Publication
Smoking - how you can help your pregnant partner to give up smoking
| Contents: | Becoming a father - a time for change Some facts about smoking What's it got to do with me? What if I smoke? Thinking about your smoking |
What if I smoke?
Although your partner may be trying to give up, or has stopped smoking altogether, you may not have considered that your smoking is important too. The unborn baby is also at risk if your partner is exposed to passive smoking. You’re not just taking a chance with your own health.
Breathing in other people’s tobacco smoke is dangerous to the smoker as well as the non-smoker. The tiny particles and gases in tobacco smoke contain over 4000 chemicals, many of which are harmful—at least 60 are known to cause cancer. Passive smoking can increase the risk of developing lung cancer and coronary heart disease.
Women who have been regularly exposed to passive smoking during pregnancy tend to have smaller babies. Being small at birth makes it harder for the baby to make a good start in life. Perhaps becoming a father might be the event that could help you to give up too.
That was a really big incentive, having a baby, to stop smoking straight away
By stopping smoking you’ll also improve your own health. The risk of getting serious illnesses reduces as soon as you give up.
If you and your partner need more advice you can ring Smokeline (Tel: 0800 84 84 84). This free telephone counselling service is for smokers who need information or support in stopping, or for those who are encouraging them to stop.
One of the greatest motivations for smokers wanting to give up is the example of those who have succeeded. Kicking the habit may just be what your partner needs.
Stopping together made it easier ‘cos we could talk about how we were getting on
You may find it helpful to keep a smoking diary like the one overleaf. This way you can weigh up the benefits of quitting and learn to recognise and avoid situations which are associated with lighting up a cigarette.