Smoking while pregnant.. is it child abuse?

[AP]

It may have taken me a week or so to stop totally after my bfp, but I managed. I've seen A baby cry in neonatal who had drug withdrawals from the mother.
My best mate struggled to stop, she didn't in fact. I didn't know what to think apart from " I hope her baby isn't premature " it's hard enough for them to breathe on ventilators without that added factor.

One thing that will forever put me off, was my aunt smoking while she was pregnant when I was young. She sat the ashtray on her tummy and baby kicked it. And I didn't understand, I thought it was funny back them. Only now I know how disgusting that was.

Smoking in cars though should absolutely be legal. Before LO, DH used to smoke in the car, and ash was always found on the back seats from trying to flick it out the window(wind caught the ash)
What if a LO was there!

 

[Lightworker]

Dragonfly - lol I cannot answer your question truthfully here because I will be severely lynched. Lets just say I have very strong views about certain things and I have learnt (the hard way) that silence can be golden, except on threads like this which specifically ask your opinion on a specific issue.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

No I dont think it is child abuse. Yes smoking is extremely bad for a unborn babies health and it can cause many problems for the child. I don't agree with smoking during pregancy and I think any mother whom is pregnant should at least try and quit by cutting down etc. I think any mother who smokes loads during pregnancy and doesn't try to quit should question het reasoning. But I wouldn't go as far to say it's abuse x

 

[Dragonfly]

Dragonfly - lol I cannot answer your question truthfully here because I will be severely lynched. Lets just say I have very strong views about certain things and I have learnt (the hard way) that silence can be golden, except on threads like this which specifically ask your opinion on a specific issue.

I understand I do not want to get you lynched.

 

[aob1013]

I definately don't like it and wouldn't do it myself and didn't, and i think it's pretty vile to smoke when you are pregnant. BUT, smoking is actually an addiction and parents do still love their children, it's just a very hard habit to break!

 

[SKATERBUN]

Dragonfly - lol I cannot answer your question truthfully here because I will be severely lynched. Lets just say I have very strong views about certain things and I have learnt (the hard way) that silence can be golden, except on threads like this which specifically ask your opinion on a specific issue.

ikwym

 

[Laura2919]

I gave up smoking when I found out I was expecting but my sister didnt. I wouldnt say its child abuse, thats crazy talk. I personally dont like it but what that women chooses to do is her business and hers alone. People should start to care about their own family only and not worry about what the next person is doing.

 

[Lightworker]

Whether or not you love your child does not determine whether or not an act or omission is child abuse/neglect eg if I am addicted to heroin and I have children, my addiction might mean that I spen the weekly budget on my next fix as opposed to buying groceries. That does not mean I don't love my children, it simply means I have succumbed to an addiction which has taken over my life. However, social svs will still remove my children from my care. Its not about love, its about ACTING in LOs best interest.

 

[Lightworker]

I dont like the assertion that we shouldn't be bothered about how other mothers raise their children because if that was the case we would not have institutions to safeguard children, heck we wouldnt even have child laws, everyone would be able to do what they wanted when they wanted including abuse and neglect - we are morally obligated to care about every child because they cannot defend themselves.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Whether or not you love your child does not determine whether or not an act or omission is child abuse/neglect eg if I am addicted to heroin and I have children, my addiction might mean that I spen the weekly budget on my next fix as opposed to buying groceries. That does not mean I don't love my children, it simply means I have succumbed to an addiction which has taken over my life. However, social svs will still remove my children from my care. Its not about love, its about ACTING in LOs best interest.

WSS

 

[Laura2919]

Well I am sorry but I certainly dont think of my sister as a child abuser because she smoked.. I think its awful that they are seen in the same category as a monster like Baby P's mum. But then again someone said its child abuse having your childs ears pierced. I think its a case of agree to disagree here.

 

[SKATERBUN]

I dont like the assertion that we shouldn't be bothered about how other mothers raise their children because if that was the case we would not have institutions to safeguard children, heck we wouldnt even have child laws, everyone would be able to do what they wanted when they wanted including abuse and neglect - we are morally obligated to care about every child because they cannot defend themselves.

