Pregnancy And Baby Care Articles During Pregnancy

There are several chemicals in cigarettes like cyanide, carbon monoxide and nicotine that enter the bloodstream when ingested. In pregnant women, these chemicals interfere with the functioning of the blood vessels that carry oxygen to the baby, through the umbilical cord. A baby who does not receive an adequate supply of oxygen can go through several problems like premature delivery, short length and small head circumference, to name a few. Being born with a weight that is less than five and a half pounds is one of the leading causes of illness in infants as well as newborn death. Such children need to be taken care of and are therefore kept in intensive care. They will probably also need assistance in breathing. Studies have shown that the more the mother smokes during pregnancy, the lower her baby is likely to weigh. In addition to these, a mother who smokes during pregnancy could also be exposing her baby to other diseases like cancer, asthma, allergies, tuberculosis, and ear infections.

Nicotine is an addictive drug and most smokers find it difficult to quit mainly because of their addiction to it. It is quite natural for a person to go through withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit the habit of smoking. These symptoms are evident in children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy too. By birth, these children are probably addicted to nicotine already. However, when they are born, they do not get any more nicotine, through their mother (unless the mother smokes even while she is breastfeeding). This causes them to become more restless, cranky and edgy. One of the most serious concerns observed in the babies born to smoking mothers is SIDS. This condition can also affect a baby if the mother is exposed to large amounts of secondhand smoke, like in cases where the father is a chain smoker.

Although it may be difficult to give up this habit, it is absolutely essential for an expectant mother to quit smoking while she is pregnant or even breast feeding, as well as keep away from people who do smoke, in order to ensure the safety of her unborn baby.

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