June Edition of Readers Are Asking

By Lynn Goulding Tobacco Treatment Specialist

Question: I am pregnant and have been smoking the entire time so there’s no point in quitting now. Besides that would be too stressful for me and I don’t want to stress the baby.  I’d like to be able to come back with a good line for people when they keep telling me to quit. What do you recommend I say to them?

Answer: Unfortunately, there is no safe amount of smoking. There are  many possible risk factors associated with smoking before and after the baby is born that can range from  pregnancy complications, premature birth, and unhealthy low birth weight. According to the CDC, “Both babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than babies who are not exposed to cigarette smoke. Babies whose mothers smoke are about three times more likely to die from SIDS. Read some of the other myths about pregnancy and smoking here.

Quitting anytime during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby and doesn’t put extra stress on the baby.

This might be the time to ask those people if they would support you in a quit attempt! There are specific things that a friend can do when you pick a quit date to stop smoking, such as calling you at a specific time each day for support, going for a walk or just listening.

Quitting smoking is hard. There is support out there to help you plan ahead for a successful quit attempt. While using Nicotine Replacement Therapies might not be an option while pregnant, planning supports around you and strategies for triggers can make the difference. Plan a quit date and get your friends on board to understand how to help you.

For more information and one on one support from a Tobacco Treatment Specialist, call Community Connections at 802-748-7526; for an online class with one of our Tobacco Treatment Specialists call Jen Grant 802-748-9405 ext. 1026   to find out about our next 8 week Freedom From Smoking class. If you are looking for free Nicotine Replacement products and other quitting supports, visit VT 802 Quits at https://802quits.org/.

Whatever way works for you, there is support out there!