Last week on the Hoosier Chiropractic Podcast I had Aubrey the Doula on to talk about how she delivers care both during birth and postpartum. In addition to being a doula, Aubrey is also the Prenatal Cessation Coordinator at the Tobacco Coalition of Wabash County.
Wabash County has a higher percentage of adults who smoke ( 22%) and pregnant women who smoke (17%) than the state average ( 21.1% and 11.5% respectively) and the national average (16.1% and 7.2% respectively) so I reached out to her about some questions regarding smoking habits around pregnancy in Wabash.
Is there a time during pregnancy where smoking is the most dangerous for the baby?
No point of pregnancy is safer than another. While the placenta is there to filter bad stuff, it does get “tired” after filtering for 9 months and can lead to placenta issues, low birth weight, etc.
Is vaping a safer alternative?
Vaping is not safer. There’s a misconception that vaping is less harmful, but it’s actually just as harmful if not more depending on how much it is used.
How dangerous is second hand smoke?
Second hand smoke is just as harmful. Third hand smoke (on hair, clothing, and surfaces) is also very dangerous, especially to infants that can’t escape.
What resources does Wabash offer to help expecting moms that want to quit?
In Wabash, all Doctor offices, Life center, WIC etc all refer to me at the Tobacco Coalition of Wabash County. Since I’m the Prenatal Cessation Coordinator, I’m in charge of the Baby & Me Tobacco Free program which helps mom quit for free. As a bonus, for every month they are smoke free, they get a $25 Walmart gift card that is good for diapers and wipes.
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