Aa
BE HONEST!!!!!!!!
ok so how many of you smoke? honestly!!!!!! while pregnant now, or while pregnant previously???and if so, aside from birthweight issues, have you been told that smoking can cause the placenta to not deatch and cause hemmoraging(sp?), or other things???
my ob has not mentioned anything aside from low birthweight, but the midwife i originally saw, gave me this loooooong run down of problems.....
When I found out I was pregnant I was smoking a pack or more per day of Marlboro Lights and quit cold turkey immediately. Believe me, I know how hard it is to quit and I went through several weeks of withdrawal and HORRIBLE headaches. I am so proud of myself for doing it though! I quit the same way when I found out I was pregnant with my first and didn't touch a cigaratte during my whole pregnancy or while breastfeeding. I used a powerful imaging tool to help me when I felt the urge........I asked myself if I would be okay with blowing smoke in my baby's face and of course the answer is hell no. I just pictured my baby with smoke around him/her and couldn't dream of lighting up. I am not a judge and don't judge others for their choices at all............this was just my personal decision and how I stuck with it. Good luck!
I dont think anyone here has judged anyone. Most people have just stated why it was or is bad. I havent read anyone say you are a bad person or mother for smoking. I know how hard it is to quit as I did it myself...but also my dh wasnt a smoker so that was another driving force and made it soo much easier. Everyone lives a different life, I had a m/c in mine so I was very overprotective....is that the best way to be pregnant...no, but that is how I dealt with it! And trust me I have had many lectures on why smoking is bad for you from various different friends when I was a smoker. Did I listen...no...I knew it was bad and I knew the damage I was doing to myself everyday, but I didnt care. However I think when you post things such as "be honest" you will get alot of honesty from everyone...not just smokers.
I just thought about the placenta part too. Cigaratte are a vaso constrictor, meaning the vascular system (veins and arteries) constrict while smoking...also the oxygen transfer into your blood is decreased. So I do see how a placenta can be affected by smoking, it isnt getting as much blood flow as it should and the oxygen within that blood is lowered. It will then recover after you stop smoking, so I could see the more you smoke the more that cycle will occur. Also the same effect is occuring within your child...as the nicotine passes through it will also experience vaso constricting....this is occuring in very newly developed veins and arteries.
I believe you know all the risks and everyone that smokes knows it is bad whether you are with child or not...So the best approach to anything in life is Moderation. It is never to good to drink to much, eat too much sugar, too much carbs, heck even too much protein and that is the new crave. So my advice to you is what the Docs say, switch to a brand that doesnt have weird chemicals and try not to smoke as much...if eventually you can quit even if it is only a month before you give birth then that is great. It will cut down on the babies dependency to cigarettes too, because right now your child is also use to lighting up.
I just thought about the placenta part too. Cigaratte are a vaso constrictor, meaning the vascular system (veins and arteries) constrict while smoking...also the oxygen transfer into your blood is decreased. So I do see how a placenta can be affected by smoking, it isnt getting as much blood flow as it should and the oxygen within that blood is lowered. It will then recover after you stop smoking, so I could see the more you smoke the more that cycle will occur. Also the same effect is occuring within your child...as the nicotine passes through it will also experience vaso constricting....this is occuring in very newly developed veins and arteries.
I believe you know all the risks and everyone that smokes knows it is bad whether you are with child or not...So the best approach to anything in life is Moderation. It is never to good to drink to much, eat too much sugar, too much carbs, heck even too much protein and that is the new crave. So my advice to you is what the Docs say, switch to a brand that doesnt have weird chemicals and try not to smoke as much...if eventually you can quit even if it is only a month before you give birth then that is great. It will cut down on the babies dependency to cigarettes too, because right now your child is also use to lighting up.
i think with my "topic" i meant
*** Be honest if you DO smoke or HAVE while pregnant***
....and wow, ya i smoke(hey get this after my last response last nite i only had *4* which for me was hard, but i wasn't thinking about it, so i guess it didnt bother me!)
but i don't think i meant if you had never smoked, to lecture about something.....i guess i was looking for others who were in my *dilemna* of smoking, and how they handled it, wether quitting, cutting back, or if the PLACENTA issue was random or often.....i saw another post where i was about to fall off my chair b/c of, but i just thought i'd come back here and correct myself, as i meant to several times, but just didnt.....and now i have.....
