To want to 'protect' a newborn from smokers?

[jonsnowssocks]

This is all theoretical atm, but am 8 months pregnant so will probably turn into an issue soon.

Lots of smokers amongst friends and family and I'm not sure how to handle them when it comes to visiting and holding the baby. Ideally, I'd ask anyone who has recently smoked to wash their hands, brush their teeth and change any smoky clothes before touching the little one, but would that make me just totally over-the-top precious about it? What would be a good compromise?

Coconut - you make people wash their heads before touching your offspring. That would make me laugh, yes.

Dixie grapes come in enormously variant sizes. They can't all be the exact same size as an airway, even if airways were all the same size which they evidently aren't.

Washing hands is enough

I've been back over a couple of old threads and they are very contentious - interesting to see though that it seems MNers are becoming more supportive of this idea in general though!

inlove in my experience, it is still the norm for pregnant women to eat unpasteurised cheese, rare meat and (shock) drink a glass of red with dinner when pregnant.

I live in France and I can say that, at least around here (in the Alps, capital of unpasteurised cheese), that is certainly not the case. Once again, I have to agree with Booboostwo and say they are as strict here as in the UK. No rare meat, no booze, and definitely no unpasteurised cheese. Where are you getting your information from?

SpeakNoWords Depends if you're also not going to ever push them in a buggy near a road, have a BBQ, light a fire in your house etc etc

Totally get your point, there will always be risks present, regardless of what steps we take. But like a lot of other posters, I think it's wise to minimise the risks where we can. Otherwise there would be no point, for example, in policing drunk driving, because cars are dangerous whether or not we've been drinking.

Thinking that asking people not to smoke before they visit, and definitely not during, along with washing their hands, might be a good middle ground... seems it's enough to minimise the risk. And if anyone comes over smelling all smoky just not to let them near DC. Samcro really holding babies is not all its cracked up to be exactly, I'm sure no-one's that bothered apart from me really

Regarding cutting up my food, my mum was cutting up my food when I was 15! Tbf it was pork chops or steak, we had no steak knives and it was just easier for her to do it when dishing up rather than watch her weakling daughter struggle at the table.
I'd always cut up food for kids, my own or anyone elses; it's bloody common sense.

Op you do whatever you feel is necessary, your baby, your rules. Personally washing hands and waiting an hour would be enough for me. Both my sister's smoked round their kids and at 18 they seem ok but I wouldn't want it for my own as a non-smoker.

Oh and I've had a few glasses of wine and eaten cheesecake during my pregnancy and praised the heavens when it was revealed I could eat eggs. Guidelines are just that; there to guide you.

Guidelines are just that; there to guide you.

Exactly, and while they are current I think I should follow them. My mum was told to eat liver in pregnancy, and drink stout for breastfeeding, both of which are frowned upon now, but doesn't mean she was wrong to do it. Maybe it's wrong or unnecessary to keep smoke away from babies but that's not what they are saying atm!

And congrats to you too GinaBambino on your pregnancy

Thanks jonsnow I haven't had much trouble with the guidelines as I don't eat seafood, cream cheese (unless it's in cake), pate or most of the 'banned foods'. one glass of wine (which was mostly lemonade) and a runny egg in nearly 9 months.
Quite proud of myself as I'm a bit stubborn and if told not to do something I immediately do it. My unborn child doesn't have that choice so I followed the rules (mostly)

Have actually just had this talk with one sister who is a smoker. She agreed no smoking before she came round (she'll be here often as she's 10 mins away) and no smoking whilst she's here unless it's all day. Washing hands, separate jacket and no holding for an hour have been agreed on. Completely understood my rules and wants and is happy to accommodate.

There is a lot of misinformation about food avoidance during pregnancy. This is the NHS 's list:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/foods-to-avoid-pregnant.aspx

Cream cheese is fine, as is cooked seafood.

I certainly won't be asking my mum - who has raised quite a few of her own and smoked on and off - to brush her teeth before she holds her grandchild. I just don't think the risk is proportionate to the offence caused.

Funnily enough, my mum is the one person who I'm not afraid to ask - she knows how awful smoking is, has never even let me stand near her when she's smoking, and she has already said she won't smoke at all when she's going to see the baby. It's more casual friends who I can see (quite understandably) rolling their eyes if asked to refrain!

