DH, smoking and labour

[deliakate]

AIBU to ban DH from smoking whilst I'm in labour? Last time, he was nipping out for cigs, I really don't know how often, but even started getting down with the midwife while they were there, as she was a smoker too.
This baby is going to be born in a new hospital where it is much harder for him to get in and out, and he has a long walk to the carpark, so he would be away for ages at a time if he does it again. Plus, when he came back in to the room last time, the stink knocked me sick, and made me irrationally angry. Its just hideous.
I would like him to abstain this time, but realise (having been a smoker) that in such a stressful situation, he will be sorely craving cigarettes. AIBU?
(We also have a 22 month old DS, so DH might be looking after him and not with me the whole labour, should it be a long process...)

He´s going to be stressed & needing a cigarette

I'm a smoker and YANBU. I don't know how heavily he smokes, but my Gran who is 76 now, and smoked since she was 15, managed to stay off the fags for 2 weeks after hip replacement surgery when she physically couldn't have made it outside. Smokers manage without cigarettes - long haul flights, hospital stays, if they can't afford - and your suffering is much worse than his. Ask him if it's really worth missing the birth of his baby for nicotine...It'll be hard for him but certainly not impossible and certainly not a patch (no pun intended!) on what you're going through.

personally i think yanbu but then i have never been a smoker to the extent where i NEEDED a fag. but another point do you really want someone who has just been smoking holding your brand new baby considering the lingering smoke on their clothes/breath? i would be making him have a shower and change clothes after each fag break, that might cut thme down a bit

Have never been a smoker, but the smell makes me feel sick and I was sick in labour, so can totally understand why you don't want to have to put up with the smell (as well as the buggering off for half an hour at a time!). Talk to him well beforehand though.

The bit I'm most startled by in your post is the midwife going out to smoke with him! That seems enormously unprofessional- is it even allowed?

Thanks everyone. Have approached him, and he'd already decided to put a load of little micro-tabs in the hospital bag and try and make do with those.
Re. the previous midwife, though - I think a fair few nurses etc smoke on their breaks...... daft as it seems