I have a very hard time with this. I just want to know if anyone has a reason they've heard or used themselves that justifies doing this to your baby... a infant that DEPENDS on you. I have 2 former friends that are doing this. Drugs I can somewhat understand, as they are an addiction that is near-to-impossible to quit without help and a strong resolve.
2007-02-09 05:41:19 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
Ok, I know that smoking and drinking are also addictions. I used to smoke, but had no problem quitting when pregnancy was a possibility. My dad is an alcoholic, so, yes, I know. But, my opinion is, drugs like herion are SEVERLY addictive and mind-altering to a point where the person is no longer sane. I'm not excusing it, just understanding it.
2007-02-09 05:59:42 · update #1
I'll be honest. I was SELFISH and smoked probably a pack of cigarettes throughout my entire pregnancy. It was a high stress situation and I had such a hard time quitting cold turkey. I feel so guilty even to this day [a year later] for smoking even as little as I did during my pregnancy. My husband was deployed during the very end of my pregnancy. It was so stressful and we were also about ready for a move.
A cigarette addiction is hard to break especially when your whole world turns upside down--pregnant, preparing for a move, and your husband is deployed while you have a boy in your care who is so poorly behaved that you are trying to correct it. Either way, which ever excuse I choose I cannot forgive myself. Luckily my son has no health problems due to my lack in self control. He was a healthy 7lbs 14oz baby.
Sure, I only smoke about 20 cigarettes in nine months but it's still more than enough stupidity then I can handle. Unfortunately, I started smoking again after my son was born [as much as I had before the pregnancy] and I've now made a commitment to myself and my next child that I will quit smoking before I even think about becoming pregnant again. I feel women who do smoke during their pregnancies [especially those with no remorse or effort to quit] are selfish and stupid people--myself included.
You cannot even begin to imagine the guilt I feel. I wish all smoking, drinking, and drug addicted mothers would just admit that they were wrong instead of getting defensive and rude.
As for mothers who do smoke during their pregnancy being bad mothers---give me a break?!?! I am not a bad mother--I may have smoked but I really did have my baby's best interest at heart despite my moments of weakness. People who do not smoke OR have not had to quit the moment they find out they are pregnant do NOT know what it's like. I'm not saying that excuses mothers who smoke BUT it's harder for some then others.
2007-02-10 01:53:22 · answer #1 · answered by .vato. 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I wouldn't do these things, but I don't have an addictive personality. However, alcohol and smoking are just as addictive as some drugs. Drugs, however, are worse for the baby. Many doctors tell smokers who become pregnant NOT to quit cold turkey because it could disrupt the mother's chemicla balance and actually cause a miscarriage. I've known a couple women this has happened to. These women can't use a patch or gum to quit either and the doctors suggest cutting down over time. As for alcohol, the U.S. is one of the only countries whose FDA actually tell women to avoid drinking altogether. In England, doctors tell women no more than 1 drink per day and in most European countries a glass of wine is actually encouraged to improve blood flow. Like I said, I wouldn't do these things because I am nervous nelly and live by the book, but I wouldn't be so hard on those who choose to do it.
2007-02-09 05:52:33 · answer #2 · answered by No Name 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋
I tried to quit and I got so stressed and started yelling and then the addiction is horrible I don't drink never had but every time I light up a cigarette I am ashamed of myself. I just don't know if I should stress or not.
I plan on quitting soon I have cut back from a pack a day to 4 a day. I have finally got past that early miscarriage stage that now I think I and the baby can deal with a week or two of stress so that I don't mess my baby up any more.
I can tell you that you can riducule and degrade me all you want but I am the person who ashames me the most not anyone elses comments.
You really can't say anything unless you've been in my shoes and then you have every right. I was just like everyone and not understanding why people wouldn't quit and risk the health of their baby and guess what I have become a hypocrit.
2007-02-09 06:01:20 · answer #3 · answered by neicee 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
what do you think nicotine and alcohol are? they are controlled substances for a reason. And while they are drugs, they are drugs "light". They are not as bad for an unborn child as "drugs" which you stated that you could forgive.
Drinking can cause serious birth defects unlike smoking causing more "manageable" minor ones.
I rarely ever drink, so it was easy for me to just not drink during pregnancy. Smoking, on the other hand, was a different story.
I quit smoking cold turkey and ended up with such high blood pressure that my doctor bought me a pack of cigarettes, which seriously lowered my blood pressure from 150/90 to 120/70 and after a week of "prescribed" smoking my blood pressure was back down to 110/60. Habitual and binge drinking and smoking while a danger, eventually becomes the burden of the idiot who obviously isn't mature enough to handle a baby in the first place. You should worry about that instead.
2007-02-09 05:53:09 · answer #4 · answered by aye_m_blessed 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
there are a lot of women who do it because their mothers did and so on . they are not stupid they are just not thinking down the road to the possible health problems their child will face . i am with you on the drug thing and i do smoke and i did make excuses while i was pregnant how ever if i could do it all over again i would not have smoked while pregnant with my children as my daughter has asthma from it and i see how that is affecting her life now . i did not drink while pregnant as i am not a drinker so that i don't understand . however i guess that excuse would of been similar to the one i had for smoking. there is not a good excuse for doing any of it people just make excuses until it comes back and takes a bite out of their a** then they own up to the mistake .
2007-02-09 06:28:04 · answer #5 · answered by <3 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It all ex stems from lack of education. They were not taught that smoking and drinking causes sever harm to the developing fetus. It can even cause miscarriage in some cases. Even if the parent is a addicted smoker, have them go to ultra lights so that they are getting limited amount of nicotine. Most doctors prefer if they do this and taper off smoking all together and they get further along so it doesn't harm the dependency of the mother and child. Alcohol has serious effects also. Go on line and print out this information and discuss it out of love for your friends. They should RESPECT you for being a concerned friend and if they are not then they are not truly your friend.
2007-02-09 05:57:18 · answer #6 · answered by anabanana 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I didn't drink when I was pregnant for both of my kids, I did however smoke. It wasn't a matter of me being selfish as most think.
When I did try to quit, the addiction was so strong, I could not help it. It really didn't help much when I had people literally blowing smoke in my face either (like my husband did), or offering me cigs when they knew I was trying to quit.
Then of course I had the tightness in my chest craving the nicotine, the major mood swings, the major irritability. It was a whole lot easier for me to cut down than quit altogether. I really don't feel like I should have to justify myself to you or anyone else for that matter, anyways.
2007-02-09 07:17:18 · answer #7 · answered by sweetgurl13069 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Health warnings on cigarette packs have been around since the late 1960s, so it beats me why any one born since then smokes at all. I think some moms will only take it seriously when we have a generation of offspring that sue them.
2014-05-07 00:41:15 · answer #8 · answered by Carnation 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a friend currently 13 weeks along and smoking away like a freight train. I don't understand it either. When questioned, she says its still too early to effect the baby, then I gave her some info I found on the net about low birth weight, developing asthma, miscarriages, etc... it didn't seem to phase her. She hasn't slowed down any. I could crack her head open some times...!
2007-02-09 05:51:24 · answer #9 · answered by ndngrlz 4 · 5⤊ 2⤋
Alcohol and cigarettes are addictions as well, most of the time just as strong of an addiction as drugs are. It IS selfish, but most of them know that already and continue to do it, regardless of the effects they know are going to happen, most of them honestly cannot quit and don't know how to ask for help. I'm not justifying it, but I work for a rehab center and have heard it time and time again.
2007-02-09 05:53:17 · answer #10 · answered by slim27 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