smoking while pregnant

[mommyd]

The other day we were driving and we see a woman and a man having a walk. He was pushing a stroller with a young girl inside (probably about 2 years old or so). The woman was noticably pregnant (no chance of her just being a big girl, other than her pregnant belly, she wasn't big)... annnnd she was smoking.
I honestly couldn't believe it. Something i haven't seen in a very long time, if ever. I got instantly upset. I said that if I were to ever have the nErve to smoke while pregnant (and i've never smoked anything in my life btw) i would NEVER do it where anyone could see me!

[deigo]

I don't agree with smoking well pregnant by any means, but I think it's just like people drinking and driving, doing drugs, not wearing a seat belts etc, people are going to do what they want because they never think anything is going to happen to them until it does and then it's too late.

I am sure that women would feel terrible if she had her baby early and it ended up having health problems, just something people don't think about until after the fact unfortunately.

[JustWatching]

<NOBR>Not that shocking considering these numbers</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>• New Brunswick’s smoking rate for people aged 15 and over is 15% higher than the</NOBR>
<NOBR>Canadian average and about 50% higher than British Columbia, which has the lowest</NOBR>
<NOBR>smoking rate in the country.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• New Brunswickers smoked more than 1.2 billion cigarettes in 2001, approximately 7,950</NOBR>
<NOBR>for each of an estimated 153,500 smokers.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• Most people who have ever smoked start smoking in their teenage years; youth as young</NOBR>
<NOBR>as 12 and 13 can show evidence of nicotine addiction within days of their first cigarette.</NOBR>
<NOBR>There are an estimated 12,500 underage (under 19) smokers in New Brunswick.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• One in three New Brunswick males and nearly three in 10 females report exposure to</NOBR>
<NOBR>second-hand smoke, rates that are above the Canadian average.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• New Brunswick has an overall cancer incidence rate 8% above the national rate, with a</NOBR>
<NOBR>lung cancer incidence rate for men 23% higher than the national average.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• An estimated 1,300 New Brunswickers lose their lives every year due to smoking.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• Approximately 11,700 children and teenagers in the province who smoke today or who</NOBR>
<NOBR>will take up smoking will die in middle age from it, while a similar number will die</NOBR>
<NOBR>prematurely later in life.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• Smoking costs New Brunswickers an estimated $120 million (2001$) annually in medical</NOBR>
<NOBR>care costs, an estimated $218 million (2001$) in productivity losses due to the premature</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR><NOBR>deaths of smokers, and millions more in costs borne directly by New Brunswick</NOBR><NOBR>
</NOBR><NOBR>employers</NOBR><NOBR>
</NOBR>

<NOBR></NOBR><NOBR>
</NOBR><NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>It is insane the number of smokers in SJ....I would bet if we could deep dive into those</NOBR>
<NOBR>numbers about NB it would show SJ has the highest amount of smokers in NB...everywhere you </NOBR>
<NOBR>look someone has a smoke hanging out of their mouth...it's almost like a flashback to the 1980's </NOBR>
<NOBR>when it was "cool"...sad but true.</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>Anyway it appears our tax dollars are going out the window with medical costs due to smoking...guess</NOBR>
<NOBR>it isn't all spent on SA.</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>Please check this link out...very very good ads....</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>http://tobacco.health.usyd.edu.au/site/supersite/resources/docs/gallery_posters.htm</NOBR>

[lizard_lover]

yeah, I did not find those numbers shocking. I work at a call center, and almost all my co-workers smoke. I did smoke, started at 18, and quit 3 months after my 19th birthday. Actually had my first cigarette in 4 months yesterday, made me puke my guts out for 2 hours...and had to go home sick from work.

And as for the smoking while pregnant, I think if you do this, youa re pretty darn selfish! Come on, everything you do from here on out effects the life of not only you, but your baby. They cannot defend or fend for themselves, why take advantage of that?

[mike_d]

My 16 year old niece is pregnant and she still smokes all the time which drives the whole family nuts cause she won't listen to anyone. She'll just mouth off to us and say that her mom smoked when she was pregnant with her. I just can't believe people would choose a cancer stick over the health of their own child!!

[mizunderstood]

I agree people should not smoke while pregnant HOWEVER there are some situations where it is not an option any more.
For example, when I was pregnant with my son I smoked, (I didnt find out till I Was 5.5 months pregnant) and the doctor flat out told me it would cause more trauma to the baby to quit. I was told to slow down but do not quit becasue the baby would go through withdrawl. But I truly think it is wrong to smoke while pregnant, smoke with kids in the car, or even smoke in the house.... I am a smoker, but do not smoke around my kids. If I need a smoke I go out on the step. Unfortuanatly when your pregnant u cannot escape the kid to go sneak a smoke...

[lizard_lover]

true...I know a girl in town here who got pregnant at 13, and had her baby at 14. She smoked more than any other person I know, and her baby was born with a very dried out placenta, and the doctors said it was due to smoking. She did not care. I cannot believe that! I know if you are pregnant and caught on meth or coke or heroin you can be taken to the hospital and kept there until birth (not sure if they still can do this, but they used to) and i think they should be able to do the same with smoking.

I know it is not smoking, but my bf has this friend who is between 30 and 33...I am 19. well this guy always goes on about my maturity level, and this, that and the other thing. (but to my face says i am mature for my age) well he got a new job, and met this girl who is 21 years old. She already has 2 or 3 kids, and is 2-3 months pregnant. I was invited to our friends house to hang out, and declined but my bf went. When he got home, he told me she got trashed and was so drunk she did not know her a** from her elbow. And, she goes to a certain pub once a week. I thought that was so disturbing! I was so upset. I cannot believe she would do that! And our friends excuse for letting her do it (and i believe he slept with her) was "i am sure your mom drank with you"!

Some people really should not be parents, and I mean that in the best way possible.

[leeleemom]

I am a smoker. I have smoked for many years. I have had 3 children. I stopped smoking when I was pregnant for all 3. Somehow it was easy. But then I start up again. Whenever I try to quit I fail...can't figure out why it was so easy when I was pregnant. I do not smoke in my house, car etc. Even though it is awful to smoke while pregnant I wouldn't be so quick to judge.It is not an easy thing to do. And I have heard of dr's saying not to quit because of the withdrawl.

