Babble

I found out that I am pregnant in December and stopped smoking for the most part then, maybe 5 cigarettes in 2 months. But now I am 17 weeks along and for the last few days I have had so much stress with my boyfriend and work I have been smoking more... How harmfull is it to my baby? I am trying to completely quit, I just need to not stress so much. What are the effects to my baby and the possibility of those?

Hi: you can find out the many harmful effects of smoking to your unborn child with a good google search. Try www.whyquit.com for lots of motivation. I suspect that you already know that smoking while you are pregnant is wrong to do: I am sure every time you light up the image of a small pink baby with a cigarette in its mouth comes to mind. I was a hard core, 2 pack a day-er for 15 years before I got pregnant. Quitting wasn't easy--but here's the thing: it will NEVER BE EASIER THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW. Being pregnant is the greatest motivation to do it; there will never be a better reason than the fact that you are hurting an innocent baby by putting nicotine and other chemicals into your body. And the other advantage to quitting RIGHT NOW- TODAY-is that you will get to live longer and be there for that baby. My Mom passed away the week my first child was born--also a smoker, she died at 65 from lung cancer and never got to see him grow up. My aunt died two years later at age 60-also a smoker, also lung cancer--also leaving three infant grandchildren. You are probably young and feeling indestructable now--but I'm telling you when you hit 40 and have small children, 60 seems way too young to leave them on their own. Giving up smoking is a sacrifice-but the reality is, it is one of MANY MANY sacrifices that having a child requires of you. Step up and do the right thing!

This is a perfect time for you to challenge yourself.  Being a parent you have to give up so many things that should be welcomed  naturally; therefore they aren't missed at all.  I loved. loved smoking, and I quit months before I planned on getting pregnant - 2 children later I still craze it, but I know better!  Your stressed out excuse is just that - an excuse to smoke. Ask yourself one simple question "does my baby need to be inhaling smoke?".   I highly suggest that ask your doctor about the affects of smoking on you, and your unborn child.  May I also suggest that you and your boyfriend learn to agree to disagree, and perhaps take parenting classes together.  This should be a time for glowing and planning a new future... not bickering and worrying about your next cigarette break!                                  

You can do it - I quit smoking when I learned I was pregnant (last cigarette smoked while waiting for the pregnancy test!). When you feel stressed and want to smoke, drink a big glass of water and go for a walk. Or have a healthy snack - you need to gain weight anyway, right?

My best friend smoked through her pregnancy and ended up having placental abruption and delivering at 26 weeks. Although (thankfully) her daughter survived and is fine now, she was a real miracle. She weighed less than 2 lbs, couldn't breathe on her own and needed heart surgery. The doctors said that there was a very good chance this was because of her mom's smoking during pregnancy.

 I'm sorry if this post sounds alarmist, but I am trying to scare you a little bit - you may feel invulnerable, but your little baby is not.

 Good luck to you! You can do it!!!!

 Hey, my mom smoked when she was pregnant with me and I was born premature! Almost 4lbs..[I'm making up for it now] Quitting smoking SUCKS but do it for your baby because yes, it can affect him/her. Sometimes you have to do things that are completly selfless and I think this is one of them

Also, that anonymous comment was me, oops! Forgot to sign in 

Here is a list of the ways in which smoking harms the unborn baby http://www.greatdad.com/tertiary/88/486/stop-smoking-during-pregnancy.html