Talk

My DM and her partner smoke in their house. I used to visit often (inc. pregnancy) and they would smoke outside during my visit but it made very little difference - the house was still smokey and my clothes would stink by time I got home again.

Because of this, I have not taken my DS round to their house and I did politely have the ‘smoking talk’ with them (please can you wash hands/wear clean top when visiting).

The downside is that my DM has only seen my DS 1 in three months - she lives 5 miles away. But I realised it’s because I’d always made the effort to visit her and by making it clear that I won’t do that with a baby, I’ve completely lost my relationship with my DM.

Talk to your mum, but bear in mind that some smokers can be quite irrational over their habit and will think you are being overly precious (you must definitely aren’t).

Thanks for the reply. Since ds was born (and since) she pretty much counters any advice I've been given on anything from the NHS as she must know better. I may have to remind her that she last had a baby 33 years ago and things change!

I have this problem with dh and I don't think it's unreasonable to make some rules and say something. I was quite naive when I had my first dd and didn't want to be 'precious' so I didn't make any rules which meant dd was sleeping in our bed from newborn with my heavy smoking dh . He'd hold her after smoking and never change his top. She now has suspected asthma and has been in hospital with it before. I feel guilty that I was too worried about upsetting dh to enforce rules and this time round I'll be much more strict. Good luck.

There are toxins soaked into the clothing of smokers. The birth father of my foster baby was not allowed to hold him for an hour after he'd had a cigarette.

Feel no shame over asking her to come to you with a clean top on or meet outside (park/coffee shop) instead.

I went through a period of smoking with stress and when I showed up at my friends house she very matter of factly asked me to wash my hands and borrow one of her jumpers to wear before holding her baby. Didn't mind at all, I'd been smoking in the car so stank of it and so did my hands. She was just protecting her child like any good parent and I was more than happy to.

If she has a problem with your request that's her problem not yours. Even if you were being a bit precious it costs nothing to make a few changes to help a new worried mum feel better.

Sorry to hijack for a sec! Do you think it's reasonable to let a heavy smoker hold a baby immediately if they wash there hands and change their top?

Thanks. That's good to know. I just want to do better this time but I don't want to stop dh holding his own baby!!

No chance unfortunately. He's been smoking since he was about 15. It's always been ' when I reach 30, when I have kids etc' and those milestones past.

Thanks all. I will mention this to her then in that case!

I went thru something similar with DH when preg with DS1.
I asserted that no one (even him) will be holding the baby within 10 mins of smoking and that they would need to change clothes and wash hands.
He was a bit irrational at first about it ‘my baby too’, ‘building up an immune system’, ‘being too precious’ etc.
I showed him a website and article that illustrated the effect of passive smoke from furniture and clothes on small babies lungs. As they take much smaller breaths for smaller lungs and will have their faces much closer to your chest/clothes when you hold them the air is much more concentrated with passive smoke than others will take in. Peoples breath post cigarette is still expelling smoke albeit in smaller quantities afterp the cigarette has been extinguished and hence bringing their face close pollutes their breathing air more.

The closing strapline which really helped was ‘if you can smell it, it’s still there and the baby will be breathing it in’

Following this the rules were:
1. 10 mins gap between cigs and baby cuddles and ask me first.
2. Change top
3. Wash hands
4. Brush teeth (he added this one)

He stuck to this and enforced it with any guests. We met little resistance.

I tried to find the article but this was over 5y ago so not managed.

Thank you wow that is really helpful!

I just hope I'm not met with 'this wasn't the advice when I was having you' from my mom!

My FIL smokes. Our rule was that he has to change his top and wash his hands before handling a newborn. I wouldnt have gone to his house if he'd smoked in it

Mentioned this to her today and she agreed to not smoke in the house before we pop over... but I can still smell smoke on her when I see her it's all in her hair etc! It can't be good for him!

I never would have let a smoker hold my babies right after they smoked, and I never would have brought them around to a smoker's home. It's disgusting.

Problem is, she isn't just a random smoker. She is my mother! I'd like her to stop smoking completely but can't see it happening!