Steps To Quit Smoking To Give Birth To A Healthy Child.

Smoking is harmful for health and it applies more to a pregnant woman and her family to avoid smoking to give birth to a healthy child. Smoking is a habit that is very easy to pick up and involves great determination and will power on the part of a person to give up smoking. However it is necessary for a  pregnant woman and her family to quit smoking to be able to have a healthy child. There are various steps that can be taken by a pregnant woman to give up smoking and her partner should also be involved in it.

It is very difficult to set strict rules and steps that are to be taken to quit smoking. A tailor made method is to be made depending on the particular case. There may be various pressures and stress upon the mother and she may find it difficult to quit smoking immediately. It is very important that she should be educated about the evils of smoking and how it could affect the child growing within her. She should be told that she is responsible to bring out a healthy child into the world.

The first step that could be initiated by the doctor or a social worker could be giving educational literature to the couple regarding the ill effects of smoking and how they could affect their health and the growing fetus in the mother. Certain interventions can be made and the couple especially the mother could be helped to give up smoking. Yes, most women who smoke also have smoking partners. Second hand and third hand smoke is also dangerous. Second hand smoke is acquired through harmful smoke in the environment and third hand smoke from things used by the smoker that includes carpets and cushions in the room used by the smoker.

The next step to be taken is to first understand that quitting smoking cannot take place overnight. Quitting smoking is a gradual process involving stages when a person does not want to quit smoking, then thinking or contemplating to give up smoking, the next stage being preparation, when one commits to quit smoking and then the action after fixing a date by which one decides to stop smoking completely. Then the person has to take steps to avoid relapses and live the quitting plan actively. .The success of the plan depends on slowly but surely quitting smoking.

Some of the strategies that really help a mother to quit smoking for the child developing within her are to start drinking a lot of water and other fluids. Besides it would help if one can keep oneself physically active and busy. Doing deep breathing exercises would help release stress and tension· Relaxation and meditation would also help a great deal to give up smoking. In addition sticking to a good wholesome and healthy diet could to kick the habit of smoking, Rest can also help. Besides, including ones friend or partner in the quit smoking project and making friends with non-smokers would make quitting smoking easier.

The parents of the child to be born can appreciate and reaffirm themselves in each small success. Rewarding oneself would also help. Besides going to non-smoke places would make one appreciate the benefits of free breathing and pollution-free environments. They could take a “Stop Smoking” course or attend meetings of “Anon Smokers”. In addition the couple could create a smoke-free home by asking family members and friends to not smoke indoors.

To conclude, dear parents of developing child, do take steps to quit smoking and make the environment smoke-free for your child and he/she is going to thank you for the wonderful birth and world you gave them.