smoking when you're a mama

[starodyssey2015]

So ill admit it now. I smoke. Probably around 15 a day. I'm gradually cutting back as I started at 20.

My question is what is the safest way to keep your kids away from it whilst I cut it down?

I currently have a big coat I wear and take off before I get into the house to keep it away from my baby. No smoking under any circumstances in the house, car etc. Or within 10 feet of him or in his sight. I wash my hands straight after with soap. Is there anything else I can do whilst I try kick this nasty habit?

Tia

Sorry, there's no way of stopping second or third hand smoke. Rather than citing down have you considered stopping altogether?

There is some info here smokefree.gov/secondhand-smoke
But it says the same as above poster, other then stopping smoking there is no may to stopping second and third hand smoke.

Your GP/health visitor should be able to help you stop. Have you spoken to them?

The husband uses a vaping thing which has cut him right back. I prefer the spray. Maybe using something like that for every other ciggy till you get used will half what you're smoking now.if you do go down the vaping route get the more expensive one with the big battery for about 25 quid rather than the cheap ones.

It sounds like you are doing everything you can to minimise the risk, short of stopping smoking.

The biggest risk by far of continuing to smoke as a parent is that you might not be around to enjoy much of their adulthood, grandchildren etc. As a smoker you have a 50% chance of premature death. Those who die early because of smoking lose on average 10 years, usually preceded by years of ill-health.

The next biggest risk is that your DC might start smoking themselves in adolescence. Children of smokers are about 3 x more likely to become smokers than children of non-smokers. If your DC become long-term smokers they will face the same 50% chance of early death.

In comparison, the risks of second-hand smoke are tiny (don't start smoking indoors though!) and the risks from third-hand smoke are made up, pretty much.

Do seriously consider stopping altogether but do it for YOU as well as your DC. Is the baby your only DC? Once they are mobile it is far harder to keep smoking away from them.

My top recommendations are:

• vaping - it's worked for lots of us here!

• NHS specialist stop smoking services (i.e. not your GP) - they get good success rates compared with lots of other methods. If you are thinking of using NRT this is definitely the way to go. NRT on its own has lousy success rates - worse than nothing in some studies - but it's much more effective combined with the support from SSS.

• Allen Carr - works for lots and lots of people.