[FutureChief88]

I agree people should not smoke while pregnant HOWEVER there are some situations where it is not an option any more.
For example, when I was pregnant with my son I smoked, (I didnt find out till I Was 5.5 months pregnant) and the doctor flat out told me it would cause more trauma to the baby to quit. I was told to slow down but do not quit becasue the baby would go through withdrawl. But I truly think it is wrong to smoke while pregnant, smoke with kids in the car, or even smoke in the house.... I am a smoker, but do not smoke around my kids. If I need a smoke I go out on the step. Unfortuanatly when your pregnant u cannot escape the kid to go sneak a smoke...

I find that funny.. Cause when i was pregnant 5 years ago.. I was high risk.. And when i was about 4 months pregnant i quit smoking.. And my doctor.. who was a perinatologist.. (best baby doctor we have) said quit smoking.. He told me that the baby does NOT go through withdrawal.. thats just a "urban legend" if you will.. It harms the child more if you smoke, than if you quit.
I have been pregnant since and the monet i found out i quit smoking.. But i have the same problem too. I cant quit unless i am pregnant. Its weird.. I think its because some people.. like u and i leeleemom, tend to put others before ourselves. I know for me.. I DID NOT want to be the cause of anything that was wrong with my child. I wanted to give he the best start possible.
I have a friends who i pregnant right now and she smokes.. I feel bad.. but what can u do. I told her i am not going to support her smoking habit.. and if she needs money for smokes or wants a drag off of mine.. No way.. Her parents wont buy her cigarette either.. So i guess thats a good start

[mommyd]

Yes, giving your child the best start starts while they are in your womb. I've never smoked, and while i was pregnant i didn't drink or do anything else i shouldn't do while pregnant.. however my son was born with some problems. (he's fine now) although he still has a heart surgery to undergo in the next couple months.
I couldn't imagine smoking or drinking while pregnant, and then feeling like i was the cause for my sons problems. It would just break my heart and i would hate myself.
I'm glad you quite smoking while pregnant. I know someone who quite smoking for two pregnancies and then started back up again afterwards. Now i don't agree with smoking, but i do commend the ones who at least quit for their kids while they are growing inside them.

[mommyd]

wow those are some pretty good ads.
i would love to see someone bring up the cost to new brunswickers for healthcare given to smokers in the social assistance thread haha. I don't believe that has ever been brought up there. hehe

<NOBR>Not that shocking considering these numbers</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>• New Brunswick’s smoking rate for people aged 15 and over is 15% higher than the</NOBR>
<NOBR>Canadian average and about 50% higher than British Columbia, which has the lowest</NOBR>
<NOBR>smoking rate in the country.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• New Brunswickers smoked more than 1.2 billion cigarettes in 2001, approximately 7,950</NOBR>
<NOBR>for each of an estimated 153,500 smokers.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• Most people who have ever smoked start smoking in their teenage years; youth as young</NOBR>
<NOBR>as 12 and 13 can show evidence of nicotine addiction within days of their first cigarette.</NOBR>
<NOBR>There are an estimated 12,500 underage (under 19) smokers in New Brunswick.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• One in three New Brunswick males and nearly three in 10 females report exposure to</NOBR>
<NOBR>second-hand smoke, rates that are above the Canadian average.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• New Brunswick has an overall cancer incidence rate 8% above the national rate, with a</NOBR>
<NOBR>lung cancer incidence rate for men 23% higher than the national average.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• An estimated 1,300 New Brunswickers lose their lives every year due to smoking.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• Approximately 11,700 children and teenagers in the province who smoke today or who</NOBR>
<NOBR>will take up smoking will die in middle age from it, while a similar number will die</NOBR>
<NOBR>prematurely later in life.</NOBR>
<NOBR>• Smoking costs New Brunswickers an estimated $120 million (2001$) annually in medical</NOBR>
<NOBR>care costs, an estimated $218 million (2001$) in productivity losses due to the premature</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR><NOBR>deaths of smokers, and millions more in costs borne directly by New Brunswick</NOBR><NOBR>
</NOBR><NOBR>employers</NOBR><NOBR>
</NOBR>

<NOBR></NOBR><NOBR>
</NOBR><NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>It is insane the number of smokers in SJ....I would bet if we could deep dive into those</NOBR>
<NOBR>numbers about NB it would show SJ has the highest amount of smokers in NB...everywhere you </NOBR>
<NOBR>look someone has a smoke hanging out of their mouth...it's almost like a flashback to the 1980's </NOBR>
<NOBR>when it was "cool"...sad but true.</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>Anyway it appears our tax dollars are going out the window with medical costs due to smoking...guess</NOBR>
<NOBR>it isn't all spent on SA.</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>Please check this link out...very very good ads....</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>http://tobacco.health.usyd.edu.au/site/supersite/resources/docs/gallery_posters.htm</NOBR>

[Pumpkin]

1st and to the point - If they want people to quit smoking they should stop making them period. Then , there is nothing to smoke! And if you choose an alternative, that's your stupidity!! Ofcourse they won't stop making them. They'll lose out on money the government will....yet they are as well as people on here, yappin about the health care costs...well guess what... stop makin them and it should even it out wouldn't ya say....makes sense to me.....health care costs would go down eventually because people wouldn't be able to buy anything to smoke. But the government would rather aid in providing what is making people sick and complain about health care costs, than to solve the problem simply. GET RID OF EM PERIOD.

2nd - I would like to know exactly what MOMMYD meant in posting the comment on the cost to the health care system and social assistance thread? What does that have to do with people on welfare? LOL What because people can't work, they should be not allowed to smoke. NO ONE SHOULD SMOKE welfare recepients, working public, ect. I may not have understood you right...and if so I apologize and if I did read that right, why is it people are always taking shots at people on welfare. I can understand thinking that way of some recipients, but not all so you should not stereotype. Some people have to except welfare because they can't work due to physical challenges and cannot get onto disability because you pretty much have to be half dead to receive that!!!

3rd - I smoked while I was pregnant. No I shouldn't have and knew that. It's no one's business why I had a very hard time and didn't quit so i won't discuss it on here, but I had a reason and was also told by my doc like a few of my friends as well as reading it on here, that it could send the baby into shock. So maybe it depends on the doc, I dunno.

