Growing up I've always lived with people who smoke, which never really bothered me at all, but recently I'm annoyed by it. Part of the reason is because we're bringing home a baby soon and I don't want the smoke around her. My mom smoked all through her pregnancy, she didn't take care of herself at all... which I think is part of the reason she's had such a rough one. Anyway, the baby is healthy (she went to the doctor a couple of days ago) so that's great news. This weekend though we put together all of the baby stuff, and it really bugs me that while we were doing it both of my parents smoked. I've always been use to the smell, except for when I was staying with an aunt who was a non smoker, I remember visiting and leaving and thinking about how horrible my clothes would stink afterwards! Anyway, to the point, I'd really like them to quit smoking when the baby arrives, so has anyone here ever quit smoking? How did you do it? And do you have any tips I could tell them?

Getting other people to quit smoking? That's a tough one... maybe start by convincing them not to smoke in the house and definitely not around the baby!

Telling smokers to not smoke is definitely going to get you the evil eye. Even with lots of tact I feel like it won't go anywhere unless they want it for themselves.

The only way to quit smoking is if you want to do it for yourself and even then it's hard! If your mom didn't quit smoking when she found out she was pregnant I doubt she'll have the motivation to do so after the baby is born. Sorry you have to live in a smoke filled environment and I hope your parents will quit for their own sake and their childrens! :)

I used Nicarette gum and it worked pretty well. When the cravings were just too much, I had a piece of gum. ...Eventually the cravings went away.

But I wanted to quit. For getting other people to quit, your best bet is probably these.

http://www.sillyjokes.co.uk/p-jokes/smoking/cig-bangers.html

What about having them smoke outside. Talk to your doctor about it and that will give your request a bit more authority. For one, second had smoke has been linked with greater risk of SIDS. In fact, it increases their risk by 4 times! A simple google search will yield tons of info.

Plus, I had asthma and recurrent respiratory infections as a child, and I can tell you they are really horrible. (all increased with second hand smoke) Not being able to breath, being sick all the time, having to go to the ER for asthma attacks was a miserable experience. Not being able to breath is really scary.

If they give you a hard time, maybe talk to your doctor about the situation and ask him/her if maybe they could talk with your parents in private at your next visit. That way you are not the bad guy, the doctor/authority figure/expert is.

If they won't quit, you need to make sure their cigarettes stay out of reach at all times. Not left in a purse or jacket a baby can get into. My dad smoked until I was about 2. He quit because I ate his cigarettes. If my mother had not have noticed right away and had immediately given me ipicac, I would have died.

If they want to quit, research quitting programs and information in your area. www.arch2healthyhabits.org has links of helpful info on quitting.

I totally agree with you on the no smoking thing. My soon to be ex-husband's parents back porch always reeks of smoke as that is where they smoke. I would think that if you told them the baby would not come around unless they smoked outside then they would do that for you. I would also ask them to wash thier hands also. I doubt that you can get them to stop altogether as they will have to want to do that on thier own accord.

I'm confused, does the OP live with the parents?

I am not sure..... It sounds like she may.

There is no way to get a smoker to quit if they're not ready and properly motivated. You may be able to convince them to smoke outside or only smoke in one room of the house or something. I believe smoking in the house increases the chance that the baby will die of SIDS. Thats a good reason not to, among all the other good reasons not to smoke...

I agree with Thalia.

In addition, you can't "make" them stop smoking, you can suggest it, give info, but all in all, their house, they can do what they want.

I doubt that your mom will quit smoking since she did not when she was pregnant. I would go with the principle of harm reduction and encourage her to smoke away from the baby.

I have never smoked myself. But both of my parents used to chain smoke. They quit when I was 9 or 10. They both had wanted to quit for years and tried everything. The thing that worked for them (and I have a hard time believing it myself) was hypnotism. Neither my mother nor my father have ever had another cigarette.

Rabid_child is right, a smoker won't quit until they are motivated and ready. I smoked for 15 years and then quit 2 years ago (I have gone into detail in a few other threads here) and it's the best decision I ever made.

Thankyou guys. I tried talking to them earlier tonight over dinner, and they got pretty defensive. However they did say that they were going to move the smoking into just one room, so we'll see how that goes. :)

you can also get special filters for your central air/heating system that can help reduce the amount of smoke throughout the house.

The only kind of air filtration system approved by the American Cancer Society and the Lung Association, for substantially reducing the bad things about tobacco smoke, is an air exchange system, that brings in outside air and exhausts inside air, but preserves the heat during the process, by putting the 2 in contact with a high surface-area heat exchanger. Filtration does remove some tobacco particle but does not remove the gasses such as carbon monoxide, radioactive gasses, or any other noxious gas produced by smoking tobacco. Removing the particles may help prevent lung cancer, but many of the illnesses that people get from second hand smoke will not be helped by simply removing the particles.

I got this info directly from the president of the local cancer society, when I was a volunteer for a local politician who needed volunteer help to get his smoking regulation bill passed. The opposition brought in a filter manufacturer who suggested filtration as a compromise, and the cancer society spokesperson explained why it was only slightly effective.

Nor is confining smoker to one room, of much use at all. In almost all homes smoke moves freefly between rooms. Sealing off a room and providing separate ventilation is 1000's of dollars in construction costs.

Delic Grape-
I see you are pretty young. Are you in any position to move out in the future? It's very unfortunate if you are reliant on parent who will continue to expose you and your child to smoke. Unfortunately, your child will ultimately be your responsibility. I know some people who rely on their parents for baby sitting and they are chain smokers. However, their one child has chronic asthma and repeat trips to the ER, which are very costly if you have no insurance. They need the free babysitting, but their child is also suffering.

I am in total sympathy with your situation, but you might want to consider this an extra motivation to try to get your own place for your child if your parents won't smoke outside even after talking with the doctor or even after your child possibly shows ill health effects of the smoke. You are the child's advocate.

Smoking around kids is child abuse imo. :(
If they can't quit, they should absolutely smoke outside.

Thalia, I don't think it's the OP's child, it's her mom's child and the OP is concerned about her little brother/sister being exposed to the smoke.

Thalia, I don't think it's the OP's child, it's her mom's child and the OP is concerned about her little brother/sister being exposed to the smoke.
Ok, whoops! Sorry. I had this all wrong.