As a friend or family member of a pregnant smoker who is trying to quit, here are some things you can do to help:
For you, the best way to help a pregnant smoker when they are trying to quit is to be supportive.
Congratulate her on her decision—Quitting smoking is the best thing she can do to improve her health as well as her baby’s. Tell her to talk with her prenatal care doctor, who may be able to provide counseling proven to double or triple quit rates.
If you smoke, it will help if you avoid smoking around her or in the house. If this won’t work for family members, make certain rooms in the house, including the baby’s room, smoke-free.
More help is available through the Great Start Quitline, 1-866-66-START. The toll-free Quitline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is managed by the American Cancer Society. The Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies phone line also offers help, 1-800-311-BABY (English) or 1-800-504-7081 (Spanish).
You can also download products from Smoke-Free Families that will help:
Our booklet, Need help putting out that cigarette?, includes benefits of quitting for you and your baby, ways to prepare to quit, setting a quit date, how to handle "slips" and tips for after the baby is born.
This full-color, 28-page booklet is available in pdf format; a sample copy may be ordered by calling Smoke-Free Families at 919-843-7663 or emailing us at mail:feedback:helppregnantsmokersquit.org.
Also, you can dowload a copy of a two-page guide that includes information about the benefits of quitting, offers tips for quitting, and helps you create a quit plan. You Can Quit Smoking: Support and Advice from Your Prenatal Care Provider is produced by the U.S. Public Health Service and Smoke-Free Families.
This guide is available in pdf format from this site in English or Spanish. Free copies can be ordered by contacting the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 800-358-9295 , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 800-CDC-1311, or the National Cancer Institute, 800-4-CANCER.