who's been smoking during pregnancy?

[Sweedy]

Do you know someone or maybe you yourself that has been smoking during pregnancy? & was everything alright with the baby when it was born?
Am not asking for numbers for quitting or support, just want to know the fact... as i'm 40 weeks now & for me it wouldn't make a difference anymore.
Thanks

I am horrified by the number of you who smoked when you were pregnant! That's absolutely appalling! Is it really too much to ask to stop doing something that you know is so bad for your baby?

Well the effect of smoking in pregnancy is supposed to be low birth weight. My mum smoked until 7 months pregnant with my sister (heavy smoker) and sister was a very small baby.

I've quit smoking both pregnancies. my last Midwife said they're only worried if you smoke more than five a day, but I've found it easier to quit totally. DS was (and is) fine and we'll wait and see what happens with this one (due december)

Queen of Dreams, yes, low birth weight, and also stillbirth and miscarriage. And then when it's born, cardiac and respiratory problems and a vastly increasded risk of Sudden Infant Death. And very sorry to correct your midwife but she's talking utter nonsense - unless I've entirely missed a clinical paper entitled "Smoking 5 a day or less in pregnancy is fine".
Well done you for giving up - brilliant stuff!

Errrrrrr low birth weight is not the only effect of smoking in pregnancy. If you think you haven't harmed your baby because they didn't have a low birth weight you are kidding yourself.

Your child, if you smoke, is more likely to have asthma, more likely to have lung disease in later life, more likely to die of cot death, likely to have a lower IQ, you are more likely to miscarry/have a still born baby.....I could go on.

My mum smoked through all her pregnancies.

My sister was still born.
I am fine, though was small.
My brother was even small, he has asthma and eczema, and regularly gets chest infections.

She also had multiple miscarriages.

No, I did not smoke during my pregnancy with dd. I was a 20 a day smoker prior to getting pregnant and my consultant told me he would not start fertility treatment until I had quit smoking for at least a month. I quit in January, started fertility treatment at the end of February and was pregnant in March!

I remember my DH's nan offering me a cigarette two minutes after we had told her I was pregnant. Her logic was, you're pregnant now, the doctors can't do anything about it (and the fact that she smokes like a chimney!). The idea of smoking while I was pregnant was disgusting. Being a mother was the most important thing to me and I was determined to do everything I could to have a healthy child. Surely if you are going to be a mother, your child's needs should always come first??

Sorry, I know I sound judgey, but I cannot abide women who are so casual with the health of their children.

I think another harm is that surely you increase the chance of your dc smoking themselves.

emma did not mean to imply that low birth weight is the only result of smoking in pregnancy. I know there are other affects. And if you double check my post you'll see that I did quit regardless.

OP - I second others who said that they found it easier to quit because of being pregnant. With DS I cut straight down to 1-2 a day for about a week then quit entirely. In this pregnancy I was already in the process of quitting when I found out I was pregnant, so I had to stop taking Champix, but it has been quite easy to stay off the fags, knowing I am pregnant.

rainbow AFAIK the increased risk of the child smoking is if either parent is a smoker during their offspring's childhood. DP and I are now both non-smokers, although I did go back to smoking a couple of weeks after DS was born. Am hoping to STAY off them this time, baby blues or not.

Yes,I was thinking more of people who carried on smoking.

queen that post wasn't aimed at you - as you stopped smoking when pregnant, for which I think you should be proud of yourself - I am sure its hard to give up but its the only decent thing to do and you did it so well done.
I was aiming at others further up the thread.

I was a 20+ a day smoker before I got pregnant with DD, I had tried for over 4 years and would have quit sooner if I had known I was actually going to pregnant, didn't think it was possible. Got a positive test and stopped next day, haven't had one since she is 3 now. DD was 5lb 13oz though but healthy.

Tried to get pregnant for over 4 years, not tried to quit sorry.

DaydreamDolly I did excatly the same, the day I found out I was expecting I smoked three ciggerettes - smoked about 2 puffs on the first 2 then on the third turned to my hubby and said that I cant do this I've tried too hard to get pg.

Its not easy and especially now my morning sickness has passed and Im at that waiting around stage (32+4ws) and at times I could actually kill for a fag, have even thought about sneaking a fag when hubbys not around (DH massive non smoker) but have so far resisted.

