| |
|
|
 |
 |
| You have talked about quitting before.
It’s hard. Smoking is an addiction. It is something you turn
to when you are stressed or when you are out socially with your friends.
It’s a habit. But now it has taken on a new meaning. A baby
may be in your future. You can’t imagine bringing a young life
into a smoky world, but where do you start? Just by thinking about
stopping smoking, you have already made a start. |
|
You took the time to worry about the fact
that your smoking or your partner’s smoking could make a difference
in the health of your baby, even before birth. In fact, smoking can
make it more difficult for you to get pregnant. Smoking reduces fertility
for both men and women. Being in a smoke filled room can have the same
effect.
You may have heard that smoking can cause a baby to be born too soon
or too small. A smaller baby does not mean an easier delivery. And
after birth, a baby born to smoking parents can be harder to take care
of. That could mean more crying, colds, ear infections and lung problems.
Quitting smoking does not cause stress for your baby, as some may have
lead you to believe. It is not easy, but deciding how to quit today
is an important beginning to a healthier future. You’ve just
taken your first baby step to quitting by reading this! If you have
made a promise to yourself to quit smoking, you will want to know the
facts about smoking and the health of your baby and partner. |
|
| The
Myth |
|
The Fact |
We
can wait until we’re pregnant and then quit
smoking.
|
|
Stopping
your habit might be stressful. It could take many tries.
You need to do it now – before you get pregnant.
|
| My friend smoked when she was pregnant and her baby
is fine. |
|
Tobacco takes its toll in ways you can’t always
see. Some effects may not show at the time of birth and emerge
later on in life. |
| Smoking will keep me from gaining too much weight
when I am pregnant. |
|
Pregnancy calls for eating well. Weight gain is
a natural and important part of growing a healthy baby. You will
lose weight naturally after the birth by healthy eating, being
active and breastfeeding. |
| If I smoke “light” cigarettes, they
are less harmful. |
|
People take in as much tar and nicotine from “light” cigarettes
as from regular ones. |
|
|
Clear
the air - you’re almost there!
The chemicals in tobacco smoke will harm smokers and those exposed
to second hand smoke. Smoking is a leading cause of impotence and lowers
sperm count in men. Smoking also makes it harder for some women to
get pregnant. That’s why a decision to clear the air of smoke
needs to be a family affair, not just the promise of one parent or
another. Knowing the harm that smoking brings to you and your family
brings you halfway to kicking the habit. You may have tried to quit
before. You may think that you can’t. But studies show that the
more often you try, the more likely you will finally do it – for
good.
No more 'ifs', 'ands' or 'butts'
1
|
|
Make your home smoke-free;
restrict smoking to outside. |
2
|
|
Decide to quit and set
a quit date. You will be joining millions of people who have
succeeded some even after decades of smoking. |
3
|
|
Quitting has several steps.
You have started by just thinking about it. Now keep going. |
4
|
|
Know your best supports.
Keep those people close and ask them for help to stay on track. |
5 |
|
Don’t lose faith if you slip
back into smoking. Never give up on yourself or your partner
who might be trying to quit. |
For help close to home, contact:
 |
|
The Lung Association Info.
Line: 1-800-972-2636 |
|
 |
|
Smokers Help Line:
1-877-513-5333 |
|
• your
health care provider
• stop smoking program
or group |
|
|
 |
|
| Your health, puff by puff! Smoking
or exposure to second hand smoke during pregnancy is likely
to mean: |
|
•
|
|
a higher chance of miscarriage |
•
|
|
a baby born too early or under
weight |
•
|
|
labour and delivery complications |
•
|
|
loss of the baby during birth |
|
When you smoke, your
baby smokes!
|
|
•
|
|
The chemicals in tobacco
smoke get into a baby’s blood stream cutting oxygen
by 25%, affecting growth and overall health. |
•
|
|
A small child held by a
smoking parent takes in more cancer-causing chemicals per
kilogram of body weight than the parent. |
•
|
|
A baby exposed
to second hand smoke is more likely to develop colds, coughs,
ear infections, and breathing problems including asthma
and illnesses such as pneumonia. |
•
|
|
A smoker’s baby is
more likely to need hospital treatment due to illness in
their first year of life. |
•
|
|
A baby exposed to second
hand smoke is twice as likely to die of sudden infant death
syndrome (crib or cot death). |
|
|
|
|
|
