Smoking

When you smoke, carbon monoxide and nicotine pass into your lungs and bloodstream. This means that:
a) your baby gets less oxygen and cannot grow as well as it should, and
b) the nicotine makes your baby’s heart beat faster.

Breathing in other people’s smoke makes the baby more likely to suffer from asthma attacks, chest infections, coughs and colds, and to be admitted to hospital.

If you stop smoking now:

• you’re more likely to have a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby;
• you’ll cope better with the birth;
• your baby will cope better with any birth complication;

• your baby is less likely to be born too early and have to face the additional breathing, feeding and health problems which so often go with prematurity your baby is less likely to be born underweight and have extra problems in keeping warm. Babies of mothers who smoke are, on average, 200 g (about 8 oz) lighter than other babies. These babies may have problems during and after labour and are more prone to infection;

• it will be better for your baby later too. Children whose parents smoke are more likely to suffer later on from illnesses which need hospital treatment (such as asthma);

• you will reduce the risk of cot death.

The sooner you stop, the better. But stopping even in the last few weeks of pregnancy can be beneficial.