Smoked during pregnancy and now I’m terrified of SIDS.

[Jlp1234]

It’s not something which I’m proud of and beat myself up every single second of every single day worrying about SIDS and the potential health implications which I may of caused through my own selfish actions during my pregnancy.
I am due to have my baby at the end of this week but have smoked pretty heavily throughout the duration of my pregnancy due to stresses of home life, a house move and renovations. There is no excuse I know before I’m hounded by tons of judgemental mothers who tell me how selfish I am - but it’s to late for me to change this now unfortunately. I am making myself extremely ill constantly obsessing about SIDS etc and wondered if anyone else has been in this position before and could offer some reassurance or advice :(

@Jlp1234 I did say I hope your baby will be ok and just pointed out a glaringly obvious point to a PP. you can't post on a forum like this then spit your dummy out if everyone doesn't say it's all fine and poor you!!

When’s the last time you had a scan? I would strongly advise you to tell your midwife ASAP. I’m sure if they knew how much you smoked they would be doing a growth check scan because smoking can cause growth restrictions. This could cause issues once you go into labour and it would be much better to be picked up before.

Everyone makes mistakes, it's a big part of parenting too! What's done is done, it doesn't stop you being a good mum - please start being open with professionals, not so much for the baby but for you, your mental health is going to suffer if you keep beating yourself up like this

I was scanned yesterday - baby’s estimated weight is currently 6lbs 9oz which I don’t think is abnormally small for 38+5? Heart kidneys bladder fluid around baby and blood flow through the cord we’re all checked and came back normal which reassured me slightly but I still can’t help over thinking.

Unfortunately no one here can assure you that it hasn't done any harm. The only thing you can do is stop smoking and inform your midwife. They need to know as smoking can cause birth complications including a much higher risk of bleeding for you and baby.

reassurance from any mothers who have or are currently going through similar situations

Hey

The risk of SIDS is very, very tiny. As someone said, tripling a tiny risk is still very tiny. Lots of mothers do not follow all of the safe sleep recommendations- one look at the MN Sleep board will tell you this (I've spent many hours on that board). Some things that increase SIDS risk and ate against guidelines but many still do:

• cosleep
• dont consistantly use a dummy (dummy use reduces SIDS)
• Use sleepy head or similar
• keep stuff (teddies, lose blankets, muslin) in the cot
• have a room temperature over 20 deg
• do not stay in the same room as baby sleeping during the day
• allow sleep in car seats
• baby sleeping in parents arms

I could go on.

Smoking is the biggest risk factor, but there are many others which add up - and many people do several of these.

In terms of personal experience I smoked 20 ish a day throughout 3 pregnancies, and with newborns. Born 2004, 2005 and 2010. They all also occasionally cpslept and we are all fine.

That said, giving up smoking, which I did on 1st Jan 2013 was the best thing I ever did. I then went on to have DC4 the following year, as a non smoker.

That said, my personal experience shouldn't act as reassurance. You need to reassure yourself without relying on others.

All the best.

Speak to your doctor about how anxious you are feeling x

You really need to tell your midwife in case of birth complications - and your health visitor too so they can keep an extra close eye after the birth.

Does this mean you didnt smoke at all for the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy? If so that will help massively. Smoking was dumb, you know that, its done now, give up today. Not smoking near your baby's actual breathing lungs will help massively.

My mother smoked throughout her pregnancy with me, at least a pack as day, and until I was 5. I'm short, shorter than my siblings, but its not the end of the world. Im very clever 😁.

Give up now and you will feel better about yourself.

Smoking won’t cause a birth complication per se. It can cause premature birth, small babies, stillbirth and sids.
A careplan for birth wouldn’t change because a woman smoked.

I do think the OP needs to tell her midwife but mainly for some support for her anxiety. She’s stopped smoking now, and any support to maintain this will be brilliant.

By stopping smoking OP you have already reduced the risk of SIDS, and it’s even more important you continue not to smoke when your baby is here too. Second hand smoke is just as awful.

Well done for quitting, I hope you get some help for your anxiety.

I think worrying about SIDS is very common. You can get breathing sensor matts and monitors, it helped me relax

You can’t change the past. Try not to beat yourself up OP. What’s done is done and you’ve punished yourself enough. I think the bigger risk now is continuing to smoke once baby arrives. It does increase the SIDS risk and is also just generally awful for baby. You take the cancer & lung disease health risk but you shouldn’t force that on your baby. Maybe try speak to a stop smoking service ASAP to get some advice, help, support to stay away from the cigarettes from now. Even second hand smoke on furniture & clothes increases risks..

Good luck, I always think a baby is a huge motivator to stop & stay stopped!

As for the worry of SIDS, maybe buy a breathing monitor of some kind, to help ease your worries a little?

I smoked for the first 10 weeks of pregnancy - I found out at 5 weeks and gradually cut down until I was smoke free and didn't smoke again until a while after my DS was born.

