Why should I give up smoking during pregnancy?
Most people know that smoking during pregnancy can harm an unborn baby. So if either you or your partner is a smoker, it’s time to give up.
Passive smoking near your partner is also dangerous – if your partner breathes in your smoke, your baby also takes in the harmful chemicals that are in cigarette smoke. This then means that less oxygen reaches the womb and your baby’s heart has to work harder to try and get what oxygen it can. And of course, when your baby is born, any cigarette smoke they breathe could still put their health at risk.
By giving up smoking now, you’ll help get your baby off to a better start in life and make it easier to avoid smoking once your baby is born. Remember too that help with giving up smoking is much more widely available now. Your health care professional will be able to give you lots of advice and encouragement and put you in touch with local support groups. It can be easier to quit if you have someone helping you along the way.
Cutting down on alcohol during pregnancy
There is no known safe level for alcohol consumption at any stage during pregnancy, so the recommendation for alcohol during pregnancy is to completely abstain.
As a dad-to-be, giving up or significantly cutting down on alcohol during your partner’s pregnancy shows your partner valuable support. If you do decide to drink alcohol, the recommended daily alcohol limit for men can be read here.