Second hand smoke exposure and worried!!!!

[efamcg112]

Worried! I’m 10 weeks pregnant but haven’t told anyone yet as we want to wait until 12 weeks and we’ve had a scan. We don’t smoke and would very very rarely ever be around smoke or any smoky environments but tonight my recently deceased fathers friend came round to visit us and had 4 cigarettes while in my company in our kitchen with the back door closed. I was internally panicking at the risk of second hand smoke so put the kitchen fan on which likely sucked up some of the air but now he’s left I’m panicking like mad and feel guilty that I sat in the room and said nothing incase something happens the baby. Will this one time exposure to the second hand smoke be ok? I’ve googled it and all it keeps coming up is about miscarriage and birth defects and I’m panicking.

You and baby will be absolutely fine. It’s one of those things that needs prolonged exposure to cause issues. One instance isn’t going to cause harm. Obviously I’d ask guests to smoke outside from now on though.

You will be fine op but absolutely don't allow people to smoke in your house - why shpuld you if you don't smoke yourself?

The smoking ban came in just after my eldest was born. So any time I went out to a bar, cafe, pub while pregnant meant being exposed to lots of second hand smoke. I didnt do it a lot but had some work dos and other social events to attend. She is fine but I remember really.not liking it at the time.

You need to get a grip. My mother smoked (about 20 a day, I imagine, from later habit) throughout her pregnancy with me. This used to be very common. I am fine. So are / have been many millions of other people born to heavy smoking mothers in the 20c.

If 20 cigarettes a day every day throughout pregnancy has no obvious effect, passively smoking four cigarettes is not going to do anything.

Some things in pregnancy are riskier /less risky relative to non-pregnancy. A glass or two of wine if not pregnant isn't massively harmful, nor is ibuprofen for a headache. A non-pregnant person would probably be more cautious around codeine. In pregnancy, alcohol is surprisingly damaging. Ibuprofen can cause heart defects in the third trimester. Smoking is associated with lower birth weight (though plenty of people, like me, have been born to smoking mothers weighing 9lbs+), but it isn't as damaging as you might imagine.

But in future don't let people do shit in your house that you don't like. I'm not pregnant and I wouldn't let someone smoke in my kitchen.

The 12 week wait is such a scary and lovely time, lots of lovely thoughts but also lots of worry, I think passive smoke from one single evening is highly unlikely to cause any damage but I would ask anyone else to go outside to smoke, pregnant or not this is entirely reasonable, especially as you don't smoke yourselves. If you are still worried though you should be able to ask your doctor or midwife for any early appointment to do a carbon monoxide test, this should help ease the worry x

millions of babies born to heavy smokers mothers may have been fine, but millions more are dead or disabled, so this is a nonsense

OP, a one off is not going to do any damage, but of course you are worried. I still remember worries and guilt I had from one or two incidents in pregnancy which turned out to be harmless, and its now 25 years later, and I still feel a bit guilty! WE are programmed that way.

Don't let anyone smoke in your house though, that was out of order of them, whether you are pregnant or not

I’m more shocked Simone smoked in your house - how rude!!! I’d have kicked them out on to the street, Wtf were they thinking?!
I would air it really well and will be fine.

I know two people recently whos babies have been born premature - both never bothered to quit smoking. What annoys me is the fact they’re all ‘woe is me’ on social media for having a small early baby.. knowing the likely reason is because they didn’t give up.

I went completely cold turkey from smoking about 25 a day; never looked back - but my baby was still born very small because my placenta failed. I did everything I could so it gets my back up when people smoke in pregnancy. It’s just not worth it.

That said, why on earth would you let someone smoke in your house?! And without a door or window open?! That’s absolutely mental I would be furious. The smell of stale smoke hangs around forever..

the likelihood is, it’s not going to do your baby any harm. But there was no reason you couldn’t have told him to smoke outside if you were that worried

Really unsure why you'd let someone smoke in your house if you or your partner do not? Seems very unlikely to me. We do not smoke and would never let someone smoke in our home! Why would you? Very odd.

Your baby will be fine

Because he is a terminally ill 92 year old man.