We know that it can be difficult to stop smoking. But we also know that you want to give your baby the best possible start in life. Smoking in pregnancy has serious risks, including premature birth increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death and many more. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you and your partner can do to help your baby develop healthily during pregnancy and beyond. You don’t have to do it alone, your local stop smoking has free specialist advisers to help you and your partner to stop smoking. Speak to your midwife or contact your local stop smoking service to find out more and get free help to quit smoking for good.
Hampshire residents contact: Smokefree Hampshire online or you can call the Quitline 0800 772 3649 or text ‘I QUIT’ TO 66777.
Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life. It can be difficult to stop smoking, but it's never too late to quit.
Every cigarette you smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are dangerous, so smoking when you are pregnant harms your unborn baby. Cigarettes can restrict the essential oxygen supply to your baby. As a result, their heart must beat harder every time you smoke.
Giving up smoking can be very tough, but it is worth it for both you and your baby. You have the best chance of succeeding by getting help from professionals.
Speak to your midwife or health visitor, or go directly to your local stop smoking service. They will have seen many smoking, pregnant women, and are there to help. For advice and support call SmokeFree on 0800 022 4332 or visit nhs.uk/smokefree.
Stopping smoking will help both you and your baby immediately. Harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide, and other damaging chemicals will clear from your body. When you stop smoking:
The sooner you stop smoking, the better. But even if you stop in the last few weeks of your pregnancy this will benefit you and your baby.
If your partner or anyone else who lives with you smokes, their smoke can affect you and your baby before and after their birth. You may also find it more difficult to stop if someone around you smokes.
Secondhand smoke can also reduce your baby's birthweight and increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as "cot death". Babies whose parents smoke are more likely to be admitted to hospital for bronchitis and pneumonia during their first year.
To find out more about the free, tailored support for your partner or any member of your household, visit Smokefree Hampshire can call the National Smokefree helpline on 0300 123 1044 from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 11am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.
You can use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) during pregnancy if it will help you stop smoking and you're unable to stop without it.
NRT contains only nicotine and none of the damaging chemicals found in cigarettes, so it is a much better option than continuing to smoke. It helps you by giving you the nicotine you would have had from a cigarette.
NRT is available as:
Speak to your midwife/healthcare professional or contact Smokefree Hampshire specialist stop smoking advisors online or you can call 0800 772 3649 or text ‘I QUIT’ TO 66777.
Remember, you are 3 times more likely to be successful at quitting if you get some support from a trained adviser.
E-cigarettes are fairly new and there are still some things we do not know. However, current evidence on e-cigarettes indicates they are much less risky than smoking, but that is not to say they are risk free.
Cigarettes deliver nicotine along with thousands of harmful chemicals. E-cigarettes allow you to inhale nicotine through a vapour rather than smoke. E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, the 2 main toxins in cigarette smoke. Carbon monoxide is particularly harmful to developing babies. If using an e-cigarette helps you to stop smoking, it is much safer for you and your baby than continuing to smoke.
Hampshire residents: Smokefree Hampshire provides specialist support alongside a free e-cigarette starter kit if you decide to quit using e-cigarettes. Speak to your midwife or contact Smokefree Hampshire specialist stop smoking advisors online or you can call the Quitline: 0800 772 3649 or text ‘I QUIT’ TO 66777. Find out more about using e-cigarettes to stop smoking.
If you or your partner smokes while you’re pregnant or after your baby is born, the risk of SIDS (also known as cot death) is greatly increased.
Hampshire: After your baby is born, you and members of your household can still get help from the Smokefree Hampshire stop smoking advisors.
Smoking during pregnancy or after birth increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome- also known as cot death)
There is currently no research relating to e cigarettes and SIDS, but using an e cigarette appears to be much safer than continuing to smoke; both in pregnancy and once your baby is born. As there is no direct research on using e cigarettes and SIDS, we suggest you do not share a bed with your baby if you use e cigarettes. The safest option is to give up smoking entirely, but if you choose to use e cigarettes instead then this is likely to be much safer.
The most important thing is to stay smokefree and protect your baby from the harm of secondhand smoke. If using an e cigarette allows you to remain smokefree then this is likely to be much safer than smoking.
Breastfeeding has many benefits and regardless of whether you are a smoker or not it is the best way to feed your baby. However, stopping smoking is recommended to protect your baby
After successfully quitting during pregnancy, unfortunately some women return to smoking once their baby is born. This is often due to the additional stress and disturbed nights when you have a newborn. You can get free support to quit smoking if you relapse after giving birth. Contact Smokefree Hampshire.
Below are some links to some simple exercises to help support you during times of stress and help you remain smoke free.
