People smoked around my baby

[sweetbabyangel]

I went to a bbq with my 2 month old and some people were smoking near to us. I moved away from them, but could still smell the smoke so decided to leave, but not until we’d been there for the best part of an hour (albeit in the open air and they were not smoking the whole time). I’m a very anxious ftm, and as soon as we left I panic googled the effects of second hand smoke and have really scared myself- specifically about the link to SIDS. I really don’t know why I didn’t leave earlier, I guess I was just enjoying being around people for the first time in ages and didn’t really think about quite how harmful smoke could be for tiny ones. Needless to say, I feel awful and won’t make this mistake again, but does anyone have any info about the potential harm of a one-off exposure such as this? Thank you.

You are absolutely fine. You were put in the open, you moved away and and you weren’t there that long anyway. Please don’t worry about this and you do not need to feel awful either. You do seem a little anxious but equally, I don’t want to dismiss your feelings. But your baby is fine.

Thank you so much for being so kind and reassuring x

Oh bless you, I understand how upset you must be but please don’t worry. As you were outside and moved away, your baby will be completely fine.

Please don't be anxious about this.
Your baby will be fine.
You weren't out for ages.

The smoke from the grill or from a nearby road with heavy traffic was probably the same health risk as cigarettes in a garden.

It will be fine, but I feel for you as I had the same anxiety with my first. I remember my first trip out for an hour without my son. I went to a pub with some friends (back when you could smoke in pubs!) and as soon as I got home I took all my clothes off, had a shower and washed my hair in case the baby breathed in any smoke particles that were on me!

It’s long term smoke around the baby, that’s what I remember reading afterwards. Also you were outside so nothing like being in a smokey room. SIDS is so rare now because of how much we’ve learned about sleep positions etc. Hard to do I know, but please try not to worry.

I had one of those angel monitors that checked for breathing etc. I’m sure they do much more modern ones now, but to be honest I think they just increase anxiety.

I know it’s not the most helpful of things to say but those of us born in the 80s will have probably spent an entire childhood sucking up the secondhand smoke of others - my Gran, Dad and Mum all chain smoked indoors around me and whenever we went out to restaurants we sat in the smoking area. It was pretty standard - horrific by today’s standards but what I’m trying to say is a one off bit of smoke, outside isn’t anything to worry about.

Are you getting support and treatment for your anxiety? That is the issue here and what you need to focus on putting in place if it isn’t already. You are catastrophising and it is a non-issue. Your baby is totally fine and this will have zero impact on them. Please speak to your midwife and get mental health support in place which is made available very quickly for new mothers who are suffering this kind of extreme and irrational anxiety as it’s very common.

How utterly selfish of them to smoke anywhere near a baby though.

I don't mean to sound disrespectful but really, less than an hour outside amd a few smokes at a distance? Back in the day when most people smoked at home, in pubs, everywhere, this was harmful yet normal.

It's great that smoking is banned from indoors now and also at home parents go outside.

I really wouldn't worry, it's completely negligible.

This is a bit much isn’t it? I’m a very calm and normally relaxed person but in the first few months of being a first time mam I was prone to the odd overreaction. I’m not sure she needs treatment. I would say your thought process is just as much of an overreaction as hers

Honestly I get it I’m so anxious about my baby too! But your baby will be fine! All of my relatives used to smoke and I actually asked my mum the other day how she wasn’t an anxious wreck when they all smoked around us as babies/children!!

I cannot stand it when people smoke near anyone let alone children. It is such a selfish, disgusting and disrespectful thing to do. Your baby will be absolutely fine though from this one off episode.