Most of us know that smoking is bad for us and that if we smoke we really should give up to protect our health. But we also know, from stories from our friends, that giving up is sometimes hard to do. So it gets put off. It's a bad time now because...
Well, if you're either thinking about having a baby or pregnant already the time is right. In fact it's perfect. In fact it's urgent. Every cigarette you smoke harms your baby, yet statistics from 2006 showed that 17% of mothers continued to smoke throughout pregnancy, whilst 49% of smoking mothers gave up before or during pregnancy.
How does the smoke get to my baby?
When you smoke, or inhale other people's secondhand smoke (passive smoking), the smoke goes into your lungs. One of the 4000 chemicals you inhale from the cigarette is carbon monoxide, which gets into your bloodstream. This dangerous chemical replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. Your baby gets everything from you, including oxygen via the placenta and umbilical cord. So if you smoke, the carbon monoxide restricts the oxygen supplied to your baby and this can affect your baby's growth and development. The baby's small heart has to work harder to pump the available oxygen around.
Smoking while you're pregnant also exposes your baby to dangerous toxins. These toxins can also damage the placenta, which is vital for your baby's development.
What effect does smoking have on my baby?
- Smoking increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth
- Your baby is more likely to be born prematurely and with a low birth weight, which can affect their health and wellbeing for years to come
- Your child is more at risk of getting infections such as ear infections in childhood
- Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of asthma and other chest infections in young children
- Smoking increases the risk of the baby dying from cot death
- Your child is more likely to become a smoker as they get older
How do I give up?
Stop smoking now and both you and your baby will get the benefits straight away. The carbon monoxide and other chemicals will leave your body quickly so more oxygen can get to your baby.
Talk to your midwife or GP about quitting smoking and they'll advise you of services available. In some areas there may be a special team to help you stop smoking before or during pregnancy.
You can also call the NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 9 169 or call 0500 100055 to find your nearest Asda pharmacy store, where you'll find advice and products to help you quit.
Encourage your partner or anyone else who smokes around you or at home to give up - around 30% of cot deaths could be avoided if parents didn't smoke around babies.
Speak to your GP or midwife about any concerns you have. You can also call a Tommy's midwife on 0870 777 30 60 or email midwife@tommys.org.
For information on healthy eating during pregnancy why not listen to our podcast. Simply click on the link or visit the podcast section of our website.
