| Subject: smoking during pregnancy
QUESTION:
My wife and I are due to have our first baby on
June 2, 1997. My question to you is a great concern of mine, pretaining
to the well-being of our unborn child. I am firmly against her smoking
habit during her pregnancy, we had even agreed before our choice to
bring a child into this world that she would not smoke during her
pregnancy. I have no support from her family... and my wife continues to
smoke about one pack a day. My fears are that the smoke may damage the
development of our unborn child's organs and brain. Please tell me all
the risks involved in smoking during pregnancy.
Thank You,
Glenn
JAN'S REPLY:
In order for you to find the best solution to this
difficult situation, the real issue needs to be identified and
addressed. Is it smoking, or is it a power struggle between the two of
you? This type of conflict is not uncommon during a pregnancy, as both
partners naturally feel somewhat out of control as nature takes over the
helm.
For you and other parents who may find themselves
in a struggle for power in their relationship, I'll address that issue
first by recommending counseling with a therapist or mediator. Power
struggles are much easier to defuse with the help of a competent third
party who can help to sort out complicated issues and teach
communication skills. Be sure to do a thorough word-of-mouth search for
someone who is compassionate and competent (the local La Leche League
might be a good source for recommendations).
I'm emphasizing the marital relationship because
that is the larger issue. If there is difficulty with establishing a
balanced and mutually respectful relationship, there will always be some
specific issue that will arise - be it smoking or some other topic. Such
issues can easily become clouded over by face-saving, blaming,
resentment, and retaliatory behavior that can overtake a couple locked
in a struggle for power.
As to the specific question of smoking during
pregnancy, I will quote from The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding:
"You probably know some of the disturbing
statistics on the effects of smoking. The potential hazards of smoking
during pregnancy may have been incentive enough for you to quit or cut
down. However, despite your best intentions you may find yourself still
smoking when your baby is born, and you wonder how this will affect
breastfeeding.
"The fewer cigarettes smoked, the less chance
there is that difficulties will arise. By keeping smoking to a minimum,
a mother can decrease the risk. Some mothers smoke and breastfeed with
no problem. In general, if a mother smokes less than a pack (twenty
cigarettes) a day, the amount of nicotine in her milk is not usually
enough to cause any problem for the baby. Nicotine is not readily
absorbed by the baby's intestinal tract and is rather quickly
metabolized.
"When a nursing mother smokes heavily (more
than twenty to thirty cigarettes a day), the risks increase. Heavy
smoking can reduce a mother's milk supply and on rare occasions has
caused symptoms in the nursing baby, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal
cramps, and diarrhea.
"One study found that smoking lowers
prolactin levels in nursing mothers. In other studies, smoking has been
shown to interfere with the let-down reflex. If a mother smokes, she
should not do so while she is feeding the baby.
"Second-hand, or 'sidestream' smoke is
potentially harmful for babies and young children. One study featured in
Lancet, a British medical journal, found a significant
correlation between parents' smoking habits and the incidence of
pneumonia, bronchitis, and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) during
their baby's first year of life.
"There are legitimate concerns about the
effects of on a breastfeeding mother and her baby. The ideal solution is
to avoid smoking. For those who can't seem to quit, cutting down is
another option that might seem more within reach. When there are
children in the family, it's best to limit smoking to a separate room,
away from the children. Keep a window open or use an exhaust fan. Better
yet, smoke only outdoors."
I just want to add here a recommendation to a
mother smoking in a separate room, to do so only when there is someone
else to stay with the baby. Leaving a baby unattended for any reason is
a dangerous practice.
Here are a few of the many excellent web sites
with information on this topic:
Jan |
