorry in advance for all the preggo smokers I just offended. :flowersforyourbaby:

    My wife never even drink one soda the entire time she was pregnant and you see on the pic we have a healthy little girl....
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    yeah, I don't even buy beefaroni. But I do work with low-income families who will go to the 10 for $10 sale and buy as much as they can.

    I wasn't knocking it, because I've been down on hard times for a long time myself. I was just pointing it out. :wink:

    I know. I just wanted to remind you that it was an example, not something that I actually have to do at this point in my life and I'm thankful for that everyday.

    That being said, I personally believe that smokers are some of the rudest people in the world. Most of them wouldn't even hesitate to light up with their kids in the car, blow smoke in your face, or my personal favorite stand in front of the door to the mall or an office building and blow smoke into the baby carriage as I attempt to enter.. Working with children who come from smokers homes is so difficult. They smell like smoke and they're sick all the time.

    You really must be careful of generalizing a full population of people. This actually only characterizes the minority of smokers that I know.

    well, it's been my experience that it happens more often than not. I can count the number of times that someone as actively attempted to avoid blowing smoke in my face on one hand.

    I suspect that it's because it's usually negativity that draws attention and response, not positivity. There's no reason to acknowledge the people who are being as thoughtful as possible while exercising their right to make a decision because they are not doing what you seem to perceive as "actively inconveniencing" you.

    It's not inconveniencing me. It's a direct threat to my and my family's health. I will thank people when the make the effort to prevent the smoke from going near us, so I don't think that it's about the negativity.
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    Bringing up 3rd hand smoke seems overly nitpicky to me.

    I've never been pregnant or smoked, but I grew up with every adult in my life smoking around me without abandon. I would have been thrilled to not have to bat away smoke everywhere but my own bedroom and not have asthma, or get stuck in cars with people smoking, etc, etc. I'm not saying my parents were bad in general because of this, but it would have saved us from having a lot of arguments when my brother and sister and I would ask them to at least go outside and they refused.

    I tend to agree that 3rd hand smoke can't be much worse than pollution in some areas, and can't be worse than second hand smoke. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's still a better option in my opinion.

    I still think it's different when it's the people that you live with every day. But there's no point in arguing that point anymore.

    I guess I don't quite understand what your point is. It is different when you live with smokers. I know I didn't realize how much I must have smelled like smoke until I went off to college and came home on holidays. It's very noticeable to me now. But growing up I still was bothered by the smoke being in the house, and having it be out of the house would have been a big improvement. I think if someone can't or doesn't want to just quit after they have kids, this is the next best thing.

    my point here is that third hand smoke has to have more of an impact when you live with a smoker. That's all.
  • 4thehardman
    4thehardman Posts: 731 Member
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    I actually had a friend whose doctor recommended for her *not* to quit smoking during her pregnancy. Stress on the baby was cited as the reason. *cough cough enabler cough cough*

    Any stress on the baby can't be worse than the effects of smoking on the developing baby.

    Just IMO of course

    I'd say the OB was right. They are the experts - and I don't know a single Dr, especially an OB who says things to enable their patients to smoke, in fact, quite the opposite.

    I was told that quitting 'cold turkey' would cause the fetus to go into withdrawal and so to stop smoking gradually. It took 3 weeks as suggested by my doctor and I had no trouble doing it (after all is there ever a better reason to quit than carrying a child? ) I am happy that I was able to quit and hae never looked back. My first daughter was planned and I gave up smoking before we concieved. The triplets were a suprise (on many levels) and I had only recently started smoking again although very rarely (2 ciggies at night, outside in the garden and only ever once baby was asleep for the night)
  • evans72002
    evans72002 Posts: 89 Member
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    No, the choice was when you decided to have unprotected sex! Once you are pregnant, the only choice you have is to do everything possible to make your body as healthy as possible.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    The issue of quitting cold turkey while pregnant is that it raises the mother's blood pressure which is dangerous for the baby. A spike in blood pressure could lead to premature delivery, miscarriage, or still birth.
  • bwilliams93
    bwilliams93 Posts: 19 Member
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    Well it is better then smoking crack!

