Smoking & Pregnancy
How Does Smoking Hurt Me & My Baby?

If you are think you can smoke and still bear a healthy baby, you should think again. Many mothers who use tobacco products are not so lucky. While you have a choice in using these products, your baby doesn't.

• Smoking when you're pregnant may cause premature labor, low birth weight, infant asthma and other problems.
  
• The same harmful chemicals that you inhale are passed through to your unborn baby. And if you choose to breastfeed, those poisons will still travel through your system to your child.

How Can I Prepare to Quit?
Most people who smoke have certain triggers - activities or situations that make them feel like they should smoke. What are your triggers? Are there times throughout the day when you always have a cigarette? What can you do during these times instead of smoking?

Are there certain feelings that cause you to smoke? Do you always reach for a cigarette if you're nervous or bored? If you recognize these feelings as triggers, what activities can you do to replace smoking?

How & When Should I Quit?
The best time to quit is before you get pregnant. The earlier you stop smoking, the more benefits you and your baby will receive. Quitting smoking is one of the hardest things you may have to do. However, the benefits will be with you and your baby for a lifetime. If you need help to quit, try these tips:

• Ask for help. Let your family, friends and doctors know that you are quitting. Ask them to not smoke around you.
  
• Make a list of reasons you want to quit for you and your family.
  
• Set a quit date. With a goal to reach, you'll have a way to chart your progress.
  
• Remember that if you attempt to quit and lapse, it doesn't mean you failed. Figure out what prompted you to smoke and then keep trying to quit.