Pregnant and smoking

[Moominfan]

Do you judge mums who are pregnant and smoke? There was some work place drama today. Pregnant lady over heard a comment made by two members of staff about her smoking. Must have touched a nerve. One of the two ladies is struggling to conceive so I imagine seeing someone drain a cancer stick whilst pregnant must be repugnant to her.

I’ve often wondered if a pregnant smoker gives birth to a seemingly healthy baby whether there are still risks when that baby grows up e.g if they are more likely to develop health problems as a result of their mother smoking when pregnant. Things such as asthma or anything really - or whether the effects of smoking only directly impact the foetus when developing in the uterus?

Ashamed to say I was a smoker during my pregnancy, my dd was born with the biggest adenoids my gp has seen and they couldn’t operate until she was 4. During these 4 years she used to wake up during night at least 10 times as she couldn’t breathe. Is all sorted now , she’s 16, very healthy and twice my size 😂 but it was a huge mistake . I’m still a smoker but I never smoked indoors or in the car etc and always kept myself and my cigarette away from her even outdoors .
I know how hard it is to give up and I know some babies have no issues due to smoking through pregancy but ladies , please try and stop while pregnant.

Yes I judge pregnant people smoking.
I smoked pre-dc. Gave up the day I found out I was pregnant. As did DH. Some things are bigger than my need for a fag.

No I don’t judge. Quitting smoking when I was pregnant was absolutely excruciating and I had a supportive husband and support from my midwife and others, access to counselling for other reasons which helped. She may have already cut down significantly, or have already quit drugs, drink, etc - I work with women like this often.

And staff shouldn’t be gossiping about those coming into their place of work, regardless of their personal circumstances. It’s unprofessional.

I judge..you can tell from a smoking pregnant woman the type of parent she will be.
You couldn’t be further from the truth , smoking doesn’t define a person , I know mums that don’t smoke but yet they drink a whole bottle of wine every night , it that better? only because you cannot see them ??

I walked past the entrance to UCLH hospital in London. Stood outside was a small group of heavily pregnant women smoking. I thought it looked revolting. Particularly the woman leaning on a drip stand with her arse hanging out of a hospital gown!!

Yeah I’d judge the bottle of wine a night drinkers as well .
I’d probably have some sympathy for a woman trying to give up drink and sticks.but one happily doing both ,no.
My thoughts are my own.i can think what I like .

I am a very non judgmental person on the whole but I do judge people who smoke in general, not just if they are pregnant. I think they must be weak minded and unintelligent to have started in the first place. I know that sounds extremely mean but I just find it so hard to understand why anyone would even try it when there is so much evidence about how dangerous it is. I don’t judge really old people as the effects weren’t known then but anyone who starts now or who has started in the last 20 or so years really must be pretty stupid.

Yes, it's not fair on the poor unborn baby.

I understand the judging , but to say a pregnant smoker will be a bad mum is just very stupid.

I judge pregnant women who smoke.
And I also judge their partners who smoke around them

Yes I do, especially if they’re stood outside the school gates (why not wait till you get home?).

I think they must be weak minded and unintelligent to have started in the first place. I know that sounds extremely mean but I just find it so hard to understand why anyone would even try it when there is so much evidence about how dangerous it is.

There is a massive correlation between smoking and being a victim
of childhood or domestic abuse, or of mental health issues.

All applied to me. I had my first cigarette at 12 and then my father made me smoke 200 Marlboro over the course of a half term.

But I guess I’m just weak minded or unintelligent.

Stood outside smoking obviously

No, I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Corrine81 seeing everything your daughter went through as a direct result of your smoking still wasn’t enough to make you quit? Seriously?

I judge. If you can't put your baby's health first then you're probably never going to put them first. It's very selfish to put your child at risk of health issues because you prefer your cigarettes to them.

I smoked 20-30 a day for over a decade before quitting. The first three days are unpleasant because you have so many cravings but it's not hard. It's not like trying to give up heroin or anything. It's a bad habit. That's all.

There's no excuse for pregnant women to poison their babies with anything that is known to harm them.

How does judging fit in with a woman's body a woman's choice?

Having said that no smoking in any of my pregnancies as the risks are well known.

Yep I judge, massively. I enjoy a cigarette myself but go cold turkey when I'm pregnant

Yes, I do to be honest. I don't judge people for smoking or any other possibly bad health habit; it's their choice; I don't smoke but I don't have a super-healthy diet for example. But risking your child's health by smoking in pregnancy is not fair to the child.

I smoked 20-30 a day for over a decade before quitting. The first three days are unpleasant because you have so many cravings but it's not hard. It's not like trying to give up heroin or anything. It's a bad habit. That's all.

May be true for you. But it’s certainly not true for everyone. It’s been known for a long time that nicotine is as addictive as heroin. Whether you can give up with minimal suffering depends on a lot of factors, but quitting is not the same for everyone.

I quit drinking without any difficulty. Others find it extremely difficult.

www.heart.org/en/news/2018/10/17/why-its-so-hard-to-quit-smoking

I vape but I've cut down from 18mg of nicotine to 0.3mg of nicotine. I smoked proper cigs briefly after my miscarriage and then went back on the vape again. That said though if I'm fortunate enough to fall pregnant again then I'll try go onto a zero mg of nicotine on my vape or as low as possible. At the moment my Drs biggest concern is the antidepressants I need to take in order to keep my moods stable and under control

I judge. When you choose to become pregnant and keep it, there are lifestyle adjustments you have to make. It's very selfish to keep smoking.

I also think you shouldn't smoke in front of your children because of secondhand smoke. That seems to be an unpopular opinion, though.

When I was six months pregnant I found out my sister had died and went outside work and smoked a cigarette. Three women on bicycles stopped and hurled insults at me.

I couldn't leave the house for a week.

You don't know what someone is going through or what they're having to cope with. It's none of your business. I felt totally bullied and would never wish to make anyone feel the way they did me.

I'd love to say I wouldn't judge a pregnant smoker, but deep down I would. I too work with a pregnant lady who smokes and I just wonder if she buries her head in the sand as to the risks. I think back in the day, when my mum was pregnant and there was a smoking room at the end of the maternity ward, it would have been easier to justify it to yourself, but in this day and age the risks are quite clear and we'll documented.