Never Let Anyone Smoke Around Your Baby

You probably haven't thought about a campaign for "just say no to smoking" for your baby

quite yet, but you do need to consider making sure she does not experience the negative impact of smoking from other people in her life. While she is safe for now from firsthand smoke, your baby can still be harmed from secondhand smoke or by thirdhand smoke. 

 

Your baby is exposed to second hand smoke when you or someone else is smoking around them. She is also exposed to dangerous chemicals through something referred to as thirdhand smoke, which your baby experiences from chemicals on hands, clothes, furniture, or anything else that's been exposed to secondhand smoke. 

 

Vapors from electronic cigarettes can be as harmful as regular cigarettes! Your baby is not able to protect herself from the negative effects of smoking and has to rely on you to advocate for her health and safety. Give your baby her best start by advocating for a healthy environment.      

Brain Science for Your Baby

Smoking is bad for you and bad for your baby.  There are at least 250 toxic chemical gases in tobacco smoke.  Secondhand smoke can cause lots of problems for your baby - more ear infections, more respiratory infections, and a greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).  More on health effects of secondhand smoke. 

 

Smoking during pregnancy and exposure to smoke after pregnancy may also affect the developing brain.  Smoking during pregnancy can cause decreased oxygen to the developing baby with low birth weight and decreased brain growth reported in mothers who smoke. 

 

Secondhand smoke is also not safe for an infant's developing brain!  Both animal and human studies suggest that tobacco smoke is a neurotoxin - damaging neurons in the brain.   A 2012 study of 282 healthy babies found that smoke exposure during and after pregnancy (secondhand smoke) predicted changes in infant behavior on the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS) at 48 - 72 hours of life, with babies exposed to smoke having more problems regulating their behaviors.  There is also emerging research (Pagani, 2013) that finds that exposure to secondhand smoke may cause lasting problems in brain development with children who were exposed to nicotine having more problems with hyperactive behavior and ADHD. 
A Baby Buffer Prescription for Your Baby
 

Protect your baby from smoke. Take action for her!

 

Make sure your baby is a "smoke free" zone. Don't smoke or allow others to smoke near your baby. Keep baby away from places people smoke or have smoked.

 

Do not smoke or allow others to smoke in your home or car. This increases the chances of SIDS in your baby. 

 

Ideally, keep your baby away from people that smoke. Your baby will inhale hazardous chemicals that are still on someone's skin or clothing even if they are not smoking around your baby.

 

If you or another caregiver continues to smoke, take safety measures to try and limit how much your baby is exposed to dangerous toxins.  

 

Wash hands with soap and hot water: after handling cigarettes or other tobacco products, before picking up baby, when handling milk or food, and before touching baby's toys or clothing.

 

Shower and change to fresh clothes before handling baby.

 

Never smoke in a car baby will ride in. 

A Baby Buffer Prescription for You   

 

Show your baby you are a strong, positive role model. Your baby cannot advocate for herself. She needs you to make sure she is safe and healthy. Show her that doing what is best is not always easy, but that she's worth it! 

 
 If you smoke...quit! Get the support you need to successfully quit. Free counseling is available at 1-800-Quit-Now

If loved ones smoke...talk to them about how important it is to you and for baby to make sure she does not experience the harmful effects of smoke. Be kind and considerate in your interactions, but stick to your decisions about how you will limit baby's exposure and keep her safe.

  

Support friends or loved ones that are trying to quit smoking or that are doing their best to help protect your baby. Be grateful and thankful to people that are following your guidelines.
 

 

 

What Your Baby Can Do - Developmental Milestones 

 

Your baby will love being held and touched by you from the very beginning, this is the beginning of your relationship with your baby. Click on the links below to find out what your baby should be able to do:

  
Baby Buffer Blog
Written by Barbara Unell

I distinctly remember the feeling of softly holding my newborn babies in my arms for the first time. A warm glow flooded my heart that seemed to flow throughout my whole body. That's the feeling of "bonding"-the term researches have given to the close emotional tie that develops between parents and their baby at birth and in the first few months of a baby's life. 
 
But the truth is, you may feel this instant bond the second you hold your baby, and you may not. You may feel confused, scared, and disconnected at first, and that's completely normal. Like many relationships, it may take time to bond with your little one.

I learned that an important secret to bonding with my babies was to relax and be "in the moment" when doing everyday activities together. Read More

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