The way I see it is that it freaking hard to do, especially in the early stages when it doesnt seem real. I know that its not recommended you smoke at all but I think cutting down is better than going at it full whack and that stopping alltogether is great.

I also think that stopping at anytime even at almost full term has got to help the suitation.

I just think everyone should give it a go, cant hurt to give up even if it is for a couple of days at a time!

I didnt find it that hard to stop when i found out i was pregnant, I just googled what happens to your baby when you smoke. Fair got rid of the urge.

emma :)

mamma I know what you mean about the days you would just kill for a smoke. I get such strong cravings sometimes. Last time it was a breeze, this time although I have quit just as easily, I am getting these cravings every so often that are almost crippling.

Another one here who smoked 20ish a day before being pg with DD and had quit several times but always gone back to it. I stopped the day I had positive pg test with DD. It was hard for about three days, but I never even considered smoking when pg.

Sadly, when DD was about 12 months old and I was suffering PND I started again. I smoked only outside and during her nap times, in the evening or when at work on lunch break but felt horribly guilty. When the PND lifted and we started to try for DC2 I quit cold turkey. I didn't want to know I'd even been smoking in the first couple of weeks before the positive pg test. I am now 22 weeks with DC2 and couldn't imagine smoking now. I am determined to never smoke again.

I do know how hard it is to stop smoking and it is a horrible addiction, but I agree cold turkey is actually easier once the first few days are over.

I think to stay quit long term, people need to quit for themselves as well as their child(ren). Have you tried the Allen Carr 'Easy way' books/tapes/classes or hypnosis? Or NHS quit smoking support group? I know there are specialist pg ones.

my dd smoked 5-10 per day had a really big bump her son was 6lb 13 0z hes fine had no problems

That's all well and good but I say again you may well be kidding yourself. Smoking in pregnancy has been linked to male infertility and my sister is unable to concieve and suffers from something linked to mother smoking when pregnant.

ilovesprouts- how do you know he is fine?
He might have been taller or brighter without the fags.
You won't know until he is at least approaching middle age whether he is infertile/at increased risk of heart or lung disease etc
I'm with rainbow -you are kidding yourself.

I hate to see preg people smoking and mothers smoking around babies/children - still I cant seem to give up - not sure if its because I dont feel preg yet - keep feeling like its not realy happening. Am sure as soon as I see it clearly on a scan I will feel different - but its true clearly its linked to health problems (although my mum smoked with me and my sister and we are both fine) I just hope i can find the will power and strength to stop soon. Midwife very please with me for cutting down to 2 a day and says I should be proud of that and keep working towards quiting - I will as I clearly dont want to harm my unborn child.
Good luck everyone - keep trying and so will I! xx

I smoked 25+ per day before my bfp, now 15 weeks and haven't touched one but the cravings are still driving me mad almost everyday. It's the hardest thing I've ever done and I miss it but I love my baby more. It makes me so angry when I see pregnant women smoking as I think I'm slightly jealous (THIS IS WARPED AND WRONG, I KNOW!), I think they should at least hide away to do it!

I keep a very smelly old ashtray outside my backdoor that I sniff when I get a craving, yuk!

I gave up when I found out I was pregnant (33 weeks tomorrow) but I could really do with a pack of 20 Marlborough today!

hes fine ok hes got no problems ,infact my dd2 has lots of health problems and i have never smoked i did not like my dd smoking when she was pg ..but it was her choice and she does not smoke anywhere near the baby ,i dont liks smoking full stop ,but its ppls choice to smoke or not !!! other ppl i know who have not smoked too have still had smaller babys

I smoked until 8 weeks pregnant and then got myself down to the nhs quit smoking team. Spent a week smoking 5 fags a day, then 1 a day for another week then went onto nicotine tabs. Over the course of 10 weeks I went from 30 tabs a day to none. I don't think I'd have been able to do cold turkey and although my baby was still getting a bit of a nicotine hit, it's better than actually smoking. Seeing the nurse every 2 weeks really helped as well as getting the tabs on prescription . So I've been completely without for a gd 6 weeks now but I still want one....not sure whether that will ever go away...