Nicotine addiction is a tough habit to quit. It may be even tougher on unborn babies than was previously thought. Today, recommendations for heavy smokers are much more flexible--sudden cessation is not the best approach.
Tobacco Use Increases Pregnancy Risks
Public education campaigns have made everyone aware that smoking during pregnancy poses severe risk to the health of the fetus. Pregnancy complications attributed to smoking include malplacement of the placenta, spontaneous abortion or miscarriage, babies that are small for dates and have low birth weights, limb reduction deformities (missing fingers and toes), hemorrhage, maternal perineal and vaginal lacerations, prematurity, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and childhood asthma. Babies exposed to nicotine in the womb are also more likely to become adult smokers.
Heavy Smokers Should Not Quit Cold Turkey
Given the risks of smoking, it's best to quit immediately, right? Not necessarily. A heavy smoker, defined as someone who smokes more than 20 cigarettes a day, should wean off of tobacco gradually. There is a slight risk of seizure in heavy smokers, whether men, women, or pregnant women, that stop abruptly. Injuries from falling and oxygen deprivation, not to mention the unpredictability of where or when a seizure might occur, make it essential to avoid this possibility.
The Risk of Pregnancy Loss
During the first trimester of pregnancy, stopping smoking abruptly has been associated with increased spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage. The physical and emotional stress of withdrawal symptoms are thought to release chemicals in the mother's bloodstream that cross the placenta and cause fetal distress. Likely also are the irritation of smooth muscle that trigger uterine contractions. It is not known if abrupt smoking cessation in the last trimester could result in premature birth, but this is a possibility.
Goals for Cutting Down
Smoking five cigarettes a day is a level of minimal risk in pregnancy. Some mothers use a different strategy to avoid harmful contaminants and chemicals in cigarettes; they only smoke the tips and discard the cigarette very soon after lighting up. This requires many more cigarettes, but the expense is worth it.
Talk to the Baby
While cutting back on the use of tobacco, have reassuring conversations with the unborn. Talking to your baby, either mentally or aloud, increases bonding, which releases endorphins into the mother's bloodstream. These feel-good chemicals directly cross the placenta and give the baby a feeling of well-being. It's a great way to lower stress.
Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Good nutrition can undo many of the effects of smoking. Increasing chlorophyll in the diet will improve the oxygen and iron-carrying abilities of blood to the fetus. Good sources of chlorophyll are fresh raw dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, romaine and other dark lettuces (not iceberg), parsley, sprouts, and kale. Chlorophyll supplements such as wheatgrass juice, spirulina, or alfalfa can also be used. Avoid highly processed foods, fried foods, and junk foods and eat a diet of whole foods such as brown rice, tofu, quinoa, amaranth, teff, and use sprouted wheat breads. Fresh fruit and vegetables provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Essential fatty acids necessary for brain and eyesight development can be found in mercury-free fish oils, walnuts, hemp seeds or chia seeds.
Walk or swim daily, take natural prenatal vitamins, and drink plenty of clean water and nourishing herbal teas. A pregnant woman who practices excellent self-care may find that nicotine cravings soon fade away.
Mary Earhart - Mary Earhart, RN, BSN, is a Licensed Midwife. She has written articles for professional journals and grants for non-profit agencies as ...
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