Smoking

Smoking during pregnancy is not good for your baby. Almost everyone knows it, but quitting smoking is difficult. Below you can read everything about smoking and being pregnant.

QUITTING

Quitting smoking has benefits for you and for your unborn baby. Below are the main risks of smoking in pregnancy:

  • Less chance of pregnancy;
  • More chance of miscarriage;
  • A higher chance of a premature birth;
  • A lower birth weight;
  • More risk of congenital abnormalities, such as a cleft lip or club foot
  • cot death;
  • Increased risk of allergies and respiratory diseases.

If you stop smoking, this has a direct effect on the health of the baby. Therefore, it makes sense to stop smoking at any time during your pregnancy! It is best to stop before you are pregnant. You are much more fertile if you have stopped, and the chance of a miscarriage is also smaller than if you only stop when you are already pregnant. The advantage is that you can still use aids, such as nicotine replacement products (for example chewing gum or patches) or medicines. Your doctor can help you with this.

STOP PLAN

If you have decided for yourself that you are going to quit smoking, it is good to make a plan. Research shows that women who are prepared to quit smoking succeed better in this than women who do not make a plan. Making a plan doesn't have to be complicated at all. Your plan starts with setting a quit date. On that date you stop smoking. It is best to choose a date within three weeks from today.

In your stop plan you can write down what you will do when you are having a hard time, who you can call for support and what reward you give yourself if you do not smoke. If you like, you can make such a stop plan together with your midwife.

HELP WITH STOPPING

There are countless organizations that can help you quit smoking. Smoking fewer cigarettes or light cigarettes does not have the desired effect. Research shows that you will inhale the smoke from these cigarettes more deeply, so that the baby still ingests harmful substances.

Once you are pregnant it is no longer possible to take medication to help you quit smoking. Nicotine replacement products also contain nicotine, and this substance is bad for your baby.

If you really can't stop without these substances, you can choose to use them (under good guidance). After all, it is better to stop with little nicotine than to continue smoking throughout the pregnancy.

For more help you can, for example, look at the website of De Opluchting. Most GPs also offer counseling on how to quit smoking. If you are a patient of the general practitioners in Floriande, you can contact the practice nurse for good guidance.