And last but not least....if you were never a smoker of any sort....you wouldn't know personally how darn hard it is to quit!!! Especially when your stress levels are through the roof!!!! So don't judge so quick. If you see someone smokin crack when they are preganant, i would be more apt to freak about that....oh and just incase you were curious...my child had absolutely no birth defects, no jaundice, nothing. Everything was perfectly normal....... So maybe I lucked out and am thankful for that!!

[Mandi]

the whole withdrawal argument seems odd to me... are you going to shove a cigarette down the infant's throat and chase it with a bottle? unlikely. they're going to go through withdrawal at some point, so why expose them longer than you have to?

[lizard_lover]

the whole withdrawal argument seems odd to me... are you going to shove a cigarette down the infant's throat and chase it with a bottle? unlikely. they're going to go through withdrawal at some point, so why expose them longer than you have to?

genius...too bad the doctors that we pay have not come to that realization!

[The_Dave]

Smoking while you are pregnant is child abuse.

[mommyd]

1st and to the point - If they want people to quit smoking they should stop making them period. Then , there is nothing to smoke! And if you choose an alternative, that's your stupidity!! Ofcourse they won't stop making them. They'll lose out on money the government will....yet they are as well as people on here, yappin about the health care costs...well guess what... stop makin them and it should even it out wouldn't ya say....makes sense to me.....health care costs would go down eventually because people wouldn't be able to buy anything to smoke. But the government would rather aid in providing what is making people sick and complain about health care costs, than to solve the problem simply. GET RID OF EM PERIOD.

2nd - I would like to know exactly what MOMMYD meant in posting the comment on the cost to the health care system and social assistance thread? What does that have to do with people on welfare? LOL What because people can't work, they should be not allowed to smoke. NO ONE SHOULD SMOKE welfare recepients, working public, ect. I may not have understood you right...and if so I apologize and if I did read that right, why is it people are always taking shots at people on welfare. I can understand thinking that way of some recipients, but not all so you should not stereotype. Some people have to except welfare because they can't work due to physical challenges and cannot get onto disability because you pretty much have to be half dead to receive that!!!

3rd - I smoked while I was pregnant. No I shouldn't have and knew that. It's no one's business why I had a very hard time and didn't quit so i won't discuss it on here, but I had a reason and was also told by my doc like a few of my friends as well as reading it on here, that it could send the baby into shock. So maybe it depends on the doc, I dunno.

And last but not least....if you were never a smoker of any sort....you wouldn't know personally how darn hard it is to quit!!! Especially when your stress levels are through the roof!!!! So don't judge so quick. If you see someone smokin crack when they are preganant, i would be more apt to freak about that....oh and just incase you were curious...my child had absolutely no birth defects, no jaundice, nothing. Everything was perfectly normal....... So maybe I lucked out and am thankful for that!!

Hi.. thanks for asking what i meant by that instead of spazing at me lol.. What i meant by that is... all the ppl spazing about how *their* tax dollars were going towards ppl on welfare (the ones who abuse it.. not the ones that need it) and how that makes them upset. I thought they might be able to give the ppl on SA a break for once and concentrate on something else their tax dollars are going towards they may not agree with ( towards ppl with smoking related illnesses). (I just want to point out i would not be one of those people joining in on that debate, just to make it clear)

No, i don't know how hard it is to quit so i apologize for being so quick to judge. My mother also smoked with both me and my brother (we're in our mid 20's now) and we both turned out alright too.. no health problems at all.. in fact we barely even ever get colds)

And, i also agree with your 1st point.

[KRS]

My body, my choice

[Mandi]

My body, my choice

Your kid's body... they have no choice. Some choose to pump poison directly into their unborn child and it astonishes me to know that some people would fight to have that 'right'.
Just curious, did they ever pass the law that states you can't smoke in a car with an infant/child in it? You can't even smoke in enclosed bus shelters; they are outside! How big do you think a woman's cervix is? There is no escaping the toxic fumes in there I'll assure you and yet people say it's their body their choice.

[lizard_lover]

My body, my choice

wow...that is pathetic...no, NOT your body when you are pregnant, there is also your BABIES BODY. Grow up, people like you have kids with health issues.

[JustWatching]

This may be a bit off topic....but I'll use this to make my point...

Why is it when people want to smoke, drink or do drugs while pregnant it's as the other poster put it - "My body My choice" or something along those lines...same goes for abortion...."My body My choice"....this is where they lose me....

For example...when a pregnant woman is killed....better yet in the case of a murder...the person actually can get charged with 2 counts of murder...now if it isn't a person....how could they be charged with that?

Thus the whole abortion thing confuses me...but that is a whole other topic....point is if a woman chooses to have a child (planned/unplanned) it is no longer just her body....she's sharing it with her child....from the moment of conception...to birth....that is a fact.

[Mandi]

Actually , the fetus isn't considered human until it's heart beats independently(that or breaths?). Otherwise, if you're nine months pregnant and about to go in to be induced, someone could literally cut you open and kill your baby without being charged for the murder unless the baby lived independently for a period. Unless they've changed the law in the last 4 years. And also, Infanticide will only get you around 4? years in jail. It's a sick sick world we live in. There is no 'justice'

I would have to say though that I completely agree with you. And would go so far as The_Dave and say it's a form of abuse.

[JustWatching]

Actually , the fetus isn't considered human until it's heart beats independently(that or breaths?). Otherwise, if you're nine months pregnant and about to go in to be induced, someone could literally cut you open and kill your baby without being charged for the murder unless the baby lived independently for a period.

Thus the allowing of Partial Birth Abortions....baby fully delivered except for the head (breach birth)....and bango...kill the baby....at that point why not just give it up for adoption....anywho...

Guess we're off track here...but point is....smoking/drinking/drugs should not be done while pregnant.

[kaj27]

Already mention. Doctors recommend that if you are a smoker and you are pregnant it is not wise to quit flat out. You must slowly reduce your smoking.

[melissaanne]

My body, my choice

Are you kidding me? Seriously?

It's not your body, it's not your choise! You are sharing your body with someone who can't express themselves. Did you stop and ask the baby, " hey baby wanna have a smoke with mommy?" even if you did I doubt a little kick qualifies as a yes!

