Pregnant and smoking

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  • whouwannab
    whouwannab Posts: 350 Member
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    and I say if you were able to quit while pregnant, why not give it up all together? That way the baby's clothes and blankets will smell like the sweet smell of baby and not cigarette smoke.
  • bry_all01
    bry_all01 Posts: 3,100 Member
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    and I say if you were able to quit while pregnant, why not give it up all together? That way the baby's clothes and blankets will smell like the sweet smell of baby and not cigarette smoke.

    Some people respect their space and smoke outside.
  • KimmieBrie
    KimmieBrie Posts: 825 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.
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    Any stress on the baby can't be worse than the effects of smoking on the developing baby.
    Do you know that that's true, or do you assume that to be true?

    I'm asking without snark. I don't know that I buy that line, TBH. I haven't seen scientific evidence supporting it, I've only seen people assume it. It may be true, I'm just asking, b/c it seems like one of those common internet assumptions, but I'm not certain it's real.


    I'm inclined to agree with you. Because when the baby's born, you're not going to still pop a ciggy in his mouth so he doesn't have withdrawal. So I'm not really seeing how it's more stressful to quit while you're pregnant.


    Could the stress of withdrawal cause a potential miscarriage or stillbirth?
  • jenscot25
    jenscot25 Posts: 124 Member
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    You know what? I'm not really a judger on the "Mommy Wars." I'm just not.

    Of course it's bad to smoke while pregnant. I never did (wasn't a smoker anyway). But I took other risks. Maybe worse risks. I got in my car, and QUITE LITERALLY risked my unborn children's lives most every day of each pregnancy. Sometimes I only did it for fun-- I wanted to go to the mall! Well, it could have killed them. Happens everyday. I would need a true scientific assessment to say that smoking is more or less dangerous to one's life than car travel...
    I even still do it now. My kids are in carseats, & I drive safely, but tonight when I take them to Karate just for a "WANT" (not a "need"), we will be risking their lives in the car.

    I also got the epidural (except the last time, when she came too fast, and weighed almost 10 lbs, but I digress), etc, etc, etc. Unless it's REALLY greivious, we're just all on the honor system to do the best WE can do. The best "you" can do isn't always the best everyone else can do. Maybe you ate lunch meat while you were pregnant. You have to try to be safe, but still live.

    I agree. Spend less time worrying about other people's lives and focus on yours. People are going to do what they want to do so why waste time fighting an endless battle. Of course smoking is bad DUH-it's bad any time. It's the mother's choice just like abortion which too ends rather badly for the baby. I don't agree or disagree with smoking or abortion but I do agree in a woman's right to choose. The baby has no choice as sucky as that may be. Problem solved? Next topic please.
  • taglientep
    taglientep Posts: 338 Member
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    Sorry not a fan of having child addicted to tobacco from birth. I am a smoker, Cigar/ Pipe so i am for tobacco, just not hindering a childs development.

    Let me at least wait till my child's 18th birthday for them to enjoy a fine cigar with me (though i dont have any children yet)
  • bhalter
    bhalter Posts: 582 Member
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    My best friend continued smoking while she was pregnant. I once got up the gumption to ask her about it and she said her doctor actually recommended she NOT quit because quitting would put stress on her and the baby. O.o I'm not going to judge anyone else's decisions, even though I don't agree with it, but she keeps saying both of her kids "are healthy as a horse" when they were born, which to some degree is true. My goddaughter (that she smoked with) though, has had ear infections, lung/sinus/colds, coughs, etc., the entire 9 months she's been out of the womb and has been to the ER and doctor's office every single month. Of course if I brought up that it was maybe because she smoked while pregnant with her, I'd probably get *****ed at.
  • Naomi_84
    Naomi_84 Posts: 197 Member
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    I am currently studying to become a midwife and have a professional duty to "educate" mothers to be on the harmful effects of smoking on their baby. I do not agree with it at all but must be non judgemental and understand that for some people, smoking is a huge part of their lives, pregnancy can be an extremely stressful life event and going cold turkey for some people is not an option but cutting down is also beneficial (I think it's amazing you were able to just stop by the way and I wish all women could and would) but it's not realistic for everyone.

    I just hope that for most women common sense will prevail and they will prioritise their babies needs before their own (they're gonna have to do it for the rest of their lives as a parent so why not start right away??!!).

    I do think that some women choose to be ignorant of the dangers of smoking when pregnant, sometimes it's an, "It won't happen to me", attitude. Some women who I see who come from whole families of smokers, whos Mums, Grannies and Great Grannies smoked whilst pregnant will say, "Well it never did me any harm!". I think this is the worst type of attitude. It was acceptable to smoke in a car with the windows up and children in the car in the 70's but we know more now, we have more concrete evidence that this is harmful and so we should be taking notice and making changes for our sake and for our children. I have handled the placentas of women who are heavy smokers and cannot believe how unhealthy they feel and look, grey and gritty and calcified. I wish we could show these to the mother and say, "LOOK!!" This was your babies lifeline and look what you're smoking did to it. They baby may look fine and healthy on the outside but only with ignorance or lack of education could you truly believe you can put those toxins into the mix where your babies' complicated and delicate development is happening and it do no harm at all.
  • mudya
    mudya Posts: 128 Member
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    I agree!
  • 08caseyk
    08caseyk Posts: 40
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    My mother in law smoked while pregnant with my husband. What made me more mad was she would smoke in the house after he was born, with him in the same room. She tried doing it with my children aswell. Shed try to light a cigarette while holding one of them(caused a huge fight). wth! and she'd smoke in the car while i was pregnant with her window up knowing mine was broken. Some people just don't care and it pisses me off. A child should ALWAYS come first. If you could put smoking over an unborn child or young childs health then theres something wrong with you. Just sayin..
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    My best friend continued smoking while she was pregnant. I once got up the gumption to ask her about it and she said her doctor actually recommended she NOT quit because quitting would put stress on her and the baby. O.o I'm not going to judge anyone else's decisions, even though I don't agree with it, but she keeps saying both of her kids "are healthy as a horse" when they were born, which to some degree is true. My goddaughter (that she smoked with) though, has had ear infections, lung/sinus/colds, coughs, etc., the entire 9 months she's been out of the womb and has been to the ER and doctor's office every single month. Of course if I brought up that it was maybe because she smoked while pregnant with her, I'd probably get *****ed at.

