If you have been smoking for years, an immediate breakaway from this unwanted habit can be extremely debilitating.
But, sometimes, we have to give up things not just for ourselves but also for our family, especially for our children.
Billions of women smoke across the globe.
If you are one of them, then you definitely understand how hard it is to quit smoking just like that.
Maybe you have tried it several times but you ended up lighting another cigarette stick.
While it is true that breaking free from smoking is very difficult to do, you want to stop it the moment you become pregnant.
You are never required to quit smoking.
The decision you'll make this time is not something that only affects you.
It also affects the life of the unborn child who is entirely dependent upon you.
Why would you want to give up smoking when pregnant? According to the American Pregnancy Association, over 1,000 babies in the country die every year because their moms smoked while pregnant.
The negative effects of smoking don't just affect you.
They also affect your baby in so many ways.
The baby in the womb gets everything he or she needs from the mother through the umbilical cord - oxygen, nutrients, energy, and so on.
However, the thing is - the umbilical cord does not get to choose what should enter the womb and what should not.
Every time the mother smokes, the toxin coming from the cigarette goes through the umbilical cord and into the baby.
Aside from exposing the baby to thousands of toxic substances, smoking also damages the placenta.
A damaged placenta can lead to serious complications such as stillbirth or miscarriage.
Effects of Smoking on the Baby Several things happen inside your body when you smoke.
First, smoking reduces the supply of oxygen in your blood.
This is because the cigarette smoke replaces the oxygen with carbon monoxide.
This also means that your baby's lungs will receive less oxygen.
As this continually happens, the baby will struggle to breathe oxygen, which leads to abnormal heartbeats or palpitation.
This in turn may lead to cardiovascular problems.
The baby will start to move slowly as the baby's heart has to work vigorously to get as much oxygen it needs.
You see, your baby is fighting hard to survive but the smoke coming from the cigarette makes it so much difficult for the baby to resist.
Even if he or she has not been born yet, the baby has already gone through severe stress.
Aside from the oxygen, your child is deprived of the essential nutrients and minerals he or she needs.
This is because of the nicotine constricts the blood vessels of the mother, making it hard for the nutrients to enter the placenta.
This will lead to the poor development of your child.
The fetus may not develop properly.
Thus, your baby might suffer from serious complications and health problems.
Undersized babies, due to abnormal growth, are more likely to experience severe illnesses.
It is likely that their lungs may not be able to work on their own.
This means that they will have to stay in the hospital for weeks or months because they would need to be assisted by respirators.
Studies show that children whose moms smoked during pregnancy have higher rate of developing asthma and other lung/respiratory diseases.
They may also have weaker immune system, which means a simple change in weather can trigger colds, flu, and cough.
Finally, the baby may experience life-long effect on the brain.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause the baby to develop mental problems, which they will carry as they grow up.
They are more likely to suffer from behavioral problems, mental disorders, and depression.
One cigarette stick can greatly harm the life of the baby inside you.
Lucky you are if your baby comes out normal.
But you'll never know if your baby will stay healthy as it grows.
Smoking can produce permanent problems in your child - something that you would not want to happen to the most wonderful gift you ever received in your life.
But, sometimes, we have to give up things not just for ourselves but also for our family, especially for our children.
Billions of women smoke across the globe.
If you are one of them, then you definitely understand how hard it is to quit smoking just like that.
Maybe you have tried it several times but you ended up lighting another cigarette stick.
While it is true that breaking free from smoking is very difficult to do, you want to stop it the moment you become pregnant.
You are never required to quit smoking.
The decision you'll make this time is not something that only affects you.
It also affects the life of the unborn child who is entirely dependent upon you.
Why would you want to give up smoking when pregnant? According to the American Pregnancy Association, over 1,000 babies in the country die every year because their moms smoked while pregnant.
The negative effects of smoking don't just affect you.
They also affect your baby in so many ways.
The baby in the womb gets everything he or she needs from the mother through the umbilical cord - oxygen, nutrients, energy, and so on.
However, the thing is - the umbilical cord does not get to choose what should enter the womb and what should not.
Every time the mother smokes, the toxin coming from the cigarette goes through the umbilical cord and into the baby.
Aside from exposing the baby to thousands of toxic substances, smoking also damages the placenta.
A damaged placenta can lead to serious complications such as stillbirth or miscarriage.
Effects of Smoking on the Baby Several things happen inside your body when you smoke.
First, smoking reduces the supply of oxygen in your blood.
This is because the cigarette smoke replaces the oxygen with carbon monoxide.
This also means that your baby's lungs will receive less oxygen.
As this continually happens, the baby will struggle to breathe oxygen, which leads to abnormal heartbeats or palpitation.
This in turn may lead to cardiovascular problems.
The baby will start to move slowly as the baby's heart has to work vigorously to get as much oxygen it needs.
You see, your baby is fighting hard to survive but the smoke coming from the cigarette makes it so much difficult for the baby to resist.
Even if he or she has not been born yet, the baby has already gone through severe stress.
Aside from the oxygen, your child is deprived of the essential nutrients and minerals he or she needs.
This is because of the nicotine constricts the blood vessels of the mother, making it hard for the nutrients to enter the placenta.
This will lead to the poor development of your child.
The fetus may not develop properly.
Thus, your baby might suffer from serious complications and health problems.
Undersized babies, due to abnormal growth, are more likely to experience severe illnesses.
It is likely that their lungs may not be able to work on their own.
This means that they will have to stay in the hospital for weeks or months because they would need to be assisted by respirators.
Studies show that children whose moms smoked during pregnancy have higher rate of developing asthma and other lung/respiratory diseases.
They may also have weaker immune system, which means a simple change in weather can trigger colds, flu, and cough.
Finally, the baby may experience life-long effect on the brain.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause the baby to develop mental problems, which they will carry as they grow up.
They are more likely to suffer from behavioral problems, mental disorders, and depression.
One cigarette stick can greatly harm the life of the baby inside you.
Lucky you are if your baby comes out normal.
But you'll never know if your baby will stay healthy as it grows.
Smoking can produce permanent problems in your child - something that you would not want to happen to the most wonderful gift you ever received in your life.