Pregnant women smoking and drinking

grindelwald wrote: »

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More concern of mine would be illegal drug taking. That's far more dangerous than smoking and alcohol consumption.

I don't know, Heroin (diamorphine) is actually given to women during labour as pain relief.

Smoking even moderately when pregnant is proven to cause many problems for the baby, at birth as well as in their future life. Lots more women smoke than take illegal drugs so it is a much bigger problem. I don't think it should be made illegal though.

As far as I know, there are no studies linking low alcohol consumption with any problems for the baby. I gave birth in December and had the odd glass of wine or half of Guinness during my pregnancy.

hondasam wrote: »

Hardly the same thing now is it?
Me having a few cigs while pregnant does not make me a bad mother.
What about all the mothers who smoke not knowing they are pregnant? some of them give up once the pregnancy is confirmed but they still smoked.

Thats a silly comparison and you know it. Knowling smoking while pregnant is stupid, end of.

hondasam wrote: »

No unless it 20 a day everyday.

Scientists found that women who smoked just six to seven cigarettes per day gave birth to babies who more jittery, more excitable, stiffer and more difficult to console than newborns of non-smokers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2946262.stm

Sounds like people I know who give up the fags tbh.

grindelwald wrote: »

Baby's are given methadone and are weened off the drug, because of how severe the withdraw symptoms are, nicotine withdrawal is mild compared to heroin

The behavioural changes were similar to those found in newborns of women who use crack cocaine or heroin while pregnant - and were strong enough to suggest that babies go through a "nicotine withdrawal" response.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2946262.stm

Ah sure. if it's milder than heroin, that's alright.

As for alcohol..

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/parenting/145-babies-had-alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-2923127.html

The newborns were suffering from delirium tremens -- commonly known as the 'DTs' -- because of their mothers' heavy drinking. The DTs can begin hours after birth and symptoms include body tremors, seizures and irregular heart beat.

..and in case you think it's only the heavy drinkers doing damage...

Some 71pc reported a low alcohol intake of five units or less a week, while 9.9pc described their consumption as moderate with 6-20 units a week. However 0.2pc -- 114 mothers -- had a high intake of 20 units of alcohol a week.
They found one case of foetal alcohol syndrome in each of the three levels of drinkers.

micropig wrote: »

grindelwald wrote: »

But My kids are not over weight. And I take that view and always will.

That's because their growth is probably stunted from the smoking


"I take that view and always will" -- even if they're 20 stone? that's not caring for your children, that would be ignoring the obvious and bordering on abuse

caring

But my kids are not 20 stone and never will be.


You must have missed my post where I said I dont smoke and Ive got drunk twice in 13 years. I dont take drugs either. I don't condemn those who smoke it's their choice.

Let those without sin cast the first stone.

I despise drug taking and I don't like it when people abuse alcohol, but it's their choice.

hondasam wrote: »

No it's not. Unplanned pregnancies happen all the time while mothers drink and smoke.

yeah but you're comparing doing something knowlingly to doing something not realising you're pregnant,its not the same thing at all. If an expecting mother finds out and stops smoking then she wasnt to know and is at least preventing more damage being done, to continue to do it throughout a pregnancy is just stupid selfishness. you wouldnt allow a newborn to be in a smoke filled room or a toddler to smoke a cigarette, why continue smoking while pregnant when it can have the same effects.