smoking

[Baybay714]

I have been told many things about smoking during pregnancy. I am currently nine weeks pregnant and I'm having a problem with just quitting smoking. I've been told that since I've smoked for almost ten years that if I just up and quit I run a high risk of loosing my baby. I've been told to cut back and I've got to where I only smoke about 5 to 8 a day and before I got pregnant I smoked a pack a day.
So my question is this, do I have a higher risk of miscarriage if I quit smoking cold turkey?
And what harm can Nicotine cause my child?

[Baybay714]

Thank you so much. I really never drank before and didn't do drugs so my only thing is my smoking. But the other problem is that if second hand smoke causes the same thing, my Child's father and I live together and he smokes a pack a day or so and doesn't plan on quitting. So as for now that is my milestone. It's hard to quit when you're around it constantly. He knows that once the baby is born I do not want him to be smoking around him/her though and he agrees with that rule completely.

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

Congratulations on your upcoming motherhood. Quitting smoking cold turkey will not harm your baby. I do know that I am repeating myself here, but here it goes: I understand that smoking is extremely addictive, however there are certain things we do for our kid that are very hard, and one of them is being pregnant, taking care of our bodies while pregnant and nursing (and I am not even talking about giving birth!). That is only the start of a difficult life of a parent. So, let me give you the facts that you probably already know, but they are important to repeat.
Smoking while pregnant will:
Lower the amount of oxygen and nutrient available your growing baby.
Increase your baby's heart rate.
Increase the chances of miscarriage and stillbirth.
Increase the risk that your baby is born prematurely and/or born with low birth weight.
Increase your baby's risk of developing respiratory (lung) problems.
Second hand smoke has been shown to be just as harmful.
It is good that you have cut down the amount of cigarettes you smoke, but quitting altogether will be even better.
You need to be eating right and exercising, but you also want to stay away from all unneeded drugs and alcohol while you are pregnant and nursing or mothering young children. Please take good care of yourself and that way you can be sure you are taking the best care of your child. My very best wishes to you during this holiday season.