We all know smoking is bad for your health, but when you are pregnant, this bad habit is not only hurting you, but your baby as well. The American Lung Association reports that babies of smokers account for up to 30% of low-birth weight babies, 14% of preterm deliveries, and 10% of all infant deaths. Ideally, you should quit smoking before you conceive. If you become pregnant by accident, or do not realize you are pregnant right away, you should make every effort to quit as soon as possible. Whatever method you choose to quit smoking, you should have completely stopped smoking by your 14th week of pregnancy.
There are several ways to quit smoking. Cold turkey or cutting back on the number of cigarettes you smoke each day are both only 5% effective. Often women will pick up smoking after they deliver the baby. This is unfortunate because secondhand smoke has been linked to sudden infant death syndrome. Nicotine patches are slightly more effective at 10%, but there hasn’t been much research done on the effects of nicotine replacement on developing fetuses. Exercise is an effective way to fight cravings. Walking is good exercise for pregnant woman and a great way to distract them from their need for a cigarette.
The most effective way to quit smoking is to combine one of the methods mentioned above with counseling. Every addiction has underlying issues that need to be addressed before a lifestyle change can be made.
While you are trying to quit, eliminate secondhand smoke by asking friends and family to not smoke when you are around. Not only does it make it more difficult to quit, but secondhand smoke is bad for your health and your baby’s health. Remember that everything you breathe in, your baby takes in as well. Reward yourself every time you pass on a cigarette. It is a huge accomplishment!