You can't change the past but I would really, really advise you tell someone that you have been smoking throughout your pregnancy, just in case there are any complications during birth or respiratory problems with your baby once he or she is born (which, to my v limited knowledge, is possible with a baby who has been exposed to smoke in utero). This will allow your baby to have the best care possible if anything should arise, and although I know you fear judgement, you will have to put your child first in this instance.

The main risk with SIDS is what happens after the baby is born, but sadly there are some who will succumb to it even if you do everything right. Smoking around your baby will definitely increase that risk, so it's brilliant that you've stopped now - long may that continue. But if for whatever reason you find yourself unable to stick to it, you must be aware of when and where you smoke, and it'll be too risky to co-sleep if you do smoke (co sleeping is a hotly debated topic in general, I find).

Ways of minimising SIDS is good sleep hygiene for baby, so;

• no blankets, muslins or teddies in Moses basket
• being in the same room as baby when sleeping to listen to changes
• not overheating baby
• use of a dummy
• not falling asleep with baby on sofa or in arms
• placing baby flat down on their back to sleep (ie not in car seat or bouncer)

Alternatively you can use a sensor monitor mat which will alert you if baby stops breathing (sensed through motion). I bought one of these irrespective of the fact I wasn't smoking as I too had huge anxiety re: SIDS and honestly it was a life saver for my mental health for the first 18 months. They are expensive but we still use the monitor to this day (DS is 3) so you get good use and you could always sell it on.

Try not to beat yourself up too much for what has happened. Not everyone can have relaxing, stress free pregnancies. Some people drink, some smoke. It's not advisable obviously and it's not great that it's taken this long for you to stop but the main thing is you are aware and want to change. Just make sure you tell your midwife and if you have a consultant, them too, so that any appropriate help can be given to you and baby it needs must

Op you know what you have done is seriously dangerous. However just a heads up - the midwives will know you have smoked as your placenta will show it. They will realise you have lied. I'd talk to the midwife prior as you don't want to be anxious the whole time

@Jlp1234 I’m a midwife FYI.

The first thing you need to do is TELL YOUR MIDWIFE, unfortunately by lying about smoking you are putting your baby at further risk as you are not going to be offered care that is needed. For example women who smoke in pregnancy need regular growth scans as smoking can affect this. They also have regular CO2 testing to determine the levels baby is exposed to. If they don’t know you’re smoking they are not giving you the care recommended for smokers and could be missing problems.

You also need to ask for a referral to the smoking cessation team and work on stopping smoking. You can’t undo what has happened but you can minimise the risk going forward.

Are midwives allowed to comment on your placenta once it is delivered?

Yes midwives can and do comment on the placenta once delivered - it's really better to confess now and get the extra growth scans, CO2 testing etc. than lie and have your medical team find out you've been smoking anyway.

Hi Op my mum smoked when pregnant with me and my DB back in the late 80s just speak to your midwife there's lots of women that still smoke when pregnant it's not the best thing to do but your not the only one

I’ve just seen your post that you’ve already had a growth scan so that’s good. It’s still important to inform your midwife as it affects other aspects of your care also. For example babies exposed to cigarette smoke in utero are less likely to cope with the stress of labour. Therefore you should be continuously monitored on a CTG so any changes in your babies heart rate can be acted on immediately. If you are otherwise low risk and they don’t know you smoke they will instead give you intermittent monitoring which is a quick listen to the heart rate every 15 minutes and means things can be missed if a baby is more high risk than they are aware of. They won’t be judgemental they simply want to help.

Tell your midwife. If they don't know then they can't offer the extra care your baby may need. If something happens to your baby because you've lied to save face, then you absolutely will be at fault and will have made things much worse than they currently are. You can't change the past but can be a better mother from here on out, and that means telling your midwife.

Smoking is absolutely NOT a reason for continuous monitoring in labour. What a load of tosh.
I agree the OP needs to talk to her midwife but not for that reason.

@lj8893 Yes it is. The trust I work in offers continuous monitoring for anyone with a CO2 level above 7.

That’s not an appropriate use of continuous monitoring at all. I’d be interested to see the evidence to support that.

I can empathise with the anxiety op, I did lots during pregnancy that made me anxious - one occasion I cleaned up cat poo thinking I was being super careful but spent the rest of my pregnancy worrying about toxoplasmosis and googling for resurance. Try to put it in to perspective as the extra stress your putting yourself under will be doing you and baby no good. I would ask the midwife for advice too, they are there to help you.

I’m not in work at the moment but I’ll look at the evidence list on the policy and send you details if you like. It came about after we introduced the saving babies lives bundle so I assume it’s linked to that.

I’m all for the Saving Babies Lives care bundle, it’s implemented in my trust also. However it doesn’t recommend continuous monitoring just for smoking status alone.