What do you think about smoking while pregnant?

Sadly, the desire to quit has to come from within your friend. All you can do is tell her the facts and hope that she listens. ( I have been telling my one son the facts about smoking for 7 years...and he is still smoking.) Smoking while pregnant has been linked to asthma, allergies, ADHD, small birthweight babies and more. Despite hearing this, many pregnant women still choose to smoke.

I think mothers should work towards being as healthy as possible both for their children and for themselves.

I think that when a woman is pregnant she needs to stop thinking of just herself and to remember that the baby is and will always be more important. Just because smoking hasn't affected some babies doesn't mean that it win't affect any at all.

I don't agree on the smoking and being pregnant that it causes problems for the babies/kids. I have 4 healthy kids and heavily smoked with all 4 of them. When I say heavily smoked I am talking about 2-3 packs a day. I don't agree it causes low birth weight either. My babies were 8 lbs 10 oz., 6 lbs 15 oz., 6 lbs 12 oz., 7 lbs 14 oz. all healthy at arrival with no lung problems, asthma, or allergies still to this day. They are 16, 13, 2, & 9 mths. My mother smoked with me, I am healthy with no breathing or lung problems. My sister had 2 girls now 17 & 13. She never has smoked. Her 1st was 6 lbs. 3 oz. and suffers from asthma & allergies...her 2nd was 8 lbs 7 oz. and also suffers from asthma and allergies. Some Dr.'s will advise you to quit for the health of the baby and some will tell you not to quit, but to cut down. Just my opinion...but it really irks me that so many things are put off onto people smoking when we/our ancesters have smoked for many, many years and now they say you will get cancer and this disease and that disease from smoking. Sorry, but I don't by none of it!

I smoked from the time I was 12 until I was 29 when I decided to get pregnant, there was no way I was going to smoke and harm my daughter, I have many friends who have smoked while they were pregnant and that is their choice but to me it wasnt an option, I havent had a smoke since my daughter was born either and I am proud of that, although I think that if I was to have one smoke I would definitely be hooked again so I cant even just have one. Keep at your friend you obviously know what you are talking about if your child is sick, sorry to hear that matey... have you given up since he has been sick?

oops smoing at the time of pregnancy??? i think its bad idea it can affect the child health so dont smoe , whether you are pregnant or not... avoid smoking

sorry to hear about your son's condition but i hope he'll be fine with your care. i am sad to know about other women not listening to those who had bad experiences from smoking while pregnant. they just don't listen and go on with what they want to do with their lives without thinking of their baby's future. they are such irresponsible mothers to be. and i hope that one day, they will learn their lessons without having their kids suffer from it... anne

I can't understand how she could not change her mind when she can see an example of its possible effects right in front of her! I know that not every single child might end up with problems because of it, but I really don't think that's a good enough excuse! The point is that while not every child might get those affects, the fact that some children do should be enough to keep a parent from risking it! If she has been warned about it and continues to do it anyway, then she is gambling with her child's health! I hope that she will take it into consideration more. Maybe if you found some more information about it online or something and shared it with her, then maybe it could help change her mind or something? I'm not really sure what else to do! Good luck with getting through to her! I hope that her baby will be ok.

The best you could do is to look for a video documentary about the harmful effects of smoking on fetuses. I have seen one, and my...I'm sure that she would be devastated to know the ill effects of smoking to her unborn child. She should realize that she is putting her unborn child at a great risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema, etc. In fact, some babies are born "blue" and they are attributed to smoking pregnant mothers. Or better still, her OB can tell her about the adverse effects of smoking--well, if still stick to her own opinion, then leave her alone, and let's just wait and see.

I don't encourage pregnant lady to smoke. That's is already bad for her already. More of less it will still cause harm to the harm. That's very wrong. The baby is innocent. Doesn't she want her baby to healthy when the baby is born? No matter it will harm the baby or not it still not right. ;)

I think that you should try to stop smoking when you are pregnant. But I heard once that if you are a heavy smoker you should at least cut down smoking, because totally giving up can be stressful and being stressed whilst pregnant isn't good for the baby either! I am planning to start a family and so I've just given up smoking! Make sure I get that out of the way first. I think most women do give up these days anyway. :0)

As some of the responses you have received show, many smoking mothers do not want to believe anything bad can happen to them or their child. Yes there is the possibility of having a healthy child if you smoke and there is the possibility of having an unhealthy child if you do not smoke, but why risk it when you have the power to stop. It is like playing Russian roulette with your child's health. As a mother, I know I want to and try to give my children the best life possible. I do not allow them to ride without a seat belt simply because I grew up in an age that seat belts were not common and hey, look how many times I have driven without getting in an accident, as a matter of fact, I have never been in an accident. According to some of the logic people are trying to present, I should just stop buckling my kids in. Truth is, I have a much better chance of not getting in an accident than a baby born to a smoking mother has of being 100% healthy. My sister is pregnant with her 4th and has smoked with all of them. She also refuses to admit that her smoking has anything to do with any of the problems her kids have. All have been born early and the biggest weighed 5 lbs at birth. The oldest has severe (like we fear for his life rather often) asthma, her 2nd was diagnosed with ADHD this year, and her youngest was diagnosed with failure to thrive and at the age of 2 is smaller than the average 1 year old. Who knows what problems the younger ones may still develop or what the baby will have to deal with.

Your friend is not realizing the situation she is in, I suggest that you find some facts and information and show it to her or even have her go and ask a doctor. Smoking while pregnant isn't a wise decision at all because as she is taking in all the smoke which is nothing good, she causes harm to the unborn child inside of her. And what are the chances of the baby being born without having problems when he/she is born or later on in life. It's a awful thing to see happening and see what problems will occurred to the child in the future. The best bet is have a doctor as well as other people to let her know the situation she has put her unborn baby into.

I did a presantion on this topic in my fresman communications class. The best thing I can think of is is to find some information and some pictures of babbies born to mothers who smoke. You know what they say a picture says a thousand words.

Try to avoid this otherwise your kids have to pay alot for this. im among such kids who after so many years suffering from breathing problems but not to compliciated to take pills or anything but ive to push harder to breath sometime. morever, im suffering from mental disease, where nerve of brain gets damaged or less sensitive. its frm childhood, im taking the treatment. just coz im suffering from this disease, im facing various socially problems. This happens due to passive smoker of my mother coz my dad smokes that time. if you think about the betterment of your children then please dont smoke because you and your children have to pay big panelty for this, small act of smoking.

Although it's best if she can quit, try to support her without lecturing her. As I am sure you know, quitting is so hard and having a baby can be very stressful for mom making it even harder. I've smoked through three pregnancies; and I'm trying hard to quit now since I am expecting my fourth. But even when you know better, it's hard. Encourage her to cut back first. To do things that you can't smoke while doing, like hanging at the mall or swimming. And if she can cut back, try helping her quit too.

Did you tell her that smoking while pregnant also decreases the baby's birthweight? My hubby's mom smoked the entire pregnancy because she has a bad heart and her doctor decided that it was better to have her smoke then to quit and then put the added stress on her body. My hubby was full term and was only 4lbs when he was born and has a really bad immune system. He gets sick easily and when he gets sick he dehydrates really fast. Depending on how far along she is her doctor may tell her not to stop smoking because the baby is already addicted and the withdrawl from the nicotine is really hard on a baby and so lots of docs will tell you not to quit but cut back.

Smoking at the time of pregnancy!!! Not at all. Pregnant women should never smoke since it can lead to an early delivery or birth of very small baby. Women should stop smoking when they conceive.

oh..nextime you listen to your doctor ok??

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