Each to their own indeed. Congrats on your pregnancy Pearlman

Two smokers were in my office for no more than 10 minutes one morning last week (obviously weren't smoking in my office). The smell of stale smoke lingered until lunchtime - it was really awful.

So I would agree with OP.

"It's the ripple effect that worries me, where will you stop?" Eeerrrr right after the last food that is a choke hazard? I'll cut grapes and cherry tomatoes, but not soft cheese, so I am not exactly dreading this slippery slope.

Ask people not to smoke around your baby. That's it. Anyone who disagrees is a complete arse.
Most people would wash their hands before holding a baby I would have thought. I don't think changing clothes is necessary unless they are going to be looking after the baby for a while. Babies don't mind the smell..it's the chemicals in the absorbed smoke that's the problem...however, that also applies to air fresheners and any other chemical cleaners you use in the home.

There are loads of things that could potentially harm a baby. Smoking is just one.

Don't worry about repeating this thread OP. Yes it has been done to death but so have many topics. It's fine to start a new thread. In fact people hate it if you revive old threads.

I think this is one of those things which seems hugely important when you have a newborn and a bit the rest of the time.

For me I'd go for hand washing and waiting at least 30 mins after a smoke as research shows that is how long it takes for a smoker to stop breathing out carbon monoxide in their breath. Removing outer layers of clothing would be a bonus, but not absolutely necessary.

I wouldn't take a newborn into a smoky house.

I would keep in perspective - an occasional visitor who is a bit smoky is not likely to cause any significant harm. It's prolonged and repeated exposure to smoke which is a problem.

Likewise, try to keep a balance. It may be that a relationship with a much loved grandparent or great grandparent is more valuable than the slight bit of harm which might be caused by spending an hour once a month in a smoky environment. Bear in mind that as recently as the 80s, most people smoked indoors without a second thought, and although we do know better now, most people were not noticeably affected, and that was when all indoor areas allowed smoking including buses, most private homes, and maternity wards. I remember myself as a child in the late 80s playing by moving air around to making patterns in my mum's cigarette smoke, nobody thought anything of it. Children today have far less exposure to smoke overall, which is the important part - a little exposure occasionally is not something to overly worry about but it is important to be aware of the risks and minimise exposure when possible.

Advice from my midwife was that anyone who'd smoked within half hour was not to hold the baby. we don't know many smokers, but one we do know held the baby and you could smell smoke on the baby afterwards even though it had been an hour since his last cigarette. It was horrible. YADNBU.

Jon I don't rings anyone is arguing against keeping smoke away from babies, it's requiring people to strip naked and hose themselves down which some of us feel is overkill.

Lots of advice is overkill. Lots of parents are very risk averse and follow every guideline to the letter. Some of us choose to risk assess ourselves. You'll quickly decide which camp you fit into. The health of one's baby is, of course, paramount in all parents' decision making, but removing all risk is neither possible nor healthy.

I grew up in he 70's and 80's in a smoke filled house. It was grim, it was horrible and I always absolutely hated it and the smokey buses and workplaces etc. I wouldn't like a baby to have to put up with it.

I forsee a return of the Smoking Jacket

This is why I have a 'smoking jacket' (an old coat). Wear it to smoke, take off and clothes underneath don't smell.

It's not unreasonable at all to ask them to wash their hands. Not sure about brushing their teeth though. I'd probably forcefully offer them a mint, or even a drink to disguise the smell.

To all the posters saying its OTT to change clothing after smoking, you obviously haven't heard of third hand smoke and the risk it poses to babies..

www.nhs.uk/news/2010/02February/Pages/third-hand-smoking-child-risk.aspx

www.no-smoke.org/learnmore.php?id=671

OP, you are not being precious by asking family/friends to wash hands, change clothing etc. You are protecting your baby.

Hummymummy - I give you the words 'plausible but unproven' from your own article. If we legislate against all unproven risk as well as proven, we'd never move outside of a protective plastic bubble. A constant, daily exposure to smoke should be avoided of course, a cuddle once in a while with auntie joan who's had a fag a few minutes ago is not going to register on any normal radar.