DO NOT judge people.....I DON'T CARE who you are, please remember, NONE of us have ever lived the SAME life, and 1 does not have the right to judge others.....in the end we all meet Him, and i FIRMLY believe
*ONLY "HE" CAN JUDGE ME*
oh and when every single person around you smokes, and i do mean evry single one, it's hard to quit!!!!!!!!!!! and i'm already intoverted, and i get moody, so in all honesty, if i just "sat inside" every time people went out to smoke(since we mostly sit outside all evening anyways), it'd actually make my friends and family think "even if she's trying to quit she can still socialize".....oh and i DO NOT drink, in fact a month ago i went to a club with friends(we celebrated 2 divorces, 1 engagement anf my pregnancy), and we had a no-alcohol stipulation, and my 1 friend actually intentionally knocked this girl's drink out of her hand to the floor....she was "obviously" very pregnant, and we noticed she'd had like 3 diff drinks, so my friend just walked up, smacked the glass, and when the bouncers realized what happened they kicked the preggo girl out....the next night we went for friends who were deploying and they had a sign up "IF YOU APPEAR TO BE *WITH CHILD* YOU WILL *NOT* BE SERVED ALCOHOL".....
*** Be honest if you DO smoke or HAVE while pregnant***
....and wow, ya i smoke(hey get this after my last response last nite i only had *4* which for me was hard, but i wasn't thinking about it, so i guess it didnt bother me!)
but i don't think i meant if you had never smoked, to lecture about something.....i guess i was looking for others who were in my *dilemna* of smoking, and how they handled it, wether quitting, cutting back, or if the PLACENTA issue was random or often.....i saw another post where i was about to fall off my chair b/c of, but i just thought i'd come back here and correct myself, as i meant to several times, but just didnt.....and now i have.....
DO NOT judge people.....I DON'T CARE who you are, please remember, NONE of us have ever lived the SAME life, and 1 does not have the right to judge others.....in the end we all meet Him, and i FIRMLY believe
*ONLY "HE" CAN JUDGE ME*
oh and when every single person around you smokes, and i do mean evry single one, it's hard to quit!!!!!!!!!!! and i'm already intoverted, and i get moody, so in all honesty, if i just "sat inside" every time people went out to smoke(since we mostly sit outside all evening anyways), it'd actually make my friends and family think "even if she's trying to quit she can still socialize".....oh and i DO NOT drink, in fact a month ago i went to a club with friends(we celebrated 2 divorces, 1 engagement anf my pregnancy), and we had a no-alcohol stipulation, and my 1 friend actually intentionally knocked this girl's drink out of her hand to the floor....she was "obviously" very pregnant, and we noticed she'd had like 3 diff drinks, so my friend just walked up, smacked the glass, and when the bouncers realized what happened they kicked the preggo girl out....the next night we went for friends who were deploying and they had a sign up "IF YOU APPEAR TO BE *WITH CHILD* YOU WILL *NOT* BE SERVED ALCOHOL".....
kstarr07 - i completely agree with you, im just gonna say ditto - what she said from now on lol. You some it up perfectly like a lady with a lifetime of knowledge :-)
at the end of the day people when you smoke whilst pregnant whether or not you do or dont have any preterm births, respiratory probs or your mums and nans smoked etc etc - it is proven that some damage will be done. It does the unthinkable to your body and you cant always see it? So it will not matter what you think or feel it is not good for your baby and will cause some form of harm visible or not. It is poison and everything you digest/ inhale etc passes through your baby so it will reach them.
i congratulate those who have or are trying to quit or cut down. I know how hard it is...
