Sunday, 17 May 2009
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Smoking Around Children
It's common knowledge that smoking is bad for you and that smoking while pregnant is even worse (a good article to read about the effects can be found here). However, even with this in mind, some moms-to-be seem to ignore all warnings and puff away.
With all the added stress of pregnancy and health issues that could develop solely on their own, why add to it?
Don't forget second-hand smoke, too! Breathing in the toxins from a cigarette can actually be more harmful.
Do you know anyone who's smoked during pregnancy? Do you still consider it bad to smoke around your child when they're older?
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Comments (45)
One of the girls who is married to a guy my husband works with smoked while she was pregnant. She didn't know she was pregnant until she was ten weeks along. When she found out, she stopped smoking for two weeks. The baby was already addicted to the nicotine and her doctor told her she had to start smoking again. (supposedly...)
They smoke around their kids and both kids (there is another boy from a previous marriage) have asthma and the youngest boy ALWAYS has some kind of breathing issue that he's having trouble with.
It's just sad. I am glad we don't have hardly any friends that smoke but, I will NOT let my son be around it. When my brother and I were growing up we weren't allowed to play at friend's houses who had parents who smoked and I'll do the same thing with my own children.
IMO -- smoking is one of the nastiest and grossest habits there is.
A friend of a friend smoked a pack a day while pregnant. No surprise when her baby was born small and had some health issues. She also thought it was hilarious that her toddler daughter got into her cigarettes, put one in her mouth and attempted to use the lighter. I didn't get along with her at all but saw her occasionally at BBQs. I kept my boys far away from her, you could smell the smoke in her hair and clothes from across the room.
I don't think it's ever okay to smoke around nonsmokers, child or adult, unless they themselves are fine with it. I hate being around smokers and keep my children away from them as well. We are lucky that we don't really know anyone here that smokes so it's a nonissue really.
I am currently a smoker and totally aware that its a disgusting habit. And like TornadoChaser, I don't think its okay to smoke around nonsmokers which is why I smoke in the privacy of my car with no one else around and that's it - but that still makes me a smoker of course. I'm looking to quit but can't bring myself to do it yet but I do not want to still be a smoker when I get married and start having kids. Personally, I would never even think to smoke around children.
Alternatively, I can see how some women who are pregnant still smoke because, for example, my now-fiance's mother smoked while she was pregnant with him and his sister and they're both fine. They were both healthy weight, no complications or anything. And for so long, before society knew the negative effects of smoking while pregnant, soooo many people did it because it was the norm.
I think the only reason its scary to smoke while pregnant in today's society is because we have the technology to actually know what could go wrong.
I don't know anyone who's smoking while pregnant.
I would consider it horrible to smoke around children, no matter the age. I hate when people around me smoke. >.< Yuck. It's stinky, hurts my lungs and my eyes.
@TornadoChaser - I'm a smoker, and I hate it when people smoke around anyone who's clearly uncomfortable with it. I won't smoke in anyone else's car unless they're a smoker (which is something that always infuriated me before I was a smoker! how rude is that!) and if I even see a child near me I will walk far, far away. I know it's a nasty habit - it's my right to enjoy it, but I'm not going to inflict it on anyone else, ESPECIALLY children.
I will stop smoking before I decided to have a baby (ideally - unplanned baby will mean I stop as soon as I find out!) and I will make sure my husband does as well. It's not fair to the child's immune system.
Smoking around children is the best way to try to kill your kids without them knowing it directly. That is terrible. Whenever I see a smoker, I always start coughing. I mean, I know people are addicted to it but it really isn't fair that the kids have to deal with that.
I recently learned about 3rd hand smoke, that is the smoke that lingers in upholstery, clothes, hair. Apparently it's harmful too! I've always known it was just as gross to me, but knowing it's harmful gives me another reason to steer clear of it!
I think we should provide children with the cleanest air we can. Smoking is one of the bad things in the air we can control and I think we should.
