pregnant smokers

heidimelone

Also....there is absolutely no link between smoking and deafness....

2012asv

Her body. Her baby. Her business.

^Unfortunately this. Maybe something is wrong and she doesn't know how else to handle her stress? I would probably go out there and just start a friendly chat with her to see if talking might help?

UsedToBeHusky

There are some doctors that recommend heavy smokers that are pregnant NOT quit, especially if it is a high-risk pregnancy. The effects of nicotine withdrawal could be too much for the fetus to handle and she could lose the baby.

Just something to think about.

I smoked with both of my kids. My doctor did not want me to quit for this reason. He did ask me to limit it to 5 cigarrettes a day... which I complied. Neither of my kids suffered any health problems at birth. Both were a normal weight with fully developed lungs.

holly1283

You could just say to her I'm sure your doctor had told you about the effects of smoking on her unborn child. You also are not to smoke in this area. Who's more important you or your child and my lungs? Then you need to walk away and not get pulled into an argument and keep on walking. If she talks back just remind her it is the rule for this area.

mermx

Her body. Her baby. Her business.

I don't usually comment on forums but I just saw your replies...I have a friend (loosely speaking) that smoked during her last two pregnancies. Bother children are deaf as a result. Yes it was her business to quit but how do you think she now feels knowing that her smoking took away her child's hearing?

Just saying.

Sounds like her children should be taken away from her since she did it TWICE. once is bad enough.. but to harm your first child and then do it again. I swear to god some people should be sterilized.

Some people have 1/2/3 or more abortions for whatever reason and then they decide to have another baby,! You cannot say take the child away becuase they made mistakes in the past?

None of us are perfect and you would not be here if you were perfect??

You cannot make people live to your ideals and you cannot go around taking children away because the parents smoked and the children had problems, as we don`t know that the smoking or anything else caused it?

And for information I am against abortion, would never, ever consider it (for me anyways) I used to smoke and threw my cigs away as soon as I was pregnant (and I don`t think it is a good idea to smoke when pregnant) but just giving both sides of things.

SuperSexyDork

There are some doctors that recommend heavy smokers that are pregnant NOT quit, especially if it is a high-risk pregnancy. The effects of nicotine withdrawal could be too much for the fetus to handle and she could lose the baby.

Just something to think about.

Here's a perfect personal example!

My younger (under 20) sister's doctor told her not to attempt to quit smoking. Her getting pregnant was an absolute fluke as the doctors had told her that it would be nearly impossible for her to ever get pregnant. She also has a lot of health issues. With all of her issues, her doctor doesn't want to add any more stress to her body.

She has cut back and plans on discussing quitting gradually with her doctor because she feels this might be her only chance to be a mother and wants the best for her child but I don't think you have any clue about this woman's situation so you shouldn't be judging.

kattbyrd67

I work in a tobacco-free facility, and we are encouraged to approach people who are using tobacco products and ask them to stop...even if they are outside.

Shannon2714

To clarify, it is clearly posted on the doors of our building ( Medical Plaza ) that this is a non smoking facility.

For this reason alone, I'd say something. But, in reality, there isn't anything you can do. It's sad, but true.

redhousecat

I dunno.
I'm not a fan of the "not in my backyard" approach. In my opinion, I feel that is what is wrong with society today. Too many people minded their own business.

flame away.

Being overweight is harmful to your health. Should we "flame away" and yell out the window "HEY FATTY" at all the overweight people?

Where is this invisible line we're drawing??

good gawd. Just stop and think a minute. one does not have to be a sh1tbag about it....geeezzz. Don't be so defensive.
Also, in forum speak, flaming is a result of brash and disagreed comments towards the despised comment.
And, since you missed it, it was strictly my opinion.

futurestarz

this is a non smoking facility and that means the parking lot too.

Unfortunately, the laws usually state that it only means smokers have to be 50' from a building entrance which does not include the parking lot.

Not in Medical Facilities. When I worked in a hospital people couldn't smoke anywhere on the premises. They had to go across the street. I'm pretty sure that is the norm nowadays.

Anyway, you could say you're doing this for the protection of other visitors, but getting her to stop once isn't going to make much difference. Very sad situation. That poor little unborn child.

LiftBigtoGetFit

according to some, it's not even a baby until after it is born...........:devil:

beckajw

Her body. Her baby. Her business.

I don't usually comment on forums but I just saw your replies...I have a friend (loosely speaking) that smoked during her last two pregnancies. Bother children are deaf as a result. Yes it was her business to quit but how do you think she now feels knowing that her smoking took away her child's hearing?

Just saying.

Sounds like her children should be taken away from her since she did it TWICE. once is bad enough.. but to harm your first child and then do it again. I swear to god some people should be sterilized.

Ridiculous. And did someone directly link the smoking with the deafness. Although, smoking has been loosely linked with some hearing problems, it is highly unlikely that the woman had two kids born deaf only because of smoking.

