[jaenelle]

And did you have any ill effects with the baby as a result of it? Our agency says that smoking is very common among the birthmothers they get, to the point where it would virtually eliminate us from getting shown to any birthmothers if we said we didn't want one that smoked. I don't smoke, so obviously if I was pregnant, I wouldn't smoke either. The social worker at the agency said usually it was no big deal for the baby's health if the birthmother smoked, but I'm just wondering -- what were your experiences?

[gottahavehope]

Our son's birthmother did not smoke, but she lived in a house where people chained smoked so she was exposed to it second-hand. She also worked in a restaurant for the first seven months of her pregnancy where people smoked around her. Our son is perfectly healthy. Although she believes her own asthma was caused by her mother's smoking with her. Don't know if that is true or not.

Not really sure what the effects are though of women who smoke while pregnant. I'd ask a peditrician.

Good luck!

Peace,
K

[HBV]

No, she didn't smoke (nor did anyone in her family) but she didn't have any prenatal care until she was 6 1/2 months along---didn't realize she was pregnant. What our coordinator told us was that a lot of the moms they see don't have much medical care, and it's unusual (though not unheard of) for them to have taken the kind of prenatal care that someone trying to conceive might have---e.g. not smoking, not drinking, prenatal vitamins, etc.

You won't have control over an expectant mother's condition. Even if you did, there's no guarantee that that control would result in a healthy baby.

[maviskat]

We are currently matched with a birthmom, due Sept. 2, who smokes. On her background/history papers she gave to our agency she said she smokes one and a half packs a day but has cut down during the pregnancy. I was really freaked out and unhappy about it but I guess there are worse things that could be going on so I have let it go. I have not brought up the smoking with her. It is out of my hands and is just something I will bring up with the pediatrician later on.

Good luck!

kathy

[Gavin's Mom]

Our birthmother smoked and she also didn't receive ANY prenatal care (we were not matched until G was born). He seems fine and so far so good. Trust yourself to love the baby regardless of any limitations (because you will)!

Although I think it would be fine. My mom smoked like a factory with me and I turned out fine (a small baby but fine)

Our agency also said that eliminating smoking would eliminate 95% of the birth mothers.

Good luck!
Rita

[joskids]

One of our birthmothers, that we know of, smoked, among other things. From my experience working at an adoption agency, I would agree that many of their birthmothers likely smoke and you would wait longer to be matched if you wanted a non-smoking birthmother. The more open you are, the more likely you will get matched. That's just the reality. As for our daughter, she had some asthma at her foster home where she was exposed to much smoking (that's one I don't get, I don't believe foster parents should be allowed to smoke and I'm a foster parent). As soon as she was moved to our home, at age 2, the asthma never showed its face again. She's an unbelievably beautiful, bright, and well-adjusted 7 year old. That's just my take on things. Hope it helps.

Josie

[michellesnook]

My son's bmom did smoke and my son was born perfectly healthy! He gets a few colds every winter, but he's in daycare..so they all do really!

My opinion is that of ALL the things that a pregnant woman could be ingesting - smoking isn't the worst of it!

Our agency said the same thing about saying no to smoking, you'll virtually never get shown..

Best of luck!
Michelle

[BrandyHagz]

I am a mom and birthmom who smoked the first four/five months of pregnancy (I didn't know I was pregnant either time)...while Jerrett (my first born) was born with some special needs, none of them relate to smoking.

My daughter, M, has no special needs or effects from my smoking the first 4/5 months with her.

[dutchgirl2]

The first mom of our oldest daughter smoked throughout her pregnancy. Our daughter was born 5 weeks early, (toxemia), and is perfectly fine. As far as I know, smoking can result in a lower birth weight, but ultimately doesn't need to cause any serious problems. Our daughter is almost 2 1/2 and has had 2 colds in her life, that's it.

[MkMw]

Our daughter's bMom had no pre-natal care, smoked, she also did cocaine one time - it triggered her early delivery. Stephanie was born at 34 weeks, and is very healthy - the Dr.'s and nurses all say that they don't expect to see any long term effects from smoking or drugs. Her biggest risk comes from being pre-mature. She has been breathing on her own since birth and was ready to be released at 9 days instead of the original 2 -3 weeks.

I also have a friend who smoked when she was pg. She quit for a couple of months, and really limited it once they put her on bed rest. Her son is now 12, very healthy and a great athlete.

AND - remember, people didn't always know that smoking was bad - my mother smoked pg with me, my Dh's mother smoked pg with him - and both of us are also very healthy and always have been. I think the biggest health risk is a lower birthweight.

[irisheyes33]

My bmom smoked heavily throughout her pregnancy with me (this was in the 60's) and I've had no health issues whatsoever...she carried me to term and I had a normal birth weight

[sadiegirl]

This is strictly anecdotal but I've heard of all the "bad things" an emom could do during her pgy, smoking is the least problematic, so to speak. Meaning, it's better than alcohol, drugs, etc. I've heard that the biggest "issue" it causes is low birth weight.

I have a friend in her 30's whose mom smoked during all her pgy's and all of them turned out fine, no probs related to smoking at all.

[StorkWatcher]

SOunds like you're getting the advice I planned to give - the biggest risk is low birthweight.

And not all expectant mothers feel comfortable disclosing the substances they abuse during pregnancy. I figure if someone does admit that she's smoking, at least she's not lying about it, and would hopefully also admit abuse of other substances.

[gigigeorge]

Our sons birthmom smoked with all five of her kids and they all were small but so is she, so I doubt even if she hadn't smoked it really would have effected their birth weights. Our son was 5 lbs 13 oz when we brought him home from the hospital at 2 days old and though we were out all the time with him, he didn't get his first cold until he was almost a year old...

but as an aside, all four of the children she is parenting are asthmatic and have daily (sometimes twice/three times a day) breathing treatments, due mostly in part to the fact that every one in her family smokes like chimney around all the kids... In fact the actually celebrate when a baby can hold their own bottle so they can smoke while they feed them... anyways, sorry to digress.

Also with me, and all my siblings, cousins etc all the parents smoked and we all turned out perfectly healthy. Dh's mom smoked 2 packs a day (super strong canadian cigs too) throughout her pregnancy with him and his twin and they both weighed over 8 lbs.

Hope I was somewhat helpful !

g.

[megaphonemo]

Our dd's bmom smoked and she was tiny, less than 6 lbs, born 2 weeks early... Otherwise perfectly healthy, 9/9 Apgar....


Think of it this way too, 'back in the day' everyone smoked, probably all of us 30-40 year olds were born to moms that smoked.... I like to think that I (and all my brothers and sisters) turned out okay...