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Q: Don't some mothers who smoke during pregnancy have healthy babies?
A: Yes. But research shows babies face a long list of complications when mothers smoke during pregnancy:
- Increased chance of miscarriage
- Higher rates of pre-term birth
- Low birth weight, associated with many health problems in newborns
- Higher risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
- Higher risk of developing asthma
- Increased respiratory infections
- The child's growth and intelligence may also be impaired
Q: Babies often weigh less when the mother smokes.
Isn't it easier to deliver a smaller baby?
A: It's not always easier to deliver a low-birth weight baby. Smaller babies suffer more health
problems and complications, are more likely to stay in the hospital longer, require special
attention and have learning difficulties later in life.
Q: How does cigarette smoke reach my unborn baby?
A: Inhaled nicotine and carbon monoxide (along with thousands of other toxic ingredients) enter the placenta with each puff.
Q: Will I gain extra weight if I quit smoking during pregnancy?
A: Healthy weight gain is important during pregnancy. Your baby depends on you to eat right. You're better off quitting
now and eating well during your pregnancy. More on
managing your weight
Q: I smoked before finding out I was pregnant. Will it affect my baby?
A: No. Smoking until about 6 weeks will most likely not harm the pregnancy. Obviously,
the best time to quit is when you are planning a pregnancy. But stopping at any time
benefits your baby immediately because carbon monoxide and poisonous chemicals are no
longer restricting oxygen and nutrition to baby.
Q: If I smoke, will nicotine pass into my breast milk?
A: Yes. Breastfeeding is a great way to feed a new baby, but all forms of nicotine transfer to the breast milk
and may affect the amount of milk you produce. Studies show that other harmful chemicals from tobacco smoke
have been found in breast milk.
If you are pregnant or breast feeding, only use Therapeutic Nicotine on the advice of your physician. Smoking can seriously harm your child.
Try to stop smoking without using any Therapeutic Nicotine. Therapeutic Nicotine is believed to be safer than smoking. However, the risks to your
child from Therapeutic Nicotine are not fully known.
Q: How can secondhand smoke affect children?
A: Children are more sensitive to the poisonous gases, tar and toxins in smoke than adults because their bodies are
smaller and still developing. Babies have very small lungs and airways that get even smaller when they take in
smoke-filled air, making it hard to breathe. Babies and children exposed to second-hand smoke are:
- Twice as likely to have asthma attacks and chest infections
- More likely to need hospital care in their first year of life
- Home sick from school more often
- More likely to get more coughs, colds and bronchitis
Quitting methods
Healthy mom — healthy baby
Motherhood motivates
Dad can help too
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