Would you smoke in your house with your kids in there, would you smoke in the car with the windows up ( or down) with your kids in the back? Would you blow smoke in your kids face b/c Hell, I smoke and I can do whatever I want?? I truley hope not!!! To me it falls in the same catergory as allowing your kids to play in the streets, giving them a knife to play with or why not give them a ciggy and a lighter and light 'em up! Hey it's your kids right, you can raise them how you see fit. Please!

Smoking while your preggo is bad, plain and simple. Unfortuantly you can't force a person to quit and those who do great for you!! It seems like maybe you are able to put your own wants aside for the short period of 6 months or whenever you found out you were preggo. I am a smoker and smoked up till 4 mos about 3 weeks after I found out.

For those of you who can't quit I honestly don't think you tried hard enough. I have smoked for 10 yrs and never once did I want to quit or tried for that matter. Never once did my dr tell me not to quit or quit slowley...he said quit plain and simple.( both of my dr's actually) never mentioned anything about withdrawl or harming the baby if you quit too quickly. I myslef would be more concerned about the longer i smoked the more harm i would do.

Smoking while preggo imo is as bad as smoking weed or drinking..if you would do those while preggo you are a very selfish person.

PPL it's 9 months of your life!!!! take the backseat for a few months and let the baby run your life for a little bit.

[mustang5lboy]

i'm a mother of 2 beautiful little boys... one who is 3 and the other is 4 months. i smoked throughout both of their pregnancies but went from almost a full pack a day to 3 or 4 smokes a day just to keep my sanity. Anyone that knows my 3 yr old will tell you he's as smart as a whip and as healthy as a horse and there's been no problems with my 4 month old either... for both pregnancies i dealt with different doctors and both times i was told not to quit completely just cut back as much as possible. i'm not saying that it's right or wrong to smoke while pregnant but i think this discussion is getting a little out of line going on about welfare and such... i'm not on it myself i'm on maternity leave from my full time employment til dec when i go back but what does welfare have to do with smoking while pregnant???people make their own choices in life and the way i see it is if you don't care enough to atleast cut back while pregnant then you obviously don't care to much for your unborn child...

[MichelleM]

you may be lucky but I know people who smoked through there pregnancy and there children have serious health issues and the doctors have basically told them that smoking while pregnant contributed.

[mustang5lboy]

contributed to the problems but was not the cause of them... like i said before i'm not saying it's right to do it cause trust me if my nerves were better i would have quit years ago but does anyone really have any actual proof that smoking while pregnant cause deformaties or other physical problems in a child??? a friend of mine smoked all through her pregnancy for her 7 yr old son who was born with cerybrial paulsy but it had nothing to do with her smoking... she had high blood pressure while giving birth and the doctors had to use forseps to pull her son out cause his heart rate dropped due to her blood pressure going up... the forseps pulling him out by his head is actually what cause the cerybrial paulsy....

[The_Dave]

My body, my choice

Wow, unbelievable how some people are so immature and selfish. I believe if you smoke while pregnant, you should be charged with child abuse.

[MichelleM]

it is all breathing problems and had numerous cases of neumonia etc. I would say that the dr's are right that smoking made this worse.
not to mention why would you want to smoke....its 9 months. Would a person rather take the chance of a lifetime of health issues for there child rather than stop smoking for such a short time.

[magoosmomma]

My body, my choice

Wow are you seriously that self absorbed?

[tmason16]

I have a few things to say.
I am a smoker and smoked during pregnancy. There is NOTHING wrong with my child.
My mother smoked for 3 children and NOTHING is wrong with any of us.
I know lots of people that smoked while carrying children AND do not know a SINGLE person that has a birth defect in any of there children.
I was told by more than 1 doctor that it does cause withdraw in an unborn child after 3 months it is safe to quit anytime before that.
THE ONLY thing that smoking while pregnancy is LOW BIRTH WEIGHT.
BY THE WAY MY CHILD WAS ALMOST 9 LBS. I would have hated to know what he would have weighed if I hadnt smoked.
And also NOBODY has any right to JUDGE anybody else.
I AM SURE THERE IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY HAS DONE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE OUT THERE WOULD NOT AGREE WITH. JUST SIT HERE AND THINK ABOUT IT.
YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THEIR OWN FAULTS.
So guess what dont be so quick to judge. And my bf is a none somker and if anybody had a problem it would be the father and only the father that has any right to say anything about someone smokeing during pregnancy.

[KRS]

Ten years ago noone knew the 'dangers' about smoking. Chances are good that your mommy smoked when she was pregnant because she didn't know better.
Face it, we live in Saint John; your kids are being born in the Mexico City of Canada.. do you really think it's going to be the ciggarette smoke that hurts them?

[melissaanne]

Great your all your kids turned out great, but what if they wouldn't have? What if b/c of your smoking they were in and out of hospitals, on breathing machines....anything really. Would you be able to sit there and say, well it couldn't have been b/c I smoked...gosh no!!!!

Pregnancy is such a wishy washy thing. There are no gurantees! You can do everything right and still have an infant with health problems. I guess I just don't see why you would want to risk anything. This is your child, the love of your life...the one human being you put before yourself ( although those preggo smokers don't seem to do that)

As a Parent you are supposed to do everything you can to give your children the best possible care. I can't think smoking would fall in that catergory.

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion and in this world we all know everyone is full of them. At some point in our lives everyone will judge another person ( yes even you tmason16) and be judged by someone else. So i guess since it's a Free world all we can do is grin and bear it.

[JustWatching]

Not sure what the comment about this being Mexico City (of Canada)....maybe I'm just slow....or perhaps you could explain what you mean....Thanks

SJ ***could*** be a great place to live....I really like it here....I just really really really believe that a lot of people here need to get out of the 1980's way of thinking....this place is trying hard to progess...but small minded people are holding it back....this goes for many things here....we can talk about anything....right down to recycling (I know you think it has nothing to do with smoking while pregnant)....It does....smoking while pregnant....throwing out freezers and tv's to the side of the road....not recycling....smoking period....being scent free (or sensitive)....cleaning up the city....SJ having thee highest poverty rate in Canada....and the highest teen pregnancy rate....almost any issue SJ has....other cities have dealt with 10 - 20yrs ago....not to say other places don't have ***some*** of the same issues....but SJ seems to be far far behind....now some smart alex will say...."Leave if you don't like it"....that isn't the answer....facts are facts....there are issues here that need to be fixed.....

