4. Quitting smoking in pregnancy

4. Quitting smoking in pregnancy

Giving up smoking during pregnancy will not only boost your baby’s development, but help improve his health right into adulthood.

When you become pregnant you have a more important motivation to give up than ever. You might think this will make it easier to quit, but giving up smoking is not easy and we want mums-to-be to aware of the support that their midwife and GP can provide as well as that available from the local NHS Pregnancy Smoking Cessation Advisor. There is support out there for you to help boost your chances of success:

Contact your local NHS Smoking Cessation Advisor today NHS Stop Smoking Services

Read on to find out about why you should give up smoking and find out about getting help with quitting smoking for good.

Try the Tommy’s cost calculator below: see how much money you could save if you stopped smoking, and what you could buy instead:

Cost calculator button

Why you should give up

Research shows that smoking in pregnancy is directly linked to problems including:

  • miscarriage
  • premature birth
  • low birth weight
  • stillbirth
  • cot death

The good news is that it’s never too late to benefit from quitting smoking. In fact, giving up smoking before the 15 weeks reduces your risk of premature birth and having a low birth weight baby to that of a non smoker.

However, giving up at any time during pregnancy will help give your baby the best start in life.

Talking to your midwife about smoking

Your midwife will ask lots of questions about your lifestyle, including whether you smoke or have recently quit, or if someone in your household smokes. Smoking in pregnancy is something midwives have to discuss with all the women they deal with, so don’t feel that you are being singled out.

If you smoke, or have quit within the past two weeks, your midwife will refer you to a Pregnancy Stop Smoking advisor at your local branch of the NHS Stop Smoking Services

Watch our interview with Annette Briley, Tommy's consultant midwife on smoking when pregnant.

Heather, 1 year smoke free

"I used to smoke which not only had a detrimental affect on my health but it burnt a great big hole in my pocket! When I found out I was pregnant, I immediately quit.

"If I carried on smoking it could have serious side effects. I figured, what’s the point in me carrying on?"

Read our top 5 tips below from other mums to be who have quit.

Visit Tommy’s web-site to find out more about:

  • carbon monoxide breath testing
  • effects of smoking in pregnancy
  • second hand smoke
  • quitting smoking

For more expert information visit http://www.tommys.org, call the Tommy’s PregnancyLine to speak to a midwife or email info@tommys.org

Quit Smoking

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Comments

Submitted by Tigurlilly on Fri, 11/05/2012 - 19:20.
People are so opinionated. When you've been a smoker for so long in your life, quitting is harder than any task ever. Especially if you don't want to quit or have low will power to do so. I don't think non smokers should be commenting on this post just to get their opinions across, because they don't count or mean a thing unless you've experienced how difficult it actually is to quit smoking, pregnant or not. Sometimes if you're a heavy smoker, quitting smoking straight away without cutting down can really harm you and your growing baby. This is because of the shock of the withdrawal symptoms to the body and the stress levels could also harm your baby early in pregnancy. You should use alternatives such as patches or gum. I find the mouth spray is very good as well.
Submitted by Tigurlilly on Fri, 11/05/2012 - 19:18.
People are so opinionated. When you've been a smoker for so long in your life, quitting is harder than any task ever. Especially if you don't want to quit or have low will power to do so. I don't think non smokers should be commenting on this post just to get their opinions across, because they don't count or mean a thing unless you've experienced how difficult it actually is to quit smoking, pregnant or not. Sometimes if you're a heavy smoker, quitting smoking straight away without cutting down can really harm you and your growing baby. This is because of the shock of the withdrawal symptoms to the body and the stress levels could also harm your baby early in pregnancy. You should use alternatives such as patches or gum. I find the mouth spray is very good as well.
Submitted by ruddersbudders on Thu, 08/03/2012 - 13:47.
ive quit i found out on the tues i was pregnant and tday is thurs my child is more important than a stinky cigarette an ive been smoking since i was 16....same with my 1st child i found out i quit within 2wks a little harder that time but this time my body's just said ya done!lol soooooooo excited.x
Submitted by jayneys1st on Tue, 27/12/2011 - 23:28.
im 6 weeks gone but i only found out 2 days ago i was smokeing before i found out but i have stoped now yes it is hard but you have to think about why your stopping smokeing over all it is better for you and baby if you stop
Submitted by JoshuaD on Mon, 28/11/2011 - 22:49.
I dont smoke anyway and wouldnt even go within 50 yards of someone that is smoking now. When I was visiting the doctors for a check-up, I couldnt believe it - a really heavily pregnant girl, trying to suck the life of her cigarette before she went in. Absolutely shocking!