Well, it's not a good idea to stop smoking as soon as you find out your pregnant. While smoking is bad for the baby, but it is even worse to go through withdrawals while pregant. My boyfriend's mom smoked for five years when she found out she was pregnant with him. The doctor advised her to keep smoking, but switch to lights instead.
I have known several women to smoke while pregnant. I am absolutely appauled but it. I have a cousin who has given birth to two very tiny, completely unhealthy babies. She chain smoked through both pregnancies. One of her kids has asthma and constant bronchitis and the other one has been in and out of hospital since she was born. Never having smoked myself, its easy for me to just say they ought to quit, but never really know how hard it actually is. However, my sister was a heavy smoker from the age of 16, had tried to quit over and over with no success. The day she found out she was pregnant she had one last cigarette on the way home from the doctor's and hasn't touched one since. Her baby is almost 2 now. Its all about priorities. If you love your kids enough, you CAN quit! And not just for the pregnancy either, second hand smoke is just as terrible.
I honestly can't believe people still smoke while they are pregnant when they know the consequences. I would hope the ones that do smoke during pregnancy don't really understand it, so we will chalk it up to their lack of knowledge. Also, I hate seeing parents smoking around their children. Those poor kids! They have no choice! My grandparents smoked when my dad was little and he's always had asthma. When we were born my mom told them if they continued to smoke, she wouldn't bring us over to their house, so they stopped! I'm sure it's not hard to stop smoking, but when you become a parent, it isn't about you anymore! That is part of the problem with society today, parents are more concerned about themselves and their lives than their children.
Smoking in general grosses me out; smoking while preganant is a cardinal sin in my world! Both my parents smoked my entire life, and I've always been sickly and had breathing problems. My sisters weren't as bad, but we all still get sick more often than our friends do. Both my sisters picked up the habit in high school, and while one quit the day she found out she was pregnant, the other has continued to smoke through several falied pregnancies. Coincidence? I think not. Of course, the alcohol may be a factor in that too...
I knew a girl who smoked when she was preggo. Her baby turned out fine. I don't think its a good idea to smoke while pregnant though (or anytime for that matter). But I'm not here to judge.
My sister and her husband smoked around my niece and nephew when they were babies. The kids constantly had ear infections and got sick a lot. My nephew had to have ear tubes put in multiple times, and they're lucky he hasn't had to have a tympanoplasty yet. Stuff like that pisses me off because the kids have no choice in the matter, and my sister's husband is a complete tool who doesn't care about other people (my sister quit smoking a few years ago, no thanks to him who keeps blowing smoke in her face...). The bigger issue is why she's with him in the first place...
The way I feel about it, if someone wants to smoke that's fine...it's their body, their lungs. But don't do it around me or my child. You can live without your cigarettes for a few minutes, but we can't live without our clean air. So put it out. I'm glad that so many public places are smoke-free.
I smoked when I was pregnant. I got to down to 4 a day and as much as everyone would like to judge and say what a selfish thing it is to do, and my doctor's tried to tell me to quit. and I know how gross and selfish it is but I couldn't stop it's called addiction.
I still smoke, but I don't smoke near my daughter, I wash my hands after I smoke, don't smoke in the car anymore etc. I think it's gross, I know 2nd hand smoke is bad, etc. But it is what it is, and I don't really think it's anyone's place to judge or say what a horrible thing it is to do, because I can almost put money on the fact that everyone who smokes knows it's gross and bad for them. But it's no one's place to judge.
anyone that knows best will not let their child or anyone else they care about be around cigarette smoke of any kind b/c it's all bad for you...so many studies are out there to prove it...
I don't believe that doctors are telling women that withdrawal is worse. Even if they did actually say that, there was a study a few weeks ago that proved that the healthiest outcome is for mom to quit by 15 weeks of pregnancy.
I don't know whether I know anyone who's smoked during their pregnancy, but I know someone who smokes around their grandchildren all of the time. At one point one of her grandkids had lung issues, he literally was having to use one of those machines; and this is when he was just a baby. She still puffed away constantly, and they were okay with that.
