Smoking in pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy not only increases the risks of harm to your baby but can also harm the mother too. Cigarettes can restrict the essential oxygen supply to your baby. This causes their heart to beat harder every time you smoke and can affect the growth and development of your child.

The best thing you can do to improve your own health and the health of your unborn baby is to protect them from tobacco smoke. We appreciate it can be difficult to stop smoking, but it’s never too late to quit.

Will quitting smoking help to protect my baby?

The most effective way to protect your child from the dangers of second-hand smoke is to quit smoking completely.

Reduce risk of sudden infant death syndrome

Quitting smoking reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), chest infections, asthma and meningitis in your baby.

Protect any future pregnancies

Quitting now will mean you’ll have a much lower chance of miscarriage, stillbirth or having a premature or unwell baby.

Improve your own health

Stopping smoking will give you increase energy, fewer illnesses, more money in your pocket and reduced risk of long term illness like cancer, lung or heart disease.

It is ok for people to smoke around me as long as I’m not smoking?

If anyone who lives with you smokes or anyone smokes around you, their smoke can affect you and your baby before and after their birth. You may also find it more difficult to stop if someone around you smokes.

If someone around you smokes, you can:

Encourage the people you live with to quit smoking

This is the best option and there is support available for pregnant women and the people they live with to quit smoking together. For more information speak to your midwife or contact our Live Well stop smoking team.

Make a pledge to maintain a smoke free home and car

We recognise that quitting is not always easy, therefore if the people around you aren’t ready to quit then next best thing you can do is to make sure that they do not smoke in your home or car. Asking someone to smoke outside can often be daunting even if you have a valid reason.

I’m pregnant and have been smoking, is there any point in stopping now?

Quitting smoking at any stage of your pregnancy has health benefits for you and your baby. Even after just one day of not smoking, your baby will get more oxygen. This will help your baby’s lungs to develop well. Quitting now also lowers your chances of having a baby with low birth weight.

Will quitting smoking be too stressful on my baby?

Quitting smoking doesn’t put extra stress on your baby. It’s one of the best things that you can do for your health and your baby’s health during pregnancy—and after the baby is born. By quitting smoking now, you will be protecting your infant from the dangers of second-hand smoke and reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

I smoked during my last pregnancy and had a healthy baby, so will the next baby be healthy too?

Every time you smoke during pregnancy, you put your baby’s health at risk. If you smoked and had a healthy pregnancy in the past that does not mean your next one will be healthy, too.

Is it ok to switch to e-cigarettes during pregnancy?

The National Institute for Health and Care Research have conducted research to understand the safety of e-cigarettes for pregnant women. The study concluded that e-cigarettes can help smokers who are pregnant to stop smoking, and their safety for use in pregnancy is like that of nicotine patches. For support around switching to e-cigarettes speak to your midwife.

Is it ok to breastfeed my baby if I smoke?

As a new mum, not smoking will help protect your own and your baby’s health. However, if you’re finding it hard to quit smoking, it’s important not to stop breastfeeding. Breastfeeding will still protect your baby from infections and provide nutrients they cannot get from formula milk. Avoid smoking before feeding your baby as this will limit the amount of nicotine passed into your breastmilk. If you or your partner smokes, it’s important not to share a bed with your baby (co-sleep). This is known to raise the risk of SIDS, particularly if you smoke, you recently drank alcohol, or you’re taking medicine that makes you sleep more heavily. You can find more information on the NHS website.

What support is available?

We are committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of pregnant women and their families. To find out about the support available to you, your partner or someone you know who is pregnant please contact your midwife directly or speak to our Live Well stop smoking team.