[The_Dave]

I have a few things to say.
I am a smoker and smoked during pregnancy. There is NOTHING wrong with my child.
My mother smoked for 3 children and NOTHING is wrong with any of us.
I know lots of people that smoked while carrying children AND do not know a SINGLE person that has a birth defect in any of there children.
I was told by more than 1 doctor that it does cause withdraw in an unborn child after 3 months it is safe to quit anytime before that.
THE ONLY thing that smoking while pregnancy is LOW BIRTH WEIGHT.
BY THE WAY MY CHILD WAS ALMOST 9 LBS. I would have hated to know what he would have weighed if I hadnt smoked.
And also NOBODY has any right to JUDGE anybody else.
I AM SURE THERE IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY HAS DONE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE OUT THERE WOULD NOT AGREE WITH. JUST SIT HERE AND THINK ABOUT IT.
YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THEIR OWN FAULTS.
So guess what dont be so quick to judge. And my bf is a none somker and if anybody had a problem it would be the father and only the father that has any right to say anything about someone smokeing during pregnancy.



You should visit the Canadian Cancer Society website or google smoking will pregnant and get the real facts. Have you ever heard of SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? Smoking has been proven to be a major cause of this. As for other problems, they may not show up until the children are older and who knows what those problems may be. Boy would you feel guilty then, or still sit with your head in the sand and deny all the facts and think that YOUR smoking had nothing to do with it.

I pray your children will always be healthy, but your selfish acts of smoking while pregnant, are not what a Mother is suppose to do.

[mommyd]

people make their own choices in life and the way i see it is if you don't care enough to atleast cut back while pregnant then you obviously don't care to much for your unborn child...

I'm not going to say that you don't care much about your child if you smoke while pregnant, because, i don't necessarily think that is true BUT... i think it's funny you think that about ppl who don't *at least* cut back while pregnant.. while me, or anyone else can think the EXACT same thing about the ppl that smoke *at all* while pregnant.............. :biggrin:

Were both of your children unplanned? Because if not, then you had some time to quit before you got pregnant didn't you? (re: the whole argument about quitting while pregnant is "bad" for the baby)

[mommyd]

it's not JUST birth defects in the way of what we can SEE that is caused by smoking!! It's lasting effects on the inside! Why can't people understand that? Oh, it's because basiclly the only thing ppl care about is that if their kids *look* okay .. That way they can't be reminded of what they might have done to their child. But other things such as asthma (oh LOTS of ppl have that so if your kid has it that's ok right?) and nervous system problems that are caused by being subject to nicoteen and such in the womb.
That's great there is nothing wrong with your child. But just because you didn't end up with a kid with problems doesn't mean smoking while pregnant was good for them.


I have a few things to say.
I am a smoker and smoked during pregnancy. There is NOTHING wrong with my child.
My mother smoked for 3 children and NOTHING is wrong with any of us.
I know lots of people that smoked while carrying children AND do not know a SINGLE person that has a birth defect in any of there children.
I was told by more than 1 doctor that it does cause withdraw in an unborn child after 3 months it is safe to quit anytime before that.
THE ONLY thing that smoking while pregnancy is LOW BIRTH WEIGHT.
BY THE WAY MY CHILD WAS ALMOST 9 LBS. I would have hated to know what he would have weighed if I hadnt smoked.
And also NOBODY has any right to JUDGE anybody else.
I AM SURE THERE IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY HAS DONE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE OUT THERE WOULD NOT AGREE WITH. JUST SIT HERE AND THINK ABOUT IT.
YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THEIR OWN FAULTS.
So guess what dont be so quick to judge. And my bf is a none somker and if anybody had a problem it would be the father and only the father that has any right to say anything about someone smokeing during pregnancy.

[mommyd]

does anyone really have any actual proof that smoking while pregnant cause deformaties or other physical problems in a child??? a friend of mine smoked all through her pregnancy for her 7 yr old son who was born with cerybrial paulsy but it had nothing to do with her smoking... she had high blood pressure while giving birth and the doctors had to use forseps to pull her son out cause his heart rate dropped due to her blood pressure going up... the forseps pulling him out by his head is actually what cause the cerybrial paulsy....

like i said before... is it only physical deformities that ppl give a crap about? How about what's going on on the inside of your children. That is just as important (if not more important) than what your child looks like isn't it? Their health? And about that friend with high blood pressure? Smoking causes high blood pressure.. (and if i could use caps then that's where i would have used them)


Just wanted to add some things:
*Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and severe vaginal bleeding
*Cigarette use has also been linked to an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy outside of the uterus. Except in very rare cases, an ectopic pregnancy cannot be brought to term, and must be surgically removed to avoid injury or death to the mother.
*Babies born to smokers are twice as likely to die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
*smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of a preterm delivery by about 30%.
*There is also a major increase in the risk of a low birth weight child. A child with low birth weight can lead to an entirely new host of problems including chronic ear infections and pneumonia (and that is to the person who said how smoking while pregnant only causes low birth weight.. low birth weight doesn't Just mean a lower number under "Birthweight:" on your baby's chart . There are reasons why a low birth weight is a concern!)
*( oh , and here's one for you ppl who especially think that as long as your kid doesn't have a physical defect everything is A-ok.. how about later in life when you can't control your child's behaviour.. or your child can't understand things in school... could be from your *NEED* to keep smoking for those 9 months
Even later in life, smoking during pregnancy can leave its mark, giving a child an increased risk of asthma, learning disabilities and behavioral problems.
oh and can't forget it's not just the mothers : *
Interestingly enough, women aren't the only ones who should quit smoking for the sake of their children. New studies have linked the fertilized sperm of a smoking father to deformities in the arms and legs of the babies.

oh and how about giving your child the best gift ever? Leaving them way too early because you can't stop smoking and end up getting lung cancer, or any other cancer that smoking causes. ? And i hope you don't smoke around them when after they are born.. because you could also be making sure they get lung cancer. That's great.. alll because you don't want to go through some withdrawel or cravings..

