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Original poster

Smoking while Pregnant... (!!)

367 replies

Lornatoo · 25/07/2006 23:33

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.......?

OP posts:
satine · 27/07/2006 08:11

Of course it's not right to smoke when pregnant - any more than it is to drink too much alcohol or to go off piste skiing, for example - but having a small bump is not necessarily connected. Both my bumps were so small that I had extra scans and lots of comments but my babies were 7lbs 9oz and 8lbs 13oz, and I didn't smoke!

hunkermunker · 27/07/2006 08:13

But the baby being small isn't the only side effect of smoking.

And just because your baby's small, doesn't mean it's not healthy. But if you smoke and that's the reason for its size, that's not healthy.

Smoking when pregnant restricts the blood flow to the baby iirc - that's NOT something you want to do.

MarmaladeSun · 27/07/2006 08:25

Haven't read all of the posts, but have to add my professional opinion. People are NOT addicted to smoking, or nicotine. If it were addictive why are babies born to smoking mothers not born addicts in the way a crack or heroin addict gives birth to an addict baby? Why, if it's addictive, do people not increase their 'fix' steadily over time...most people smoke the same amount over many years.
The 'withdrawal' symptoms come because there is a conflict in the mind between will and imagination. The will says 'you can't smoke' and the imagination says 'oh yes...I bloody well can and I'm going to'. And imagination wins every time. Put a negative suggestion into the mind and it WILL rebel every time.
Does all that make sense? I've not long got up (and how I LOVE school holidays for that!)

Miaou · 27/07/2006 08:31

My dh's mother smoked throughout all four pregnancies. Dh was fairly small when born (just over 6lbs), has had lifelong asthma and hayfever (not sure if that's linked to the smoking but I do know that there is a link between hayfever and asthma), and until we moved to Scotland he would get at least one chest infection every winter. His immune system is poor, which led to him getting shingles about five years ago and he nearly lost the sight in his eye. All (could be) due to the smoke he inhaled as an unborn baby and a child of smoking parents.

And his siblings? All in good health. But that's the luck of the draw. Dh was not lucky.

Miaou · 27/07/2006 08:35

oops - I forgot to say, the point of all that rambling was to say that it's not just about birthweight, dh is still feeling the repercussions 44 bloody years later (and will do for the rest of his life )

Squarer · 27/07/2006 08:43

You have obviously never smoked MarmaladeSun

izzybiz · 27/07/2006 09:06

I am a social smoker,( i only have a ciggarette if i go out for a drink etc) i used to smoke all the time, but i gave up with both my pregnancies.
I truly dont understand how you can do it.
You wouldnt sit and blow smoke into a baby or childs face, so why pump nicotine and all the other substances in to their bloodstream?
Its just wrong.

HAPPYFACE · 27/07/2006 09:07

I gave up years before I got pregnant. I do think that we decide to bring babies into this world, they don't choose to smoke, we know its bad for your health and they are totally dependant on us. What I'm saying is if you choose to get pregnant and still smoke then imho you are being totally selfish and shouldn't be having children! Haven't they said that the health problems caused could even be passed on through to your granchildren?

DontlookatmeImshy · 27/07/2006 09:08

These threads are so sad

I just cannot even begin to comprehend how people can knowingly and willingly cause harm to their unborn child, because that is what they are doing, and then claim they genuinely care. (this doesn't include people are seeking help to give up etc)

It's great that the OP is looking for ways to get through to her friend but if all the options have been exhausted if I was the OP I would be re-considering whether she would be remain a friend. If her smoking is that heavy I wouldn't want her around me and my ds.

ruty · 27/07/2006 09:46

that is quite a good analogy actually izzybiz. One perhaps the OP could use with her friend? At least if she blew smoke in her newborn's face rather than smoking whilst pregnant she would be giving her baby a head start in its first nine months of development.

colditz · 27/07/2006 09:49

MarmaladeSun, that is bullshit.

hunkermunker · 27/07/2006 09:51

I used to smoke heavily.

I wasn't addicted.

Squarer · 27/07/2006 09:53

You're a big fibber HM!!!

colditz · 27/07/2006 09:53

I used to smoke quite lightly, and was absolutely hooked. It used to wake me up, the craving for a fag. I had to have 14 weeks on patches before I managed to quit.

FourJays · 27/07/2006 09:53

I've been an on and off social smoker since I was 18 (off at the minute am proud to say) and there is no way I could have smoked when I was pregnant! Booze too. It was like blue line and 8 months of nausea!
Wouldn't have done anyway but so easy to quit when it makes you feel so sick you want to die!

Northerner · 27/07/2006 09:55

"Haven't read all of the posts, but have to add my professional opinion. People are NOT addicted to smoking, or nicotine."

LMAO at this little gem of wisdom from Marmaladesun. In what way is your opinion a professional one? I'm intrugued.

hunkermunker · 27/07/2006 09:56

Which bit am I fibbing about, smoke heavily or not addicted?

I can assure you I speak the truth.

Squarer · 27/07/2006 09:57

YOU used to smoke??? Never!! [confused emoticon]
I'm trying to think of ways you used to smoke but not involving cigarettes...
Out of your ears when cross?

ruty · 27/07/2006 10:00

i smoked for about a year during a very stressful period of my life. It is addictive I suppose, but it can be given up instantly with enough willpower. My father did it like that. It is certainly less addictive than, say, heroin.

oliveoil · 27/07/2006 10:00

not read all of these but to smoke while pregnant is disgraceful and to say you are addicted is no excuse

give up

I was a smoker and gave up as soon as I got the positve pregnancy test

'but it it soo hard' BOLLOCKS, GIVE UP
'but I only have a few' BOLLOCKS, GIVE UP
'my mum smoked and I am fine' BOLLOCKS, GIVE UP

If you find it hard, imagine your child with a fag in its mouth, not a pretty picture, but that is essentially what you are doing.

Northerner · 27/07/2006 10:03

nicotine is addictive

oliveoil · 27/07/2006 10:04

I don't get cross about much and am so laid back I am horizontal but smoking just gets me sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo mad

I glare at women in doorways and look at their stomach. Clearly non of my business but still, really really annoys me.

Squarer · 27/07/2006 10:04

and some say more so than heroin
Still a choice though - not sure that particular statement helps.

hunkermunker · 27/07/2006 10:07

I did used to smoke cigarettes (and weed ), heavily. 20-40 a day. I started when I was 12 (not as heavily as that though!), stopped when I was 22. Just didn't want to do it any more and never had cravings.

I've said so before on here though.

Squarer · 27/07/2006 10:28

I would have never guessed that HM! (Weed was how I got addicted in the first place btw - I didn't start smoking until I was 23 - durrr!)
Once I had read Alan Carrs book, I quit cold turkey with cravings for just one day. It really helped me psychologically that I was pregnant though.

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