to be pissed off at seeing a pregnant woman smoking yesterday?

[topsi]

Am not sure what goes through some people's minds? WHY??

[persimmon]

I agree with you, OP. I drive past a maternity hospital frequently and there is always a group of pregnant women fagging it outside the gates. Utterly mind-boggling.

I smoked for years btw. I know giving up is hard. It isn't impossible though, crucially.

[OrlaKiely]

I feel for the person with the habit

But I feel more for the baby inside her

I saw someone doing this today and did a double take. It was very uncomfortable - if you saw someone trying to force a baby, like one that had been born, to inhale toxic gases then no one would question it.

But because it's still unborn it's kind of about her as well as the baby.

It doesn't sit well with me AT all but I can understand it, a bit, I can also understand how and why people smack children but that doesn't make it Ok.

[VerySmallSqueak]

Someone doesn't come out with a magic wand just because you're pregnant and take away the addiction.
I did give up with pregnancies (and have given up 'for good' since) but it was really hard,and just like some can't give up when they have a life threatening condition relating to smoking,some aren't able to give up for pregnancy.

I cannot agree with a woman who makes the decision not to try and give up smoking in pregnancy,because they want a small baby,or any of that stuff.
I'll agree there.

But when you see a pregnant woman smoking you don't know if she falls into the category of can't give up,or won't give up.

[CrapsWithBears]

ginmakesitallok that's not true, either, sorry. Every time you smoke you narrow the blood vessels in your umbilical cord, plus it stops your blood from being properly oxygenated. Even one of two a day can increase the risk of premature birth and other complications.

[LastTangoInDevonshire]

Oooooooh, ANOTHER smoking thread ! 'Tis only 24 hours since the last one.

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

Another bloody smoking thread?

It's not illegal, being pissed off wont change anything and it is the woman's body.

[girliefriend]

yanbu

[DomesticCEO]

I cannot BELIEVE the crap that is being spouted on here justifying smoking while pregnant!

No one, absolutely no one, can claim to not know the terrible harm it does.

Incredible.

[Solari]

Just an alternate view, not saying its the case for this women (nor the case for many women who continue to smoke), but you never know an individual's story.

Perhaps she'd just been told her baby had died in utero, or had a condition incompatible with life. If I smoked, I'd probably be having a cigarette after that kind of news.

Am not saying that's the most likely scenario, but its certainly a possible one...

[VerySmallSqueak]

But everlong some women have been smoking for 20 years,maybe even more,before they get pregnant.
That's one hell of a habit to break.

[ApocalypseThen]

It all stems from the idea that once a woman becomes pregnant she loses herself and becomes a mere vessel.

[Solari]

everlong Slim for any individual person spotted smoking. But we know those events do happen regularly. Its very possible/plausible that people experiencing such events would go out for a smoke after.

[limitedperiodonly]

I am not a confrontational person. I just don't understand it

I am a non-smoker and a confrontational person too.

So why have you posted this? Do you want a fucking medal?

[VerySmallSqueak]

Yes everlong - you and I are proof of that.

I agree that the vast majority of us can do it.

But apparently some women struggle more,and they are in the minority, which is why they are picked out and judged.

[sydlexic]

Solari, I went for a scan was told my baby had died, drove to the nearest garage and purchased cigarettes, someone in the queue had a go at me. I spared her my reason.

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

I just don't get it. Give a child squash - disgusting!! Macdonalds - unforgiveable!! But put hundreds of harmful chemicals into a poor baby's system and restrict their oxygen - no problem according to MN! It makes no sense to me at all.

[Solari]

I'm so sorry sydlexic

[Mrsanna]

I find it hard to not be saddened by the site of a pregnant woman smoking.

I've posted on here before about my cousin & his wife who both smoked all the way through her pregnancy. Their baby died from cot death at just 18 days old.

They have since had another baby & incredibly, both smoked all the way through the pregnancy. Any HCP advising them to quit had the opposite effect.

The pregnancy was beset with problems: hospital stays, premature labour, steroid injections etc.

They continue to smoke all over this new baby who has been in hospital twice now with bronchitis.

To say I don't understand them would be an understatement.

I don't care how addicted they think they are, they are spectacularly selfish imo.

[ReindeerBollocks]

I know one woman recently who is smoking during pregnancy. For her previous pregnancies she didn't smoke at all. This was a (very) unplanned pregnancy and is close to tipping her over the edge. It's quite sad because her pregnancy is not allowed to be acknowledged by her DP, or others in his presence.

She is beyond stressed and smoking is her way of pretending this isn't happening, this is just one of the reasons I'm worried about her.

I doubt very much she'd give a fuck about being judged, it's the least of her issues.

[NotSoNervous]

Hmm I'm on the fence a little. YABU be because you don't know the situation, the women could have been smoking 40 a day and has cut down to 1 and you've just saw that one, also it's not any of your business. But it is wrong and not nice to see