My mother smoked during my pregancy, and resulted in a very long labour from me
my birth mom smoked while she was pregnant with me, and I have had no health issues.
My aunt smoked with all 5 of her children, and they were all very healthy 8lbs+, and have no health problems (they are between 10 and 19 yrsnow).
My other aunt smoked with both her babies (4 and 2 yrs) and both are healthy.
Ironically two aunts on my mom's side who did not smoke had complicated pregnancies and children with health issues. (this is out of 18 aunts in my whole family, all but 6 smoked).
Personally i do not smoke, I think its nasty. And we do not allow smoking in our house or in the same vehicle as our children.
My friend's sister is 7 months pregnant and still smokes. -I think she smokes like a half a pack a day. I asked her why she did just stop and she goes 'Well I've cut down a lot' Ugh I can't stand that.
I have an almost 3 year old and a 6 month old, I quit smoking when I found out I was pregnant for my oldest and I never started again. I still hate it when people smoke around her and my son. Not only is it unhealthy (and the smoke makes them smell) its also disrespectful to both them and myself.
It always irked me when people smoked while pregnant. It's not something I'd ever do...in fact smoking isn't something I'd ever do...ever!
If people smoke around their own kids, that's their business. Yeah, it'd be nice if they were more considerate and didn't. My parents smoked around me and I hated it. But I can't do anything about people choosing to smoke around their kids.
However, I don't want anyone smoking around my baby. Or me for that matter.
At one point in time I worked at a local gas station and one of the girls I worked with was pregnant and smoked. Not only did she smoke but she took a break about every 30minutes to have a puff. It drove me crazy. I honestly feel like if you can not give up smoking for 9months for the sake of your child how do you plan on giving up your life for them?
Well one day it really got to me so I asked her (in the nicest way possible), what would you do if your daughter was born with a birth defect due to your smoking?
She said (I'm serious), well my mom smoked when she was pregnant with me and I was okay so I will take my chances.
I have also had a mom tell me she had to smoke pot the entire time she was pregnant because otherwise she couldn't eat...
I was just so shocked. If you just talk to your doctor about this issue he would have been able to help you out. Own up to what you are doing at least.
Bottom line parents who smoke when they are pregnant are irrisponsible and it drives me up the wall. I would never knowingly put my child in danger like that and if you do you shouldn't be a parent.
My mom was never a smoker, but my dad was/is. The smoke always gave me a really bad headache, but since I was around it so much growing up it's a sort of comfort. Neither I or my fiance smoke and yet at 10 pm almost every night I smell cigarette smoke. This happened when we lived with his dad and step mom. Neither smoke and it's happening still in our new apartment, but less frequently. I'm not sure why I smell it, but it's very faint and I only smell it when I am most relaxed and doing something totally mind numbing. hah!
My fiance's mom and step dad smoke but when I'm around their smoke it's not the same comfort. Probably because of the brand. His aunt smokes, but quit when she got married and had a baby. She picked it up again and her baby is 2, I think. I assume they smoke outside, but I can't be sure. The last time I was in her vehicle it smelled strongly of cigarette smoke and I know they drive their kid around in there.
Thankfully me or my sisters never developed breathing problems.
Before I took a pregnancy test I had one last smoke. After it was positive, I stopped smoking. I did have like 3 drags during the pregnancy but that was all. He was small but perfectly healthy. I didn't smoke at all while breastfeeding but I did start smoking after I finished. My son is 4 now and I never smoked near him. I would smoke in my car by myself or outside of the house. My hubby smokes too and he never does it next to our son. I see people smoke right next to their kids and that appalls me. It's like, "Fine, kill yourself. But don't kill your kids." I quit smoking not too long ago so that's a good thing.
i smoked while pregnant. my daughter had a low birth weight but not overly so. she had no other health issues and just graduated with honors as a nurse.
this is not to say i advocate the practice.
but, it's a decision the parent[s] have to make, not us or the government.