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Stop smoking PDF Print E-mail

When you smoke, carbon monoxide and other poisons pass into your lungs.

 

This means that:
 (a) your baby gets less oxygen and cannot grow as well as it should, and
 (b) the nicotine makes your baby’s heart beat faster.


 Breathing in other people’s smoke makes the baby more likely to suffer from asthma attacks,
 chest infections, coughs and colds, and to be admitted to hospital.

 IF YOU STOP SMOKING NOW:

 ● you’ll have less morning sickness and fewer complications
 in pregnancy;
 ● you’re more likely to have a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby;

 ● you’ll reduce the risk of stillbirth;
 ● you’ll cope better with the birth;
 ● your baby will cope better with any birth complication;
 ● your baby is less likely to be born too early and have to face the additional breathing, feeding and health problems which so often go with prematurity (see page 112);
 ● your baby is less likely to be born underweight and have extra problems in keeping warm. Babies of mothers who smoke are, on average, 200 g (about 8 oz) lighter than other babies. These babies may have problems during and after labour and are more prone to infection;
 ● it will be better for your baby later too. Children whose parents smoke are more likely to suffer later on from illnesses which need hospital treatment (such as asthma);
 ● you will reduce the risk of cot death.

 The sooner you stop, the better. But stopping even in the last few weeks of pregnancy can be beneficial.
 If any members of your household smoke, their smoke can affect you and the baby both before and after birth.
 They can help you and the baby by giving up now. Perhaps you could try to stop together.
 Protecting the fetus and the new baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life.

 

 Reference: The Pregnancy Book: 2006 edition