    Is she still smoking? I think it has more to do with that. Kids that live in homes with smokers have more upper respiratory and ear issues.

    Smoking during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight and an increased risk of SIDS.
  • SeanIsMyHomeboy
    SeanIsMyHomeboy Posts: 107 Member
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    All I'm saying is that obviously people have been having babies for thousands of years.

    For some of those years, im sure women were smoking and drinking while carrying a child.

    And yet we're still here...
    So, as long as someone isn't jeopardizing the human race as a whole, the practice is acceptable? Super logic.

    I'm not taking sides. I'm not voicing my opinion pro or con. Im stating facts.

    And in response I to your sarcasm I leave you with Spock's dying words... "It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
  • chelekaz
    chelekaz Posts: 871 Member
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    when i found out i was pregnant with my first, i was scared to death because i was 2 months along - had not missed the lovely period so no clue! i was a big smoker and had been drinking like a fiend that st. pat's day so very nervous. thankfully everything was perfect w/ the baby.

    i admit, i never fully quit smoking ... i was a 2 pk a day smoker. but every now and then i admit that i did have one.

    with my second I knew before missing (mama's instinct). I was down to 1/2pk a day ... quit immediately. (Just wish I had STAYED a quitter!)

    amazingly it was the second pregnancy that i had all the issues with (non related of course) while the first was text book (down to going into labor ON my due date). not saying that makes smoking alright... just pointing out smoking is not the only cause for problems in pregnancies.
  • bikermike5094
    bikermike5094 Posts: 1,752 Member
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    if beating ignorant people was legal, I'd be the first in line. women who smoke while pregnant and people who smoke in the car with the windows rolled up and kids/babies tied up in the back seat. I would throttle every one of them if I could. I'm a very militant anti smoker and dont make any apologies for it.
  • mleoni092708
    mleoni092708 Posts: 629 Member
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    My husband's friend's wife chain smoked while pregnant with her baby. I wanted to punch her in the face every time we went to hang out with them. Took every ounce of willpower I had not to say something. Not that she would've cared, but I found it a horrendous thing to do. Thankfully the baby was fine. And reinforcing for her that smoking while pregnant is perfectly fine...sigh.
  • FitHitTheShan80
    FitHitTheShan80 Posts: 68
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    That was how I knew I was pregnant with my daughter.. I gagged when I lit up, twice was all it took...I just knew I was pregnant...I quit cold turkey too! Good for you, girl! If we consciously know that we could possibly be harming our unborn children and we are selfish enough to do so...we don't really deserve the gift of being a parent. When I was pregnant with my first baby (my son) I didn't even as much as touch an oz. of caffeine or chocolate, much less a cigarette. I ate as healthy as I could possibly eat...and I didn't go around people who smoked. I did the same with my daughter. However, I had a Cheetos and ice cream addiction to make up for it. OOPS!! :p I think that while it wasn't my best choice to eat a bag of .99 Cheetos every other night and alternate nights with a pint of B&J Chubby Hubby. That may be a lil exagerated but not far off! :P I do think it is much better than a nicotine addiction. If we wouldn't make our children sit in front of us now and blow smoke in their faces, why should it be ok to smoke while pregnant and not even give them a chance to be able to get away from it and possibly affect their chances of a normal healthy growth in the womb? I will never understand some people. Good for you for stating your opinion and putting your friend in her place. :0) I would have done the same. :0)
  • bry_all01
    bry_all01 Posts: 3,100 Member
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    Smoking during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight and an increased risk of SIDS.


    I can attest to that. Thanks to my ex's ex, we all lost a beautiful baby girl 2 months and 19 days into her life due ot SIDS. She partied and chain-smoked like it was going out of style. But, no, its never caused any problems...
  • p0pr0cksnc0ke
    p0pr0cksnc0ke Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Smoking during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight and an increased risk of SIDS.


    I can attest to that. Thanks to my ex's ex, we all lost a beautiful baby girl 2 months and 19 days into her life due ot SIDS. She partied and chain-smoked like it was going out of style. But, no, its never caused any problems...

    :angry: :indifferent: :frown: :cry: all at the same time. :brokenheart:
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Addiction is irrational. People will try all sorts of ways to convince themselves something is ok when it really isn't. Causing damage to a baby is not ok, no matter how clever (or in this case stupid) someone's rationalization sounds
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
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    All I'm saying is that obviously people have been having babies for thousands of years.

    For some of those years, im sure women were smoking and drinking while carrying a child.

    And yet we're still here...
    So, as long as someone isn't jeopardizing the human race as a whole, the practice is acceptable? Super logic.
    I'm not taking sides. I'm not voicing my opinion pro or con. Im stating facts.

    And in response I to your sarcasm I leave you with Spock's dying words... "It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
    So... the cravings of a mother outweigh the well being of the fetus? Help me out here.

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