To be dismayed at the increasing number of pregnant women I see smoking

[likingthespring]

I used to notice the odd one or two but I've seen loads recently. Maybe it's not that there's more women smoking in pregnancy but just more not giving a shit what people think.

THe number of low birth babies is going down where I am - but the number of smoking pregnant women is going up -

I have a relative who works in SCBU, if she had a £1 for every time a smoker has said "why me, why is my baby ill" etc.....

muminthecity - I am sure your mum had you when less was known about the dangers of smoking, in pg and around children. But she/you were lucky, if you beat all the odds - statistically they were stacked against you in many ways.

and anyone who knowingly endangers their unborn child for their own selfish reasons is (in my opinion) not fit to be a mother....

A child deserves a nurturing, protective mother....so one that smokes all through pregnancy knowing that it can damage the development of the child and cause untold other problems is not fit (in my opinion).

It sickens me when I see it. I don't care who thinks I'm judgey. I'm pretty liberal on most things but no baby deserves to have nictone coursing through their bloodstream before they've even managed to take their first breath.

nicotine

thank you MP, It was truly crap at the time and has affected us forever, but i had to accept that i did all I could and was in no way to blame. i pity the mothers whose babies have problems they know they might have avoided had they not smoked.

Bimbo, i will not dignify your inane comments with any further response other than to say i cannot understand why the hell someone who claims to want more children would post such gibberish on a serious thread

people on here genuinely wanted to inform you thinking you were unaware of the risks. to make it into a joke is just plain sad

I couldn't care less either who thinks I'm judgey....

In fact STRAWBERRY your comment to me is laughable...given what you've said to me and others! What a HYPOCRITE you are!!

Sausages There are plenty of women out there who smoked during pregnancy and are brilliant Mothers.
In some cases it may not be completely selfish and may just be they have not been given the support or help needed to quit. For a lot of people quitting smoking is extremely hard.

And how exactly am I a hypocrite?

For the way you shot your mouth off at me for expressing a perfectly valid view....and the rest!

Smoking thoughout pregnancy, knowing the dangers to the unborn child completely goes against the grain of being a mother...which in my book is all about caring, nurturing, protecting...and all the rest of it!

A caring mother/mother to be puts her child first....during and after the pregnancy.

A mother can be perfectly caring and nurturing but not perfect enough by other people's standards. Just as mothers who dont smoke can be utterly shit neglectful parents when baby comes along.

bimbo I don't really understand you ?

Earlier in the thread you were just having a joke then ?

You gave the impression you smoked ...then said you didn't ?

As mothers, we should do all we can to care for, nurture and protect our children.

There is no excuse for doing otherwise, Bimbo, you're right.

Hmm, I still fail to see how I am a hypocrite. Is it because I called Bimbo an idiot? See that is a completely different story altogether, I commented about you being judgey because you were basically saying that anyone who has smoked during pregnancy is an unfit Mother regardless of circumstances or whether they are trying or have tried to get help.
Bimbo however makes silly comments about how smoking isn't harmful.

Now can you please get over the fact I said you were being judgey or will every one of your comments be about me?

And Bimbo apologies for calling you an idiot because I completely agree with your last post.

Strawberry, sorry to nose but i'm confused. Surely it doesn't matter whether or not someone tries to get help - it's about whether or not they stop smoking?

Don't know how they do it. I could not fill up the car with petrol due to the fumes making me heave and the smell of coffee would make me hurl.

Maybe they have damaged their senses with all that smoking? Sense of smell is very important when you are pregnant.

It's up to them, but they will have to live with the consequences of any diss/illness due to them smokig.

I just realise how bloody hard it is to quit smoking and some people do not have the willpower on their own to do so.
If someone does give a bloody good effort but simply can't quit, I don't think it's fair to just say that they just don't give a crap.

Maybe I am being unreasonable, I'm just seeing it from the point of view of someone who has been a smoker.

Well... I understand that it's difficult, but if they cared enough they would stop. They would keep trying to stop. They don't give a crap enough if they havnt stopped.

Strawberrymewmew you are not being unreasonable, you are understanding that people are only human, even pregnant mothers. I have never smoked, and I agree with you.

Thats totally not true MP. Have you ever smoked?

I do agree that they would keep trying to stop if they cared. Unfortunately some people really aren't strong enough.

It has taken me until about 3 weeks ago to actually be able to quit, I tried and tried again. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Does that mean that for the first 16-17 weeks I didn't care?

I don't think it matters if i have or havn't, what i say is still true.

Humanity is not an excuse either. I don't think I'm being that radical.