[kathycasa]

Just wondering if any of you out there have had experience with a bmom who smoked while pregnant? My 2 kids are 100% siblings, and their bparents both smoked alot!!! I knew this would have an impact on my kids future health. I just wasn't positive about how much> He was a 2pack a day and she 1 pack. My kids both seem to sick with URI's ALL the time. My pediatrician says I worry too much, but I can't help it. I can't stand to see them suffer. Anyway, i'm sure there are plenty of you out there just like me. Just wondering how your lil ones are doing. Are there any tricks or home remedies anyone has tried to help these lil ones heal. I don't know. I'm grasping at straws, I guess. Its just I am going crazy. Im at home yet again with both of them feeling horrible and me feeling frustrated and helpless. Not sure what Im looking for you to say. Just wanted to vent, I guess and get suggestions on how to deal!!!!!Thanx for listeneing Kathy

[MMC66]

I think it's human nature to want to attribute a cause to every problem. I have bio kids and 2 of them were sick as dogs their first year. They weren't preemies, I breastfed and had text book perfect pregnancies. I get some comfort in knowing I did everything could but I know how hard it is ta watch your babies suffer. My kids are older and very healthy now so hang in there and buy stock in kleenex

[mj77]

Both kids' bparents smoked (not genetically related at all). Both kids were also exposed to methamphedamines and Lord knows what else. Both are pretty healthy now. My yongest (now 10mo.) was 6 lbs. 4 oz when born at full term (which I guess is on the lower side) and had some issues more realted to mom's meth use. My oldest (now 3) was full term at 8 lbs. no issues that stood out except what may have been a result of meth. It's difficult I think to pinpoint what issue might be from what.

[Dmommab]

My 18 month old guy's bmom smoked 1+ packs a day the entire time she was pregnant, received no prenatal care until she was 7 months and he has asthma. We deal with that on a daily basis but he has been on pediapred almost continuously from 4 months of age until now.

[2boyz1girl]

It's funny, the nicotine exposure has never even been a concern for me. I'm pretty sure that both of my dd's bparents were smokers, but I've always been much more concerned about the alcohol and marijuana her bmother exposed her to. I was told that marijuana has a lot of the same effects as cigarettes; low birth weight, higher rate of illnesses, asthma, etc. Sure enough my baby girl has breathing issues (not asthma, they can't pinpoint exactly what it is), and she is on daily breathing treatments. But her pulmonary specialist has pointed more toward the alchohol exposure for even that. There are things you can do to help keep them healthy, such as reducing allergens, but then you have to weigh the fact that all of these little illnesses are helping to build immunity. My oldest (bio)son also has occasional asthma (I've never smoked a cigarette in my life), but he was an extremely healthy infant. He rarely even caught a cold until he was three years old and came down with double pneumonia. I have to think that him not having the chance to build his immunity with little illnesses contributed to how sick he got when he finally did catch something. Sorry that I don't have a miracle cure, but at least look at any benefits they might be getting by building their immunity.

[court5505]

I always think back to the 50's when a LOT of women smoked and drank during their pregnancies because they didn't know that there was anything wrong with it. Most of my friends have mom's who either smoke, drank or both during their pregnancies and they have never had any problems at all. Granted, I hate to see pregnant women smoking, but I think there are a lot worse things that they could be doing to that baby. I wouldn't worry too much about the cause, just concentrate on trying to get them better. A lot of healthy kids were sick as infants.

[LisaCA]

court 5505 is right. My mom smoked during all three of her pregnancies-I think at least 2 packs a day, probably 3packs by the time my younger sis was born, not to mention smoking 3-4 packs a day our entire childhood. At the same time she drank tons of caffeine with all of us. In addition, she drank cocktails while pregnant with my sis (we have photos of the wild parties they threw:-). That said, we all turned out fine. We all have allergies and upper respiratory issues, but it's hard to say what was caused by the smoking and what was genetic (mom's side of family has allergies and asthma, my mom's sister died of an asthma attack in her 30s) or the 5 cats we had (yep, i'm allergic to them).

I had a ton of bronchitis as a kid, probably caused/made worse with her smoking. That's just the way it was in the 50s and early 60s. I do not remember any of the colds, went on to an ivy league college. Of all the things bmom could do that are dangerous to the child, smoking is one that I didn't worry too much about. alcohol and drugs- now those scared me. hey, my fear is daycare. those places are germ-central. Being a college prof I am constantly picking up germs from my college students from the dorms.

I wouldn't worry too much. It isn't anything you can do anything about-Except keep the house moist but not too moist (too moist leads to mold growth and makes things worse, too dry causes sinus problems. around 45 % humidity is good). buy a couple of expensive humidifiers that don't distribute bacteria around the house and relax. And provide lots of toys and things to distract.

and since you can't do anything about the past, it might be time to forgive bmom and accept them as they are. Hey, she may have had a 2 pack a day habit and reduced it because of the pregnancy-we never know.

I worry about bringing my daughter from chicago's "lovely" air to the cesspool that is Los angeles, but I'm trying not to worry too much:-)

take care,

LisaCA

[mommytobug]

Our daughter's firstmom did not smoke nor was she ever around anyone who did and she took great car of herself. Our daugther had continuous URI's and had RSV at age 10 months........she was sick for 2 years and finally had bronchitis so many times the doctor asid it warranted the asthma diagnosis. She started taking Singulair and it has helped so much. We too lived on medecine for so long but this has worked. Still has to take something sometimes when the weather changes, etc. The RSV was a shock to the hospital and us........I think they lookf or that in younger babies. I felt so much guilt for that. But I know she could have gotten off a buggy at Wal Mart....talk about germ infested

[redhedded]

Kathy, It is so hard to watch our children have even a minor illness. I am an adult asthmatic, still taking three medications daily for maintenance in my mid thirties. My entire life was spent in and out of the hospital with my mother always by my side. If someone else had a cold, I ended up with pneumonia and four weeks in the children's ward. I was tested two times for cystic fibrosis. My mother never smoked. She never took any medication or drank. She was healthy, and no one in my family had pulmonary issues. Sometimes our illnesses are just a fluke and cannot be attributed to any specific action or event.

There are many simple things that you can do to reduce the allergen response. Have your kids seen an asthma and allergy specialist? Medications are so much more effective than they were thirty years ago and consistent preventative treatment can greatly reduce the likelihood of respiratory infection with every exposure. Take care.