Women who smoke when pregnant are selfish, irresponsible fuckwits

[MsKLo]

...and so are parents who smoke around their babies/children. I see soooooo many parents pushing prams and smoking or driving and smoking with babies in their car seats etc.

And the number of times I have seen pregnant women having a fag...

Selfish, irresponsible fuckwits

And for the record, I am an ex smoker. I LOVED smoking but stopped before I starte trying for a baby as it was, and is not, fair to inflict my selfish habit on my babies.

LadyInTheRadiator - I did read Alan Carr. Made no difference to me. I gave them up before while pg and bfing so I know I can do it. Just waiting for the first few days to be over, they're always the worst.

ROFL Gwyn.

Do I need to remind the OP of her two recentish threads whereby she complained about how 'sanctimonious' the populace of MN is and how she would never be so 'sanctimonious'? (Reason for the speech marks there is to highlight the fact that she used the word about three billion times to complain about others).

How sanctimonius can you get?

Pot kettle black.

drinking early in pregnancy

Tbh just the first thing I came across as I really need to get back to my essay- but am happy to link to original studies later.

Leonie - I'd argue that those reasons aren't going to reel 'em in, as it were, in comparison to a bottle of vodka or a few pills. If a teen had to go out of their way to buy cigs, like they go out of their way for weed now, how many realistically would do it? Not many I'd imagine. No reason to. Can't hide the fact you're smoking and the effect doesn't last. Not like clandestinely swallowing a pill, buzzing all night and not eating, into the bargain.

'Prenatal alcohol exposure is the cause of fetal alcohol syndrome. This condition is caused by excessive amounts of alcohol. A number of studies have shown that light to moderate drinking during pregnancy does not appear to pose a risk to the fetus.[34][35][36][37] The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists conducted a study of over 400,000 women, all of whom had consumed alcohol during pregnancy. No case of fetal alcohol syndrome occurred and no adverse effects on children were found when consumption was under 8.5 drinks per week.[38] A review of research studies found that fetal alcohol syndrome only occurred among alcoholics; no apparent risk to the child occurred when the pregnant women consumed no more than one drink per day.[39] A study of moderate drinking during pregnancy found no negative effects and the researchers concluded that one drink per day provides a significant margin of safety, although they did not encourage drinking during pregnancy.[40] A study of pregnancies in eight European countries found that consuming no more than one drink per day did not appear to have any effect on fetal growth. A follow-up of children at 18 months of age found that those from women who drank during pregnancy, even two drinks per day, scored higher in several areas of development.[41] An analysis of seven medical research studies involving over 130,000 pregnancies found that consuming two to 14 drinks per week did not increase the risk of giving birth to a child with either malformations or fetal alcohol syndrome.[42]'

Just from Wikipedia.

Do you want me to c&p the references?

I'm not sure I agree with the OP's turn of phrase but I do agree with the sentiment.

Our DD was dying in the NNU and when we walked out the door of the hospital, we were faced with a few heavily pregnant women puffing away. Made me so angry that they had their babies to look forward to and we had nothing. I wouldn't wish what we went through on anyone else even if they are a smoker/drinker/eejit but it feels very unfair. That's life I suppose. Live your own and don't worry about what anyone else is doing.

Not exactly walking on a landmine, is it. Leonie?

Giving up smoking is easy.

"after 13 weeks is the key. any alcohol before 13 weeks is akin to tapdancing on a landline."

do we have any statistics to support this?

would be pretty difficult to get a statistically valid sample group I imagine, seeing that relatively few people do spend their time tap dancing on landmines (personally, I wouldn't even know where to find a landmine to get started)

otoh the number of women who have a few drinks before they realise they are pregnant must be pretty huge

My mum smoked when pg with 3 of my siblings she's a nurse and it was back in the day they didn't know what we do. But we know better! We know the harm it can and does have bed we know all the complications it can cause, why would anyone do this to their child :( I used to smoke I know it isn't easy to quit but your child is so precious how could not at least try? If you weren't able at least you tried... But I can not understand any person who tries to justify it as not harmful, come on! If you weren't able or just plain didn't want to ok fair enough your life but don't pretend for a second its a normal ok thing to do :( and yes I am a total bitch because yes I do look at a parent pushing a pram/holding a child or in a car smoking and feel sick. Yes I know 100% it is none of my business and they might have an awful life or have huge stress etc or they could be a fantastic parent but I just think its so very unfair to do to your child, regardless...

Leonie- do read my previous two posts, plese re:drinking in pregnancy.

YABU
It's called an addiction

Secretwishs you are totally missing the point.
Nobody is justifying it. All we are saying is, like what you are saying, don't judge. They might have tried. They might be eaten up with guilt.

Though tbh smoking while pushing a buggy looks bad. But why? The smoke probably wouldn't reach the child in any measurable quantity - unlike exhaust fumes for example which are at exactly that height.

But wait, cigarette smoke is evil and work of the devil. Petrol smoke is simply the farting of angels.

cory, the thirteen week figure is probably taken from the fact that it is during this time that the baby is forming all its bits and bobs. after that, its just growth and maturation of what is already there.
pregnancy is divided into the embryo period, before 12 weeks, the fetal period upt to 38 weeks and then the infant period after that.

juuuuudgy pants!

I'm not condoning smoking (I am an ex xmoker) but nothing is black and white.

OP if you are going to make comments like that, are you 100% confident that you've never done anything that would put your children at risk?