    Maybe I should develop a cigarette with prenatal vitamins in it....

    hahahha
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    In a discussion with a friend, she stated that someone who is pregnant and smokes is not selfish. I had to disagree.. to which she blew up that some people just can't handle stress, blah blah blah. And, again I had to say.. yeah.. but its still selfish.. LOL

    If a person can't handle stress without smoking, she really should not be having children.
  • seal57
    seal57 Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Everything is about the mother smoking while pregnant..But what about dad smoking before mum gets pregnant?

    Wouldn't that also be unhealthy for the baby?

    There is nothing worse then seeing a woman smoking, pregnant or not..It's just disgusting...


    This is my 500th post....:drinker:
  • KimmieBrie
    KimmieBrie Posts: 825 Member
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    In a discussion with a friend, she stated that someone who is pregnant and smokes is not selfish. I had to disagree.. to which she blew up that some people just can't handle stress, blah blah blah. And, again I had to say.. yeah.. but its still selfish.. LOL

    If a person can't handle stress without smoking, she really should not be having children.

    Emotional stress is one thing - physical stress is another - going from packs a day to quitting cold turkey can raise BP - bad for baby, so Drs suggest weaning off - still quit, just not cold turkey.

    When I had quit cold turkey - my BP went up to 120/80 from 110/60 - still healthy range - I typically have low BP, just an example.
    Heavy smokers I am assuming their BP would go up much more.
  • nerdyandilikeit
    nerdyandilikeit Posts: 2,185 Member
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    Bringing up 3rd hand smoke seems overly nitpicky to me.

    I've never been pregnant or smoked, but I grew up with every adult in my life smoking around me without abandon. I would have been thrilled to not have to bat away smoke everywhere but my own bedroom and not have asthma, or get stuck in cars with people smoking, etc, etc. I'm not saying my parents were bad in general because of this, but it would have saved us from having a lot of arguments when my brother and sister and I would ask them to at least go outside and they refused.

    I tend to agree that 3rd hand smoke can't be much worse than pollution in some areas, and can't be worse than second hand smoke. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's still a better option in my opinion.

    I still think it's different when it's the people that you live with every day. But there's no point in arguing that point anymore.

    I guess I don't quite understand what your point is. It is different when you live with smokers. I know I didn't realize how much I must have smelled like smoke until I went off to college and came home on holidays. It's very noticeable to me now. But growing up I still was bothered by the smoke being in the house, and having it be out of the house would have been a big improvement. I think if someone can't or doesn't want to just quit after they have kids, this is the next best thing.

    my point here is that third hand smoke has to have more of an impact when you live with a smoker. That's all.

    RIght, but less of an impact than second hand smoke or even smoking. That's all I was saying.
  • juliecat1
    juliecat1 Posts: 3,455 Member
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    Im with the selfish group on this one. Smoking is bad for you and everyone around you when arent pregnant. Why would anyone assume it was a safe thing to do when pregnant.
    Saying you cant quit because of stress is a cop out. Do you really think you wont be stressed when youve had zero sleep, sore boobies and a screaming baby for days on end. Thats stress on an entirely new level. Pregnancy is the perfect time to kick the habit and learn some new life skills like meditation and relaxation. I guarantee you those will serve you better as a parent than smoking. Besides, two packs of cigarettes is about the price of a pack of diapers.
  • CastleMadeOfSand
    CastleMadeOfSand Posts: 432 Member
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    Im with the selfish group on this one. Smoking is bad for you and everyone around you when arent pregnant. Why would anyone assume it was a safe thing to do when pregnant.
    Saying you cant quit because of stress is a cop out. Do you really think you wont be stressed when youve had zero sleep, sore boobies and a screaming baby for days on end. Thats stress on an entirely new level. Pregnancy is the perfect time to kick the habit and learn some new life skills like meditation and relaxation. I guarantee you those will serve you better as a parent than smoking. Besides, two packs of cigarettes is about the price of a pack of diapers.

