Smoking while pregnant -what to do and what not to do

Tobacco poisons affect baby

When you smoke, the poisons in the tobacco are going into you and your baby. Nicotine affects your baby’s blood supply, as well as affecting you. Every puff you take increases the carbon monoxide poison in your blood stream, so when you smoke:

Sexy Pregnant mothers

• less oxygen and nourishment get to your baby

• your baby’s heart beats too fast (so does yours)

• your baby’s chest muscles don’t have enough oxygen to

exercise properly, to get ready for breathing after birth.

You are more likely to lose your unborn baby (miscarry) if you

smoke during pregnancy.

A smoker’s baby is more likely to:

• be stressed during labour, leading to a complicated birth

• have a low birth weight, making health problems more

likely

• die at, or shortly after, birth

• die of cot death, or SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)

• have cough, colds and other breathing problems

• get ear infections

• develop asthma

Once you have quit for your baby …

You have many reasons to stay smoke-free. If you smoke, your child is more likely to:

• be hospitalised

• get middle ear damage

• get chest illnesses or asthma

• have poor breathing and lung development

• grow up to be a smoker (copying you)

If you start smoking again, you are more likely to get serious diseases, such as cancers, stroke, heart disease, breathing diseases like emphysema and bronchitis, and circulation damage causing pains in the legs and trouble with walking.

Staying smokefree after pregnancy – some tips for tough times

So you quit smoking for your pregnancy – great! Now you want to stay a non-smoker, for yourself and for your child. Some times are harder than others, and it’s good to learn new ways of dealing with the ‘tough times’.

Seeing other people smoke Move away from smokers when you can. Ask your family and friends not to smoke inside your home. Get rid of all the ashtrays. Maybe you know someone who wants to quit, and you can support each other.

Out socializing

Try to socialise with people who don’t smoke! Tell people straight away that you don’t smoke, and that don’t want to.

Drinking alcohol

Try avoiding alcohol. Try a different, non-alcoholic drink. Hold something else in your free hand.

Driving a car

Take the ashtray and lighter out of the car, and keep your car smoke-free.

Watching television

Sit in a different chair. Have something to keep your hands busy.

Nibble on healthy snacks. Keep busy in the ad breaks.

Drink water – keep a water bottle beside you.

On the telephone

Make a list of the reasons you want to stay quit, and keep it by

the phone to look at while you talk. When the phone rings or

you go to use the phone, remind yourself “I don’t smoke”. Put

paper and pen by the phone – doodle.

More Info can be read at these Pregnancy Sites: Pregnancy.org, Pregnancy Guides and Simple Pregnancy Information for moms to be.