I think having a little one of my own has made me more compassionate and aware of other little ones who do not have the same fortunate start in life.

 

[Dragonfly]

I dont like the assertion that we shouldn't be bothered about how other mothers raise their children because if that was the case we would not have institutions to safeguard children, heck we wouldnt even have child laws, everyone would be able to do what they wanted when they wanted including abuse and neglect - we are morally obligated to care about every child because they cannot defend themselves.

very point that for a lot of things.

 

[marley2580]

Of course we should pay attention to how others raise their children, but to suggest that an unborn child's rights should outweigh the rights of the mother is the thin edge of a very wide wedge. Where do you stop? Criminalise women what drink tea or eat oily fish? Surely it's better for a child to be born to a smoking mother that loves them and brings them up well without a criminal record than it is for the state to bring them up (because we all know how great being in care is) without a stable home and loving family.

 

[SKATERBUN]

sorry marley but your arguements lost on me Tea and oily fish, i dont really think contain the same amount of carcinogenics (if any) that a ciggarette contains, a leathal cocktail that have irereversable effects on the human system. I think people are desenstitized and detatched that its a lethal cancer stick a harmful drug.It has just become so acceptable in our day to day lives, but it doesnt make it ok, anymore than any other drug.

The in ingredients to name a few

Acetone
Ammonia
Butane
Hydrogen cyanide
Methanol
Arsenic
Carbon monoxide

I think my natural instinct would be to stop immediately for the sakes of my unborn child.
I'd forget worrying about trace elements of badies in tuna fish, coffee and flu vacinations when pregnant, smoking is abuse to oneself (mums), lungs, heart brain, ,not just the babys. To think how hard it is when pregnant, being out of breath, being tired, high blood pressure, why would anyone want to do this to themselves?

 

[Lightworker]

IMO when one says "where do you draw the line?" it sort of implies that they are looking for a concrete rule that can be applied in any eventuality but you cannot, at any one moment, prepare for every eventuality but once you know something is without a doubt dangerous, then you can legislate against it. I hope my post makes sense as I was struggling with the wording.

 

[Laura2919]

Like it has said before its an addiction and for some its hard to give up.. My mum smoked through all her pregnancies we are healthy, my sister smoked with my neice she is healthy, I chose not to smoke and my girls arrived early and have some health issues with regards to immune system. Im not saying its OK to smoke, I know its not but to label them as child abusers is ridiculous. I know that there can be damage but its not the case for every pregnancy.

 

[Dragonfly]

Like it has said before its an addiction and for some its hard to give up.. My mum smoked through all her pregnancies we are healthy, my sister smoked with my neice she is healthy, I chose not to smoke and my girls arrived early and have some health issues with regards to immune system. Im not saying its OK to smoke, I know its not but to label them as child abusers is ridiculous. I know that there can be damage but its not the case for every pregnancy.

why would any one take the risk though? you basically just said your relatives are lucky and no harm to you you dont really know that as they look ok. My mum smoked with all of us to and I ended up a smoker with asthma, stopped when I got pregnant. Couldnt have the risk of damaging my child because such and such turned out ok. I think its ridiculous to say that in any dangerous situation. Some arnt so lucky. I also have lung damage to I may as well have smoked ewwhen I was a baby as they always smoked in the same room and car as me and i always had respiratory problems. How anyone thinks it couldnt do any harm is un believable, your putting that crap in your body that happens to house a baby. Its not rocket science.

 

[Lightworker]

Just because something is an addiction does not make it ok to harm a child, back to my analogy "she is on heroin and hasnt fed her children in days but thats ok, because it is an addiction" now THAT, is ridiculous. Someone on here posted about quitting, hard as it was, so this means it is possible, therefore mothers should be expected to quit.

 

[Lightworker]

to label them as child abusers is ridiculous. I know that there can be damage but its not the case for every pregnancy.

The same could be said for parents that drive whilst their LOs are not secured in car seats. Clearly not all LOs have incurred fatal injuries but it is still dangerous and illegal. BTW didnt you have twins, who would have been early anyway, regardless of whether you smoked?