_Elemenopee_

She knows what she's doing. It's her choice.

"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." ~ Voltaire

Blacklance36

Smoking while pregnant.....a big FAIL as a Mother. There are seldom any excuses,unless a doctor has told you expressly to keep going and that would be a very rare case indeed.

A very selfish self serving thing to do....makes me mad, and I think I would say something. Its not her right to damage her yet to be born child as some here may think.

freckledrats

People are generally free to make their own bad choices. You can't wrestle her and take away her smokes. For one, that's assault, and for two, that only stops her while you're sitting on her.

People are also generally free to parent however they choose, even poorly. In extreme cases, they stop getting to parent anymore, but smoking while pregnant or with a small child isn't considered one of those extreme events. Maybe someday it will, maybe someday it won't, but either way, it's not now and that means you don't get a say in where and when this lady smokes. (Also, I agree that it might be worthwhile to wonder if she's not just fat in a pregnant-looking way.)

Education is the best weapon. My mother chain smoked during her pregnancy with me. She chain smoked the entire time I lived with her after that, too. I was pretty lucky. No asthma, no lung problems in general, just premature by a few weeks.

That said, if you're a mom and you smoke a lot around your kids, I have some education for you. It may not have affected my health, personally, but I was made fun of ALL during school for smelling like smoke all the time. I got in trouble with teachers for being suspected of smoking on campus. (I've been a non-smoker my entire life. Got enough nicotine in the womb, thanks.) I smelled it everywhere I went, I had trouble sleeping because it was all over my pillows and blankets. Couldn't sleep with the covers over my head because the smell was so bad I could hardly breathe. Couldn't breathe in the living room when both chimneys (parents) were going. There would be a thick white visible cloud in the room. And they chided me for being "dramatic" about it. No! Not dramatic! Suffering!

I couldn't escape it til I was old enough to move out.

My dad died at 63 from smoking-related health problems. That sucked to deal with, too.

It's not all about possibly making your baby come out deaf or asthmatic or giving them lung cancer by 40. There are a ton of other things people don't think about when it comes to smoking around your children.

UsedToBeHusky

Her body. Her baby. Her business.

How pissed off would you be if you found your mother was a smoker and you ended up with lung problems? Very. Effing. Pissed.

My mother smoked when she was pregnant with me (in 1968), and I have had allergies and asthma my entire life. Many times she was unable to take me to the ER in the middle of the night during an asthma attack because my father worked 3rd shift and they only had 1 car.

She carries enormous guilt because of it, but back then there wasn't the knowledge or stigma associated with smoking, especially when pregnant.

That said, I still probably wouldn't say anything to the girl unless I knew her well enough to discuss medical topics with her.

I just want to say... (and we are on the same side of this issue) you have to be genetically predisposed to both asthma and allergies. Maybe her smoking while she was pregnant aggravated that issue, but it is more likely than not that it was her continued smoking after you were born that caused the most issues. Fetuses aren't actually exposed to smoke in the womb. They are exposed to the nicotine which might mean the baby could be born with an addiction to it, but nicotine, itself, doesn't have a direct effect on asthma or allergies.

Iceman1800

Her body. Her baby. Her business.

I don't usually comment on forums but I just saw your replies...I have a friend (loosely speaking) that smoked during her last two pregnancies. Bother children are deaf as a result. Yes it was her business to quit but how do you think she now feels knowing that her smoking took away her child's hearing?

Just saying.

bullsh*t. There is no way to prove smoking caused that. It's just a convenient excuse.

secretlobster

Being overweight is harmful to your health. Should we "flame away" and yell out the window "HEY FATTY" at all the overweight people?

Where is this invisible line we're drawing??

This

You wouldn't scream at a pregnant woman for eating unhealthy food, using bug spray, or doing countless other things other people do in their daily lives that, given enough frequency, endangers their health. It sucks that she's chain smoking through pregnancy. But her pregnancy isn't your business.

My mom did some light drinking and smoking when she was pregnant with each of her three children. It doesn't doom your fetus to birth defects. It's a piss-poor decision, but it's hers.

odusgolp

I dunno.
I'm not a fan of the "not in my backyard" approach. In my opinion, I feel that is what is wrong with society today. Too many people minded their own business.

flame away.

Being overweight is harmful to your health. Should we "flame away" and yell out the window "HEY FATTY" at all the overweight people?

Where is this invisible line we're drawing??

good gawd. Just stop and think a minute. one does not have to be a sh1tbag about it....geeezzz. Don't be so defensive.
Also, in forum speak, flaming is a result of brash and disagreed comments towards the despised comment.

*LOL* I thought it was an interesting debate, not an immediate digression to sh*tbag. I see I was wrong. We wouldn't have an interesting debate at all.

kiminikimkim

To this day, I still resent my mother for smoking when she was pregnant with me and continued smoking till I was 9 years old. My childhood was plagued with breathing problems.

It created a lifelong rift between us.