Budgeting for cigarettes..

[Jellybean29]

Last time a checked shoes weren't harmful to your health or the health of your baby but I would say that I guess!

[Aimz]

From Belly Belly's website - a great article on smoking FAQ's.

Can Quitting Cold Turkey Harm My Baby?
There is no evidence to support the claim that quitting cold turkey could harm the foetus. On the contrary, every cigarette delivers many chemical agents that put the baby under stress. In particular, carbon monoxide displaces oxygen from red blood cells and makes it harder for the blood cells to release oxygen. This badly affects the transfer of oxygen from the mother’s blood to the baby’s blood across the placenta.

Tobacco smoke has very high levels of oxidizing chemicals which upset important processes in the umbilical cord, constricting it. Their actions also impair the production of the membrane around the baby.

Smokers have more viscous (thicker and stickier) blood than non-smokers, which is a risk factor for stroke in the newborn as well as for blood clots (thrombosis) in the placenta. When the mother quits smoking, the level of carbon monoxide drops quickly and is much lower after only a day, and her blood improves over the next several weeks.

Smoking results in retarded growth of the foetus and subsequently low birth weight. Low birth weight may have a lasting effect of the growth and development of the child. It is associated with an increased risk for early puberty, and in adulthood an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Women who quit early in their pregnancy have babies with birth weights similar to non-smokers.

Women who quit smoking during pregnancy reduce the risk reduce the risk of preterm membrane rupture, preterm delivery and low birth weight.

In general, quitting without using quitting aids (nicotine replacement therapy or bupropion (Zyban) is preferred. This means first options are quitting suddenly or cutting down over one to two weeks and then quitting.

At the moment, there is nothing to recommend one method over the other, although quitting suddenly is more popular. Withdrawal symptoms might cause some emotional stress to the mother, which for most people is worse in the first week, but they decrease over time and usually do not last more than a few weeks. However, continued smoking puts the bodies of both mother and child under physical stress. All the evidence points to quitting smoking being one of the most important ways to improve pregnancy outcomes.

This is general information only and doesn’t take into account any individual medical history. If the mother has particular problems with withdrawal, for example taking other medication or depression, then she will need to seek appropriate medical advice and help.

I think it's important to post this - expell the myths and focus on cold hard facts. Quitting smoking while pregnant creates less stress on your baby than smoking during pregnancy does.

[Butterfly Dawn]

Sorry, to clarify I wasnt just talking about cigs

I give 100% support to anybody who wants to give up anything

[Jellybean29]

Sorry, to clarify I wasnt just talking about cigs

I give 100% support to anybody who wants to give up anything

As we all should

[Aimz]

Sorry, to clarify I wasnt just talking about cigs

Neither was I!

[LuluHB]

BBB - anybody who saw me walking in heels would definitely tell me they were dangerous to my health

[Jellybean29]

BBB - anybody who saw me walking in heels would definitely tell me they were dangerous to my health

haha!

Hi Everyone

[Butterfly Dawn]

[Ozziehoffy]

Just have to say that this has gone COMPLETELY off topic from the OP.

[*TripleJ*]

in response to OP i dunno how we do it but we do

in the off topic i know a few ppl that have received similar advice to cut down and not give up some gp's are crap
more than we think

[Ozziehoffy]

re: the off topic, I can only assume that the people throwing the stones in the glass house are not ones who have perhaps had an addiction to something such as smoking and believe that it really is that black and white for a person battling the addiction as well as their own guilt. Something to perhaps think about. I hate how BB has become such a slanging holier than thou attitudes around kind of place. Sorry Abs, but it was starting to really **** me!

[PumpkinZulu]

I'm sorry but how is anyone throwing stones? Giving factual information is not a judgement, it's a fact

[Jellybean29]

I'm not throwing stones. I never said giving up an addiction was easy or pretended to understand what having an addiction is like.

I was just providing a factual response regarding the experience of a lady being told that it is better to keep smoking then give up because of stress.

[Ozziehoffy]

Well... firstly the thread wasn't about that to start with and secondly the facts might be indeed facts, but they appear to be being given in a way that seems to actually be judgemental by adding things about some GP's being crap etc. There does seem to be an air of judgement given with the facts. There is a lot of pressure on a person who is pregnant without adding our own judgements and then even more pressure on a pregnant lady who might also happen to smoke. She, herself can hold a lot of guilt and those doctor's stating that are actually stating it for the reason to try to help them lower their smoking habit and to ease some of that guilt they can feel and perhaps they might even find the strength to give up because they were not being harshly judged. Did these facts not start after someone actually admitted to smoking whilst being pregnant? That is a gutsy lady in these parts IMO!

[LionsandBears]

OH, whilst staying off topic, I didnt read that as an attitude thing, more like providing facts. One poster provided information a doctor gave her sister which is factually incorrect. Other posters added other facts to consider. People might not like facts, but it doesnt make those facts incorrect or assign a value to those facts.

Just as not smoking whilst pregnant is better than smoking, reducing smoking whilst pregnant (or anytime) is better than not reducing smoking. There are resources available to help with that. Quitline is one.

I dont want to sound mean but feeling guilty or otherwise is an individual choice. Not easy to deal with, but still a choice. We all have things we feel guilty about. I can relate to sometimes feeling like something is shoved in your face, but that's because of how I judge myself. For some, that may be about smoking, for me it's other things.

Back on topic, I imagine this is currently the last thing on BAL's mind at the moment. Sending strength and hoping Jett is doing well.

[PumpkinZulu]

People need to stop being so offended. The thread progressed, as is natural with any conversation, irl pr otherwise. Seeing that someone is doing something dangerous (and is doing so under a false pretence, that being that it's 'safer' than quitting) and offering the facts is not judgemental...sure maybe it might make someone feel bad, but just because you feel bad for something you're doing doesn't mean others are necessarily having a go. I quit smoking 4 years ago and it was difficult.

ETA I agree 100000% percent Tash. I'd imagine there won't be much smoking at all anymore.

[Aimz]

I quit smoking in May. Cold turkey. Just so you know, I do know what it's like to have an addiction, and how hard it is to kick the habit. I believe one does need motivation to WANT to quit - and I can't see any better reason than wanting a healthy body to grow a healthy baby. So I presented facts to support this.

My motivation to quit came from my DP's mum, such a beautiful woman, who is currently battling the most horrid and vicious cancer. I looked at my DP - who is a pillar of strength to his family, and I then looked into my future. There was no way I was going to put him through this again, if I could help it. I went from a pack a day to nothing. Nada. Zip.

I won't pretend it was easy. It was hard and horrible. But those feelings only lasted a few weeks.

Now, my teeth are whiter, my breath doesn't stink, my hair is shinier and thicker, my skin looks plump and healthy, I can RUN! I can get through a spin class. I sleep better. I have more energy.

That is my experience with addiction.

I do not believe that I'm judging by presenting facts. However anyone chooses to take them is probably just a reflection of the way they feel about it. But the reality is - you can and should quit smoking if your pregnant.

[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.