NAPS Project (PDF)
Cigarette smoke is a major trigger for asthma. This is especially important information to parents of children with asthma. The risk of developing asthma is markedly increased if a mother smokes during her pregnancy or if a newborn is exposed to tobacco smoke. Therefore, it is very important not to smoke during pregnancy, avoid passive smoke during pregnancy, and avoid exposing your newborn to cigarette smoke.
By ‘caring for baby’s air’ it can also help to give newborns the best start to life!
Smoking and Pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy makes it harder for the baby to get the oxygen and nourishment he or she needs and places unnecessary stress on the baby’s heart. Every puff an expectant mother takes on a cigarette increases the level of carbon monoxide in her bloodstream, which replaces oxygen in her blood, so the amount of oxygen available for the baby through the umbilical cord is reduced. Nicotine also causes a reduction in the baby’s “practice” breathing movements in the womb.
When an expectant mother smokes, her baby is being exposed to the same high level of poisons as she is. Once the baby is born, he or she can also suffer when other people smoke around them. This is known as passive smoking. The level of poisons found in an unborn baby whose mother smokes is over 100 times greater than the level of poisons found in a young baby exposed to passive smoking!
If the father smokes around the mother, this also harms their unborn baby, and may mean the baby is born with a lower birth weight. The more the father smokes, the higher the risk to the unborn baby.
Passive Smoking and Children
Young children have delicate lungs that are more easily affected by the chemicals in tobacco smoke. If exposed to passive smoking, children are more likely to develop sensitive airways, and are more susceptible to health problems.
Some simple steps to ‘Care for your baby’s air’
· Make your home smoke-free;
· Place smoke-free stickers in your home, your car, or your baby’s pram;
· Provide ashtrays outdoors for visitors or family members who smoke;
· Visit smoke free venues and congratulate these venues for being smoke free;
· Don’t be afraid to ask people not to smoke near you or your child;
· If you are a smoker, think about quitting (call the QUIT Line on 131 848 or 1800 198 024); and
· If you don’t feel ready to quit, try to cut down.
Assertive Ways to Say “Please Don’t Smoke!”
Many people feel uncomfortable when they ask someone to refrain from smoking around them or their child. The following phrases give a few tips on how to be assertive in a variety of situations. Whilst they may not always be successful, it is better to ask, than to remain quiet and expose yourself and your child to unwanted cigarette smoke.
When you’re pregnant:
· “Would you mind not smoking for the short time I’m here – I’m sensitive to smoke and I’m pregnant.”
· “Would you mind not smoking while I’m here, I’m pregnant and am trying hard to avoid exposing my baby to tobacco smoke as much as possible.”
When visitors arrive and would like to smoke:
· “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t smoke inside. Our home is smoke-free. I have some ashtrays in our outdoor area if you would like to smoke outside.”
· “Thanks for not smoking inside. I have some ashtrays in our outdoor area if you would like to smoke outside.”
Visiting a place where there are people smoking:
· “Would you mind not smoking while my baby and I are here. His/her lungs are extremely sensitive and are still developing.”
NAPS resources
The Asthma Foundation of WA has a number of resources available for expecting parents, parents of young children, and health professionals. To order the resources please visit; www.smokefree.org.au