:-)
at the end of the day people when you smoke whilst pregnant whether or not you do or dont have any preterm births, respiratory probs or your mums and nans smoked etc etc - it is proven that some damage will be done. It does the unthinkable to your body and you cant always see it? So it will not matter what you think or feel it is not good for your baby and will cause some form of harm visible or not. It is poison and everything you digest/ inhale etc passes through your baby so it will reach them.
i congratulate those who have or are trying to quit or cut down. I know how hard it is...
:-)
Thanks a lot. :)
I get what you're saying, I feel the same way. My mom smokes, and I had to write a note to her not to smoke in the bathroom because the chemicals and smells stayed around long after she left... Whenever she lights up a ciggarette I say what I need to say and get out of her room and I always ask to walk in front of her when she has a ciggarette lit.. lol I try to avoid things the best I can. I think the most caffiene I've had is two or three cans in one week [I know that's not GREAT, but it's hard not to when there's a case of soda in the fridge lol] usually I don't drink any or do anything that they tell you not to. I *personally* find it amazing when other people think it's okay to smoke or drink or even do drugs while they are pregnant. Although those that know the risks and are trying their hardest are a different story.
I get what you're saying, I feel the same way. My mom smokes, and I had to write a note to her not to smoke in the bathroom because the chemicals and smells stayed around long after she left... Whenever she lights up a ciggarette I say what I need to say and get out of her room and I always ask to walk in front of her when she has a ciggarette lit.. lol I try to avoid things the best I can. I think the most caffiene I've had is two or three cans in one week [I know that's not GREAT, but it's hard not to when there's a case of soda in the fridge lol] usually I don't drink any or do anything that they tell you not to. I *personally* find it amazing when other people think it's okay to smoke or drink or even do drugs while they are pregnant. Although those that know the risks and are trying their hardest are a different story.
Kstarr
I am totally with you on that...I was just trying to put it in a subjective manner, in that a big risk to me was whether I should eat deli meat ot not....whereas some people actually contemplate smoking or drinking. I was one of those that didnt eat deli meat, have a drink, stayed away from almost every cheese, and held my breath when walking by smokers. I wish they had pregnancy bubbles around...because i would have put myself in one and just bounced around. LOL.
But people will do what they want to do and we cant control what goes on...so the only thing I can say to any pregnant woman is educate yourself on all the risks out there...if you think it is worth it in the end and are willing to accept any of the results then I cant say dont do it....just dont do it around me or in public, because I am sure you will get alot of bad looks.
Oh also Kstarr, I would like to applaude you on being so young but more mature and educated then the average girl. I have read a lot of your post and you are very intune with yourself. I am sure you will be a great mother.
I am totally with you on that...I was just trying to put it in a subjective manner, in that a big risk to me was whether I should eat deli meat ot not....whereas some people actually contemplate smoking or drinking. I was one of those that didnt eat deli meat, have a drink, stayed away from almost every cheese, and held my breath when walking by smokers. I wish they had pregnancy bubbles around...because i would have put myself in one and just bounced around. LOL.
But people will do what they want to do and we cant control what goes on...so the only thing I can say to any pregnant woman is educate yourself on all the risks out there...if you think it is worth it in the end and are willing to accept any of the results then I cant say dont do it....just dont do it around me or in public, because I am sure you will get alot of bad looks.
Oh also Kstarr, I would like to applaude you on being so young but more mature and educated then the average girl. I have read a lot of your post and you are very intune with yourself. I am sure you will be a great mother.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Pregnancy Community
Get information and tips on how to help you choose the right place to deliver your baby.
Get the facts on how twins and multiples are formed and your chance of carrying more than one baby at a time.
Learn about the risks and benefits of circumcision.
What to expect during the first hours after delivery.
Learn about early screening and test options for your pregnancy.
Learn about testing and treatment for GBS bacterium.
