Will smoking only 5 cigarettes a day harm my baby?

Question

I am 9 weeks pregnant and have been able to go from 25+ cigarettes a day to only 5 max. Despite my doctors reassurances that 5 a day will not harm my baby. (He said the real concern is with women who continue to smoke a pack a day during pregnancy) I am still worried. Do you think smoking 5 a day is ok? PS. I did try to go cold turkey and quit completely and I ended up an emotional wreck and a psychotic basketcase!

Answer 1

It's not ideal, but it beats being an "emotional wreck and a psychotic basketcase!"

I'm entirely sympathetic, having hit a near-identical plateau at a near-identical time.

The 'plateau' will likely pass, and let you cut down to even less without going crazy. The risks decrease _a lot_ with the amount you cut down, and to very little if you quit soon enough before the end of the pregnancy.

From the March of Dimes (who're hardly low-key about pregnancy risks):

"The more a pregnant woman smokes, the greater the risk to her baby. However, if a woman stops smoking by the end of her first trimester of pregnancy, she is no more likely to have a low-birthweight baby than a woman who never smoked. Even if a woman has not been able to stop smoking in her first or second trimester, stopping during the third trimester can still improve her baby’s growth."

http://search.marchofdimes.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0&page_id=4085&query=smoking&hiword=smoking%20

And, ignore the "u r a bad mummy!!" here. Kudos on cutting down so much.

Answer 2

Ok, even your baby aside, I'd be really worried about YOU, smoking 25+ a day. 5 a day is a great start, but honestly you should really try to cut back. Im not a doctor (though I think you should get a second and even third opinion about this from some) but even with cutting back, everything thats built up in your system cant be good for the baby. And once the baby is born, second hand smoke from you will harm it, as well as the fact that you runt he risk of getting seriously ill and dying when your child is very young. I think that if you'd like to live long enough to see your child graduate college, and not risk giving them asthma, etc, with second hand smoke, you should try to quit before, or shortly after you give birth. 5 a day is a great start to that, and emotionally its not going to get any better (you're pregnant, its pretty much a garauntee you're going to to crazy) so maybe try cutting out a cigarette a day every month....like next month, go to 4 a day, the next month 3, etc etc. Eat ice cream, chew gum, anything. And who knows, maybe cigarettes will start making you sick. Considering how messed up your body's about to get, whats a little nicotine withdrawl?? You'll already be gaining weight, being emotional, everything that comes with pregnancy AND quiting cigarettes, so just lump them together and come out on the other side a healthier person. Good luck adn congrats on the baby!

Answer 3

Well, I give you credit for reducing the amount your smoking. There's many chemicals in one cigarette, let alone 5. Whatever you inhale, it's like your baby also inhales. I wouldn't try quitting cold turkey, I give you credit that you tried it, but I've it's hard! I am not a smoker myself, but I do know some women who have smoke during pregnancy. They ended up going earlier, because of smoking...but their babies are healthy. I know it's alot, but if you could reduce your 5 cigarettes down to maybe a couple less or at least one, I think it would be better for your baby. But congratulations on your pregnancy and congrats and reducing that many cigarettes, that takes a lot of guts! Good luck with everything. There's a lot of people out there that could help you to quit smoking or even reduce the amount....

Answer 4

No. Even if you were pregnant, it wouldn't harm the baby. The PROBLEM is that it is so addicting. 1-2 becomes 3-4.... until you are back up to smoking a pack a day. It's very difficult to quit. You are only prolonging your agony.... But, no. Smoking 2 cigarettes a day won't kill you.

Answer 5

I am sure your doctor is the most knowledgable.BUT, I would say any amount of carcinigens from cigarettes would be harmful. Have you ever researched what is in cigarettes? It sounds cliche but if you did take a few hours to find the make up of a cigarette you'd be discusted.
Congratualtions on cutting down from the 25 but you have to be less selfish. Your about to be a parent and that is sacrfial in nature. Start by giving the most opportunity to your child and quit smoking.
Your not addicted to the cigarette. But the nicotine. Try those nicotine gums or something.
I quit drugs cold turkey becuase I knew I HAD to do it. Focus and you can quit smoking as well.

Answer 6

i am 39 weeks pretty much full term the only thing they have against smoking is low birth weight i went from smoking 2 packs a day down to 10 a day i didnt try and quit smoking because whatever symptoms you go through your baby goes through and thats not something i was willing to face they say smoking is so bad and this and that and you know i dont believe it my mom smoked 3 packs a day with me and i am fine was born healthy and everything thats one reason i didnt quit and not only that but i know if i were to quit i would be a totall reck so i decided not to and my baby is fine. If you know that you are going to be a totall reck if you stop smoking than just keep your smoking low if you feel as though you should stop smoking and its going to hurt the baby than go ahead and stop smoking but whatever symptoms you experaince your baby experiances as well so just take it easy and dont stress to hard over it.

Answer 7

Im 38 weeks 4 days pregnant and have smoked threw my entire pregnancy. Befor i was pregnant i would smoke over a pack a day. Now i cut down to as many as possible. It was very hard for me to try and quit because i was on meds for major depression and anxiety that you cant take while pregnant.

My doctors told me that if it is pretty much impossible for you to quit then just smoke as little as possible. Drink more water and make sure you have atleast 45 min between cigarettes.

Doctors are usually more concerned with people who smoke over a half pack a day because i guess tests have shown that when you smoke that much a day or more then your chances of SIDS increases. Dont worry about it tho. Talk to your doctor on tips for helping you quit. Its really weird, everyone i know who smoked durring their pregnancy has had healthy babies who were perfect weight and they all went over their due date. I have never met someone who smoked durring their pregnancy that had a premie or even had their baby befor their due date.

EDIT----- for everyone who thinks its so easy to quit smoking its not plus you have the guilt of smoking while your pregnant. ITS NOT FREAKING EASY!! plus if you quit cold turkey then it puts TONS OF STRESS on the baby not just you.

Answer 8

I heard some years ago, that cutting way down is better than quitting cold turkey when you're pregnant, because of what the woman's body goes through. (nicotine withdrawal) Personally, I wish mothers-to-be would not smoke when pregnant for all the obvious reasons. Now, will you smoke in the house or in the car when your baby is with you? Will you allow others to smoke around your baby? I sure hope not!!!!!!

Answer 9

Yes. 5 a day COULD harm your baby. I'm not saying that it will, but it most definitely could. Try hypnosis, or having a half of every cigarette you smoke, not the whole thing. Remember you are not doing this for yourself but for your unborn child. Give this baby a fair chance at life...

Answer 10

No I don't think that it is good at all. My aunt just had her baby 3 weeks ago and she has had so many problem because she smoked cigarettes from day one. She only smoked 2 a day too and now the baby has been in the hospital since. I think that you should watch out this next month and stop smoking cold-turkey.
Britt