Smokers and babies

[WestieMamma]

Does anyone know if it's safe for someone who has been smoking to hold your baby? I've heard that the toxins linger on their clothing/hair etc. Is this true and if so, for how long?

Yes it is true.

Depends how old the baby is too. Personally I wouldn't let a smoker hold a newborn, but for older babies I suspect smoker washing hands & changing top might be enough. Although I'm not sure if be happy with that either - the smell can really linger.

But yes toxins do stay on the smokers clothes etc & can be transferred to baby. The baby will also breathe in any smoke lingering on the person

Current advice is that the smoker should wait 20-30 mins then wash hands and change their top before handling baby. This is current sids advice iirc

Baby is 3 months old. My 20 year old fool of a daughter has started smoking, despite having a new baby brother in the house and a stepdad who is severely asthmatic.

God, that's annoying and stupid timing of her.

I would try and make things as annoying as possible. So, when she comes in the house, insist that she washes her hands thoroughly and changes her clothes/top, and waits a while before holding the baby, as you don't know when she last had a cigarette. If she lives with you and is going to smoke, insist that she leaves your property (your property, your rules, and no smoking in the garden or on the drive etc) and is well away from the house and again, washing, clothes changing, teeth cleaning and at least half an hour before coming near the baby.

At the end of the day she is an adult and smoking is her decision, but just make it quite irritating for her to just 'nip out' for a cigarette. And I say this as someone who smokes and who smoked with a newborn - just did the washing, changing/smoking coat, only doing it in the evenings and when asleep etc to try and always maintain that 30 minute barrier.