Stop defending your "right to smoke because it's not against the law" while pregnant ... it's utterly ridiculous! All i hear is you defending your right to screw up your child's life.

[The_Dave]

like i said before... is it only physical deformities that ppl give a crap about? How about what's going on on the inside of your children. That is just as important (if not more important) than what your child looks like isn't it? Their health? And about that friend with high blood pressure? Smoking causes high blood pressure.. (and if i could use caps then that's where i wouldn't have used them)


Just wanted to add some things:
*Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and severe vaginal bleeding
*Cigarette use has also been linked to an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy outside of the uterus. Except in very rare cases, an ectopic pregnancy cannot be brought to term, and must be surgically removed to avoid injury or death to the mother.
*Babies born to smokers are twice as likely to die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
*smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of a preterm delivery by about 30%.
*There is also a major increase in the risk of a low birth weight child. A child with low birth weight can lead to an entirely new host of problems including chronic ear infections and pneumonia (and that is to the person who said how smoking while pregnant only causes low birth weight.. low birth weight doesn't Just mean a lower number under "Birthweight:" on your baby's chart . There are reasons why a low birth weight is a concern!)
*( oh , and here's one for you ppl who especially think that as long as your kid doesn't have a physical defect everything is A-ok.. how about later in life when you can't control your child's behaviour.. or your child can't understand things in school... could be from your *NEED* to keep smoking for those 9 months
Even later in life, smoking during pregnancy can leave its mark, giving a child an increased risk of asthma, learning disabilities and behavioral problems.
oh and can't forget it's not just the mothers : *
Interestingly enough, women aren't the only ones who should quit smoking for the sake of their children. New studies have linked the fertilized sperm of a smoking father to deformities in the arms and legs of the babies.

oh and how about giving your child the best gift ever? Leaving them way too early because you can't stop smoking and end up getting lung cancer, or any other cancer that smoking causes. ? And i hope you don't smoke around them when after they are born.. because you could also be making sure they get lung cancer. That's great.. alll because you don't want to go through some withdrawel or cravings..

Stop defending your "right to smoke because it's not against the law" while pregnant ... it's utterly ridiculous! All i hear is you defending your right to screw up your child's life.

Well said mommyd.

[melissaanne]

THANK YOU MOMMYD!!!! My gosh I am soooo glad to hear someone say the same things as me!

[lizard_lover]

WAY TO GO MOMMYD!! But I bet they won't listen, yup skip right past your post because they are too selfish to care. My mother smoked with me and I was born with some very minor health defects, lucky for me, I had some good doctor's. I just cannot get over people who are so selfish to put their babies lives in danger...it should be against the law...and BTW for those of you who smoke while pregnant...smoking is nasty, you look filthy and nasty, and you stink like a dirty ashtray. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, I think there is nothing sexier than a lady with a nice big pregnancy bump...but when i see them light up a cigarette, that makes me wanna hurl, take the baby from their womb and place it in mine! (not really cuz that is impossible, but you know what I mean)

[magoosmomma]

mommyd..you said it perfectly!!

[KRS]

Dear Pregant Mothers,

Please do not barbecue while pregnant.

Thank you.

[Mandi]

Dear Pregant Mothers,

Please do not barbecue while pregnant.

Thank you.
Yeah. bbquing delivers things like tar and nicotine directly to the baby. -cough- ass -cough- sorry must be the bbq smoke.
not even close to the same thing.

[KRS]

Do some research, Propane is bad for adults to inhale..can you imagine what it would be like on an unborn childs nervous system?

I am trying to help here, please show me a little respect.

[FutureChief88]

I am sure most of your babies turned out great.. and thats wonderful.. because i, or anyone else for that matter, wouldnt wish any harm on a child.. But As others were saying before.. Why would you even take the risk of having low birthweight.. or a child dying of sids.. or whatever else smoking incurrs.. When i was pregnant.. My thought process was this.. " ok.. i have this baby.. I know i am making bad choice for my way of living.. but i am NOT going to make bad choices for my child.. I am going to give them everything that i can.. and give them the best start possible" When i found out , i quit.. On the ADVICE of my doctor.. and no matter what any doctor says.. Smoking is not good for you .. so it is definately not good for your child!
I was seen my Dr. Sanderson.. a Perinatologist.. and the only one we (currently) have.. He knows more about babies than all the OBGYN's put together in this city.. and when he tells me that is doing more harn to the child to smoke than it is to quit.. I am going to go by that. I truly believe that most of you are making "excuses" for the reasoning behind your smoking.. but it doesnt matter..
I am sure your parents smoked and their parents parents smoked.. but that doesnt mean you have to make the same wrong decisions. It is a horrible filthy Habit.. and you should never subject your children to it.

As said on seinfeld
"I dont understand, how with everything we now know about pre-natal care, someone could put a cigarette in their mouth"

[magoosmomma]

Do some research, Propane is bad for adults to inhale..can you imagine what it would be like on an unborn childs nervous system?

I am trying to help here, please show me a little respect.

Could you show me something to support this.. I have been looking and unable to find anything.. just interested in reading it
Thanks

[lizard_lover]

now what i don tget is why you would bring up bbq'ing while preggers when you think smoking is ok? Wow, where are your morals, I would like to find them for you.

My body, my choice

[KRS]

I don't support smoking while being pregnant. I don't support it one bit. However, there is nothing I can do about it and it all comes down to my body, my choice.

I don't agree with a lot of things people do while pregnant. Don't judge my morals because you don't know what they are.

[leeleemom]

Smoking while pregnant is wrong. I think everyone would agree with that. I am a smoker. I stopped smoking for all 3 of my pregnancies. That was my choice to do. I felt I had to make that decision for my babies because they couldn't. I don't agree with smoking at all...ever...pregnant or not. It is not easy to quit. But some of the immaturity on this thread gets me. It is great to have an opinion. It is great to voice it. But there is no need to put someone down because they have made a choice that you don't agree with. Every situation is different. There is no need to call someone a bad mother because she smokes. Maybe that woman that you see walking down the street has tried several times to quit. Maybe she has cut down on what she smokes and is in the process. How many times have you seen a pregnant woman walking down the street alongside her boyfriend/husband and he is smoking???? Is there any difference? Just a thought......

[KRS]

Isn't it better to have a baby that was exposed to ciggarette smoke then no baby at all?

