Budgeting for cigarettes..

[Jellybean29]

BBB- I have heard alot of dr say -dont give up your addictions when preg because of the stress it can cause mum and baby. think its an indivual thing- if you think you can quit when preg then do if not...

If you are really stressed with quiting a Doctor MAY tell you that just reducing the level is better? I think maybe this is what the doctor meant?

However there is no safe level of smoking. Woman should still be encouraged to quit. Even reducing the amount of cigarettes smoked, still exposes the baby to harmful substances.
I would find it more believable if the doctor had said to your sister, "if you are unable to stop smoking completely - it is important to remember ‘the less you smoke, the less effects on the baby’. "

[Aimz]

From the Smokefree Women website... Just adding a useful 2 cents worth, and apologies if it's off topic.

Myths about Smoking and Pregnancy
Myth: "It is less stressful on the baby for me to continue smoking."
Truth: Smoking during pregnancy does not help you or the baby.

Myth: "Smoking fewer cigarettes during pregnancy is good enough."
Truth: There is no safe level of smoking. Even a few cigarettes a day means many poisons are hurting you and your baby’s health. It is never too late to quit. Quitting at any time is likely to reduce the bad effects of smoking on your baby. But quitting early means a better start to life for your baby.

Myth: "I am 3 months pregnant. What's the point of quitting now? The damage is done."
Truth: There are benefits to quitting at any time in your pregnancy. If you quit now, your risk of having a low-weight baby will be similar to that of a non-smoker.1

Myth: "There is nothing wrong with having a low-weight baby—it just means a quicker and easier birth."
Truth: A smaller baby is more likely to become stressed during birth, leading to a harder delivery. Labor with a small, under-weight baby is no easier or shorter than labor with an average-sized baby. Low-birth-weight babies are more likely to have serious health problems than normal-weight babies.

Myth: "Smoking relaxes me, and being relaxed is better for my baby."
Truth: You may feel calmer when smoking; but the results inside your body are the opposite. Smoking speeds up your heart rate, increases your blood pressure, and weakens your nervous system. Every puff of a cigarette puts chemicals into your bloodstream, making less air available to your baby.

Myth: "If I stop smoking, I'll put on too much weight."
Truth: During pregnancy, you need more calories to meet the needs of your growing baby and to keep you healthy. This means eating different kinds of healthy foods. Ask your doctor how much weight gain is healthy for you and your baby.

Myth: "I know women who smoked and had normal-weight babies. The risks of smoking aren’t really that great."
Truth: Having a low-weight baby is only one of many risks that can happen when you smoke while pregnant. Some of the other health problems don’t show up until the baby is older. Kids whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are at greater risk for having behavioral problems, including ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).2-4 Kids whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are at an increased risk of having a learning disorder and becoming smokers themselves5-6.

[HotI]

Many of the 'facts' that have been given in this thread do not address the 'myth' that they are trying to debunk. e.g.

Myths about Smoking and Pregnancy
Myth: "It is less stressful on the baby for me to continue smoking."
Truth: Smoking during pregnancy does not help you or the baby.

The 'myth' is talking about stress levels, the 'truth' ignores the stress component and talks about 'help'. Quitting smoking can be extremely stressful for people and their families, just cos one person found it relatively 'easy' to quit does not mean that others are only going to face the same level of stress in their quit attempt.

Smoking is quite prevalent among those with mental health issues, and during quit attempts psychosis and anxiety have been shown to increase. Some people are biologically more likely to be addicted- there are physical or physiological factors that contribute to this. For some people, quitting smoking is going to cause all sorts of brain receptors to be agitated. The stress of quitting may be much greater than the stress of continuing to smoke even with the awareness of effects that it can have on mum and baby and the criticism that they will face from many.

I was quite disappointed in the 'facts' provided by the Smokefree Women website- almost all of the 'facts' did not address the 'myths'- it was just another 'we know best, listen to us' article rather than properly address the issues.

[Olive]

Moderator Message »
ummmm so OP's question was about budgetting for cigs. and not the health implications of a mother smoking, Why are we so off track? this thread is not for that, if you cannot answer the OP's question then please refrain from posting in this thread