Smoke Free
Smoking is not only bad for you, it’s bad for your baby, too. If you smoke during your pregnancy, your baby could be born low birth-weight or have health problems later on. In Baltimore City, babies who are exposed to smoke
in the womb are 5x more likely to die from SIDS than babies not exposed to cigarette smoke. But any kind of smoke is bad for your baby -- cigarettes, cigars, e-cigs, vapes, and marijuana.
Explore this page to learn more about why it's important to be smoke free for your baby, common concerns, tips for quitting, and smoking cessation support.
Smoke-free Pregnancy
Every day that you do not smoke, you are doing something great for yourself and your baby -- you should be proud of yourself. To fully protect your baby, your baby’s daycare center or caregiver’s home should be smoke-free as well.
If you're pregnant and you smoke...
If you quit during pregnancy, your baby is more likely to:
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Be born healthy
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Have strong lungs that work well
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Be less fussy and develop fewer earaches
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Get sick less.
And you will:
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Have more energy and breathe more easily
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Save money that you can spend on other things
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Have better smelling hair and clothes
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Enjoy the taste of your food more
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Feel good knowing you’ve done something great for yourself and your baby.
Everything changes when you’re pregnant. Now is the time to quit.
Quitting Smoking: Common Concerns and Myths
Tips for Quitting
Congratulations on making the important first step to better health for you and your baby. The best strategy is to set a plan and to take quitting one day at a time.
Getting Ready to Quit
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Plan a date to quit smoking and work toward it.
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Ask for help. Tell your friends, family, and doctor about your plan to stop smoking.
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Throw away all cigarettes, ashtrays, and lighters.
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Plan how you will deal with stress—listen to music, take a walk, or talk to a friend who doesn’t smoke.
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Reward yourself. Put a quarter in a jar for every cigarette you skip. Use the money to treat yourself.
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Keep yourself motivated. Write down why you are quitting and remind yourself about it daily.
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Not ready to quit? Try skipping 3 or 4 cigarettes a day.