    This. However this is one issue I hold no leniency with. It's beyond selfish. It's deplorable.
  • taglientep
    taglientep Posts: 338 Member
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    Where is Mr. Mackey from south park when you need him..."Smoking is bad ummmkayyy" lol
  • Demwitted
    Demwitted Posts: 163
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    No, the choice was when you decided to have unprotected sex! Once you are pregnant, the only choice you have is to do everything possible to make your body as healthy as possible.

    Wow... I have be pregnant for like 5 minutes and have received tons of conflicting information about what is best. In no way has there ever been an "only" choice about anything.

    That said, I do not smoke. I think smoking is really terrible. I know from seeing friends try to quit that quitting is super hard. Good for you for quitting! It is the best choice you can make for yourself.

    Also, I really do not buy the "people have been doing this for ages" argument. Yeah, sometimes people smoke and drink during pregnancy and nothing goes wrong. Sometimes people fall off of buildings and survive, too.
  • SarabellPlus3
    SarabellPlus3 Posts: 496 Member
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    I actually had a friend whose doctor recommended for her *not* to quit smoking during her pregnancy. Stress on the baby was cited as the reason. *cough cough enabler cough cough*

    Any stress on the baby can't be worse than the effects of smoking on the developing baby.

    Just IMO of course

    I'd say the OB was right. They are the experts - and I don't know a single Dr, especially an OB who says things to enable their patients to smoke, in fact, quite the opposite.

    I was told that quitting 'cold turkey' would cause the fetus to go into withdrawal and so to stop smoking gradually. It took 3 weeks as suggested by my doctor and I had no trouble doing it (after all is there ever a better reason to quit than carrying a child? ) I am happy that I was able to quit and hae never looked back. My first daughter was planned and I gave up smoking before we concieved. The triplets were a suprise (on many levels) and I had only recently started smoking again although very rarely (2 ciggies at night, outside in the garden and only ever once baby was asleep for the night)
    Wow, THAT is an interesting point!

    Raises the question-- in addition to the glares thrown the way of the mom who has a cigarette while pregnant, should we also be judging the mom who quit cold turkey, if that in fact is a threat to her blood pressure? I can't tell you how many blood-pressure raising foods I must have consumed through the course of 3 pregnancies... Oh, (cholesterol-y) ice cream... How I love you.

    (That's rhetorical. I'm often Judgey-McJudgerson, I'm just not TOO judgey on mom's giving in to pg cravings. As another poster pointed out, too, she can legally kill the baby, for that matter).
  • RyanDanielle5101
    RyanDanielle5101 Posts: 533
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    Smoking is bad for your health period so why in the hell would anyone think it isn't bad for a growing fetus. It is horrible to smoke while pregnant. Is one cig really more important than the health of your baby?? I only knew 2 people who smoked while pregnant and both had no business having children anyway. Is a baby not enough reason to take care of your body while expecting? It is down right selfish to risk a baby's health to smoke.

    I don't have anything agaist smokers though esp. those who do not smoke inside the home!!
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    Also, I really do not buy the "people have been doing this for ages" argument. Yeah, sometimes people smoke and drink during pregnancy and nothing goes wrong. Sometimes people fall off of buildings and survive, too.

    Yup. And babies used to survive horrific car crashes without being in a car seat. I don't see smoking as a "mommy war" issue. Those are personal choices - breast vs bottle, cloth vs disposable, staying at home or working. None of them outright endanger the health of your child. Smoking does. And most people who claim they smoked throughout their pregnancy and their kid is "fine" neglect to mention all of the issues they encounter after the child is born because they honestly don't see the connection. Asthma, ear infections, respiratory issues...

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