Smoking...how long do you remain toxic

[Juicylucythe2nd]

Currently 14weeks pregnant. I don't and have never smoked. My DH smokes about 5/6 rollies a day.

We have discussed him giving up and I have pointed out my deep concern about him smoking once the baby is born.

He currently smokes out the window (we are waiting to move to somewhere with outdoor space so he can go outside).

I am still hoping he will give up once the baby is born, but has been smoking for 25 years, so I don't know how hard this will be for him and I know HE has to want to give up to succeed.

ANYWAY, getting to the point. How long do you continue to breath out the toxins from a cigarette after you put it out?

Anyone know any helpful sites?

I want to know how long after he's put his cigarette out I can hand him the baby IYSWIM.

I'm sure its something like 30 mins, but while he is a smoker you must never let the baby sleep in the bed whilst he is there.

Their will be quite a bit of info on the web if you have a search.

I think its about half an hour, you will b able to check this on the web pretty easily and your MW will be able to tell you.
I do know that whilst he is a smoker you must not have the baby in the bed with you. You on your own would be fine but never with him.

Ooops it didn't appear so I re typed it and then they both appeared, oh well

Thanks flutterbee - I've already intimated that I might kick him out of our bedroom for the first couple of months if the baby is in our bedroom (was planning to have crib in our room for first couple of months).

I'd heard about the increas in risk for cotdeath if baby sleeps in the same room as smokers.

Try this website

Action on Smoking and Health

Roll-ups marginally better than manufactured cigarettes because the tobacco in them has been less adulterated with perfume etc

But now is such a good time for him to pack it in, google the Quitline to see if they are still active in supporting smokers to give up.

It won't do any good unless he wants to, obviously

Thanks Marina, am hoping he will see the baby and immediate want to stop. He is not convinced yet that he wants to give up.

I want to gather all the info I can and hold it in reserve for when he needs it.

The website you linked is full of useful info, but like all the other sites I've found, doesn't give any timelines of toxicity / danger.

There are plenty listing the dangers, and giving advise like washing hands after coming in from smoking outside, but not how long the toxins linger on body / hair / clothes and lungs is not given. Surely there must be studies on this?

Is the only way to remove the toxins from b/h/c to wash them off??

Ring the ASH Information Service JuicyLucy.
I think there is some data on this because of the whole passive smoking issue and whether inhalation of smoke or "just" exposure to toxins from clothes etc are more significant in terms of damage to health.
Good luck with this.
I grew up in a smokers' house and even now wonder if I am sitting on an avoidable cancer timebomb sometimes. I was thrilled for my parents when they were finally successful in giving up but wish they had done it before I was born.

JuicyLucy, my dh smoked for 15 years and he gave up six months before we tried for a baby.

He was very reluctant, but the thought of a baby was a motivating factor.

He used the Allen Carr book, Easy Way to stop smoking, have a look here . Dh found a lot of it really cheesy, but he said there were one or two things in it that just rang true.

The other great thing about the book is that he actually advises you to continue smoking while you read it, and not even to cut down, until you've read it. I got dh to read it by promising that if he read it, and still smoked afterwards I would never mention it again.

(Promise I'm not on commission for him, it just worked for my dh and funnily enough, he smoked rollies).