[FutureChief88]

but your putting yourself at risk of having no baby at all when you smoke during pregnancy..
And leeleemom.. i agree with you.. every situation is different.. But i am sorry.. i could not abide people saying they have "tried" and "can't" do it. I smoke just as much as the next guy.. and i quit with all my pregnancies.. Yes it is NOT easy.. but you do it.. cause you have to! (or you should have to)
I am not judging anyone.. I just dont think people should smoke when they are pregnant. There is no excuse for it.

[mommyd]

yeah actually it's a huge a** difference, lol. a man smoking walking down the street with a pregnant woman (who isn't smoking) is a lot better than if she was. Mostly because when you're walking and outside, the smoke will not accumalate into ONE spot where you may just be standing, it's moving AWAY from ppl. BUT if a man was in a house living with a pregnant woman and smoking, then yeah, that is just as bad. But at the same time, the woman could also decide for herself and not live there if he decided to be an sob to her and the baby.

And basicly, one of my main points when i first started this thread was, that if i was to ever smoke while i had a baby in my belly and i just did not have enough will power to stop, i would NOT do it in public where anyone could see me.

I don't care who you are, i don't care if youre my best friend since 1st grade, if you smoke while you're carying your precious innocent little baby in your belly, it will definately change my opinion of you, and yeap, that's judging. That's what you do when you see ppl doing something morally wrong.

Sometimes an opinion is MORE than an opinion, sometimes there is just one side. I'm sure that everyone would agree that throwing your baby out the window was 100% wrong . They may not survive, but heck.. they may just get a broken arm.. but they will forever know that their mother threw them out the window. Well these days they'd feel the same way when they find out their mother smoked while they were growing inside them. And that's not a nice feeling to think your mom may not have cared enough back then to stop smoking. My mother smoked while she was pregnant for me , even though it was during a time that it wasn't so frowned upon, she even said she just couldn't quit.. that actually, even to this day, makes me feel like crap. So i mean. TODAy with alllllll the more we know, and you don't quit. It's just horrific. I don't care how bad it is, it's just your withdrawel and cravings that you WILL get over.

Smoking while pregnant is wrong. I think everyone would agree with that. I am a smoker. I stopped smoking for all 3 of my pregnancies. That was my choice to do. I felt I had to make that decision for my babies because they couldn't. I don't agree with smoking at all...ever...pregnant or not. It is not easy to quit. But some of the immaturity on this thread gets me. It is great to have an opinion. It is great to voice it. But there is no need to put someone down because they have made a choice that you don't agree with. Every situation is different. There is no need to call someone a bad mother because she smokes. Maybe that woman that you see walking down the street has tried several times to quit. Maybe she has cut down on what she smokes and is in the process. How many times have you seen a pregnant woman walking down the street alongside her boyfriend/husband and he is smoking???? Is there any difference? Just a thought......

[FutureChief88]

Very true.. I kniow from experience.. and the thought that my child "might" be at risk from me smoking.. was enough for me to quit! I just dont understand how anyone could even make an excuse of why to bother taking that chance.. It is your CHILD..
I just cant understand it..

[fbisassy]

You know something, my mom had 8 kids and smoked for every one of us and every one of us are as healthy as horses and had no problems growing up, other than the usual kids things...and I myself smoked when I carried my daughter, cigarettes was all I did, and she is now 21 and healthier than me...
and has always been healthy, even as a child.
Smoking, yes I agree, probably isn't good for an unborn baby, but it is proven many times through many people that not all babies are affected by this bad habit which I hope to quit soon myself...HOPE !!!

Just read this and you'll have to agree...it's true because we lived this period (or some of it LOL)

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
-First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
-They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
-Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
-We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
-As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
-Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
-We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
-We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
-We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
-We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
-No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
-We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
-We did not have Playstations, Nintendo ' s, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms....... WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
-We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
-We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
-We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
-We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
-Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
-The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
-These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
-The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
-We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
-If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

[FutureChief88]

Your right.. and it is amazing how if there is so much threat from the things we do now.. How anyone survived in the periods before us..
But the fact of the matter is.. whether it was choice of lack of knowledge back then..It is proven that not ALL babies are affected by smoking mother..But WHY would ANYONE take that risk knowing what we know now. My mother ALSO smoked when she was pregnant with me... and i am healthy and happy 8 lbs and 7 oz when i was born..
but again, with everything we know now, why someone would take the risk of having a child in the low percentage of having something wrong with them.
I meancmon people.. this is your CHILD.. this person you are bringing into the world.. to raise as a productive member of society.. y would you want tortake the risk of starting them off on the wrong foot..

[mommyd]

yeah but uhhhhhhhh... why do you think some of those things have changed??? Because of the risks they POSE! And how do we know those risks? By bad things happening to so many people from doing those certain things. Yeah kids like to stay in and play games instead of going outside and playing.. that sucks, real bad.. and the bebe guns? That's great you didn't get your eye shot out, but what about the ones that did?
Why do you ppl keep saying that your mom smoked and you smoked and your kids were fine.. that's wonderful!!!!! THat is why they call them RISKS, because you risk somethingh happening. I Just want to explain a few of your points here.. while some of them are true.. there are some that it was necessity to change because of injuries and deaths that are uncalled for..


My replies are in green text:

-First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. (You may have survived, but what about the countless others who didn't? And the others who had problems later on in life because of it? If you read what i wrote above you'd know what i meant.Oh i should say we don't drink while pregnant because of this: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htm (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htm) .They did not know this back then)

-They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. (Taking aspirin while pregnant can increase a woman's risk of having her placenta separate from the uterine wall (placental abruption) which can cause fetal compromise and even death.) Don't know anything about blue cheese and tuna from a can.

-Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. (For children, even very low levels of exposure can result in reduced IQ, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, behavioral problems, stunted growth, impaired hearing, and kidney damage. At high levels of exposure, a child may become mentally retarded, fall into a coma, and even die from lead poisoning)

-We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. (We now have childprrof caps because of all the incidents over the years of children finding pill bottles, opening them, and eating the pills, therefore getting sick and or dieing. We lock our cabinets so the things we don't want them getting at in them are safe and they are safe from them. We (and not just children) wear bike helmets because of all the incidents where ppl were falling off bikes and getting into accidents and having head injury or death because our heads were exposed)

-As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags. (We use seatbelts, and car seats and air bags now because of all the times we DIDN'T have those and all the incidents and accidents that have caused harm and death to ppl not using them)

-Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.(I also did this and yes it was fun. But now we can't because of all the incidents where there were accidents an the ppl are thrown from the cab of the truck because they are not buckled in. Even an abrupt stop in the back of one of those can cause injury)

-We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. (That was fun. We are more paranoid these days because of the fact there are more and more children being abducted/molested etc, and for good reason... because it happens.. and when my son is older i will like to know where he is as much as possible. It can happen anywhere.)

Just because there are ppl that survive these things.. doesn't mean we should just let things be so they can keep happening. There's tons of things that have changed and they just suck, a lot.. but when it comes to safety the changes that are put into place are put there to save lives.. and like i said.. just because someone survives (doesn't die) doesn't mean there aren't going to be repercussions from doing these things.. )

Would you give your kid a bunch of toys with lead paint on them knowing what it can cause ? If yes, then you're an idiot, and i feel sorry for your kids.. same as how i feel for them if you decide to smoke while you're knowingly pregnant.

[FutureChief88]

Very well said!
I would like to see the stats from long ago compared to now.. I bet the death rate from things like this was MUCH higher

[sarahnb]

Ask any mother who has lost a child, what they would have done to prevent it if possible. I lost a child through miscarriage and we'll never know why, there were no answers. I don't smoke or drink, there were no obvious reasons. I would have done anything to prevent it. It's painful to see parents being knowingly irresponsible.

[FutureChief88]

True.. I have lost 3 pregnancies as well.. Not to smoking.. thats for sure!

[dolphins#1]

Well i would like to give you my point of view I smoke and it is hard to quit very hard i will quit when i am ready with the stress in my life it gives me a break and i have 3 children very healthy children and yes i smoke during pregnancies not much but some and my oldest who hates smoking she can't stand it when i do and she is constently after me for quitting so it is not about withdrawls kids will or will not smoke it will be there choice she tried it when she was 11 and hated it.. so it depends on the person.. just had to say something

[patbez]

If a person is uneducated about the risks to their baby associated with smoking while pregnant, than I can't judge them...but it's very hard to think that in today's society someone wouldn't know that it could be detrimental to their child's health. Regardless of the way in which someone gets pregnant [planned or accident], it's their responsability to provide the best care possible to themselves & their unborn child. A person wouldn't take a drag & blow smoke directly in their child's mouth, would they? That'd certainly be deemed child abuse & I think this isn't much different. The health & well being of a child is at risk, no matter how you look at it.

A person that KNOWS that smoking could hurt their unborn child & isn't taking the steps to at least get educated on what they should do to quit/if they SHOULD quit [I have no clue what to think about doctors saying the baby could go into withdrawal]...obviously doesn't care :/ In the least pregnant women should quit until they give birth...which doesn't mean I condone smoking in any way, shape or form...but why even take the risk?! I'm sure talking to women whose babies were born with problems due to their smoking would change their minds.

My mother smoked a majority of my childhood & many people in my family have battled cancer due to their own smoking. Seeing people DIE or have to live with a trach the rest of their life really hits home...& I have to say that because of what I've seen, smoking disgusts me. I understand it's an addiction & people battle with it, but I'm just repulsed by it...it's the same as someone extremely overweight not giving a damn & not taking any measure to better their health KNOWING that they are at risk for heart disease or a myriad of other problems. If I know a smoker that knows the risks & is at least attempting to cut back or quit, great....but the people that smoke & are completely incredulous & ignorant & don't CARE that they could get cancer [not to mention other icky things from smoking] & die & leave their families behind...well...ewww.

[01_neon_rider]

u no what gets me even more than people smokin while they are pregnant are people that smoke the whole time they are pregnant and then ack like their child is gonna explode if u smoke and then touch them...i know someone who smoked the whole time they were pregnant and tehn when the baby was born u were not alloud to pick it up unless u changed your shirt and washed your hands after smoking YES that is correct CHANGE your SHIRT...can anyone tell me where the logic is??:confused:

[mommyd]

it's actually recomended that you change clothing before handleing a baby after smoking because being that close to even clothing drenched in smoke makes it difficult to breath.. but.. i can't believe someone who smoked during pregnancy would even care about that

u no what gets me even more than people smokin while they are pregnant are people that smoke the whole time they are pregnant and then ack like their child is gonna explode if u smoke and then touch them...i know someone who smoked the whole time they were pregnant and tehn when the baby was born u were not alloud to pick it up unless u changed your shirt and washed your hands after smoking YES that is correct CHANGE your SHIRT...can anyone tell me where the logic is??:confused:

[kimberleyferg]

I think that there's a danger when people are self-righteous, too. Maybe minding your own business would be the best thing to do. Remember that quote from the Bible, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Not that I'm overly religious, but those kinds of passages stick in my mind everytime I start to think I have a right to tell someone else how they should live.

[patbez]

People not caring enough about their fellow man is one of the biggest problems the world has these days :/ If you don't care about someone'se health or well being, would you call the cops if you heard a next door neighbor being brutally attacked in their home? I once saw a guy assaulting a woman on the street & when I went into a local convenience store & told the clerk to call 911, she flat our refused. Said she didn't want to get involved. So I ran to my apartment & called. I'm not saying it makes me a better person, but I do wonder why a person just wouldn't care :/

There's a big difference between telling someone how to live & being concerned for their safety or the safety of others. If you want to be a dominatrix & it isn't hurting anyone & all parties involved are in agreeance...I could care less. But if you are smoking & causing harm to an unborn child, that's a different story. Of course I don't go & smack a ciggarette out of someone's hand or rally against preggo women that smoke...but I'm entitled to complain about it just as much as someone would complain about finding a crack pipe in the park. I'm entitled to an opinion, or a judgement as you call it, just like everyone else. I'm sure people will have a certain opinion about me based on my opinions on this topic....they'll judge my judgement ;)

&...every single person makes judgements on other people's actions. Someone that says they don't is probably just not being honest with themselves. We all have stereotypes, we all make judgements. It could also be deemed a little "self-rightous" to claim you're a person who doesn't judge.