Smoking while Pregnant... (!!)

[Lornatoo]

Hi Guys. Normally a lurker, wondering if anybody is out there....?
My friend (honest!)is 28 weeks pregnant with her 3rd. She's really worried about her small bump. Measured at 26 weeks with the MW. She also feels really small in comparison with the previous two. She smokes heavily, is not without common sence and is REALLY worried about her unborn baby.
Now, do I NEED to point out the obvious? is it necessary? Any other somkers out there? I just don't know if I should 'put the boot in' when I'm sure she knows the answer.......?

Spidermama...thankyou.

I think smoking while pregnant is abhorrant (sp?) and would quite happily join the legions here slating women who do IF big IF those women are continuing to smoke whilst pregnant without trying to stop and seek help.
That for me is the issue. I was a smoker, I smoked whilst I was pregnant, until I was 10 weeks gone when I finally managed to quit with the help of the lovely people at the nhs clinic.
I wouldn't as some people here seem to do automatically on seeing a pregnant smoker get on my high horse and slag her off for doing it unless I knew she was completely ignoring the risks and doing nothing to help herself and her baby.
Smoking is very hard to give up for a lot of people, wether you believe it's addictive or not.
The woman in question knows the risks is choosing to ignore them, in my books thats unforgivable and yes someone should tell her, someone should try and steer her towards any help she needs to do the right thing. Ignoring it just because you know she knows is not going to help.

Airy...you are absolutely right...whether or not you believe it is addictive smoking is VERY hard to stop. And to be honest, pointing out the wrongs of it doesn't make an iota of difference to many smokers...they know the dangers and it's not enough to break the habit. That's why addressing the psychological aspects is crucial. Change the smoker's mindset and belief system and bingo...they quit.

I totally disapprove of smoking whilst pregnant BUT...... I also know it is really hard for some people to give up. It is the effort to stop which counts and I would never just judge someone I saw in tescos because I have no idea what she is going through or whether that is her only cigarette of the day.

I loathe the view that as soon as someone is pregnant the world owns their body and can point it out when they drink or ride a horse! Also being touched all the time on your bump YUK!

This is where we totally agree Marmalade

Suncat...it's what I would have gone on to say in the beginning if I had been given the chance! :P

Should fess up that suncat is me... (Changed name for a purpose, changed mind and forgot to change back! Oh well!) Hope you don't think I was being rude before? (a little flippant in the end perhaps)

but it's still addictive

Suncat/squarer...I can't even remember what you said as I had it coming from all sides But then I was more than a little caustic too so let's call it quits eh? The main thing is that some of us who were 'in the wrong' have 'fessed up' LOL and made our peace!

And I still maintain it's not!!! ;)

Why is she having a third child if she cares so little for it that she continues to smoke. If she knows that she is so addicted that she can't stop, she shouldn't have got preganant with this child - it is pure selfishness. Admittedly, you can't say exactly this to her face (if you want to remain her friend!, however, it is just not possible that she is ignorant to the fact that smoking stunts foetal growth - it is indoctrinated into you from childhood through posters etc, and then when pregnant via your midwife, leaflets and posters that stare you inthe face at the ANC. I suspect that she doesn't want you to verbalise the link that the slow growth has to her smoking and instead just to relieve her guilt by saying - "poor you, there there etc etc". Although she kmows it already, I think you need to reinforce to her that her smoking is damaging her baby - you need to do this for the sake of her unborn baby (who can't saY THIS) and if she is so offended by it that she cuts off your frienship, then what sort of friend have you lost?

bloody hell.... hate threads like this.

Imagine suggesting giving up a friendship over this! >fume<
Not condoning, I gave up during both my pregnancies, but I've always been more of a social smoker.... smoke with a drink etc.

measuring 26 weeksat 28 weeks is not too drastic there is a =- of 4 allowed.she should be encourage to cut down to stop suddnely can I have been told cause damage as well

GOthicmama - Absolutely agree. It would probably send her stress levels and blood pressure rocketing.
Cutting down is the answer.

I must say that I don't believe there is ANY excuse for not cutting down.

toothache I can't think of one

Me neither. There are lots of tricks to doing it too:

Smoke a milder brand
Leave more of the fag, or smoke half, then the other half later.
Spread them out more over a day.

If you normally smoke 20 a day, try 19 for a couple of days, then 18 etc etc

Even if she could get it down to 5 or so mild ones a day it would be a huge benefit to her too.

good sugestions I like the leave having one for 1/2hour from the first thought and if you still want one have it then increase time you wait to an hour