Alcohol and smoking
Alcohol in pregnancy
Most people stop drinking alcohol completely in when they know they are pregnant, because this is the safest thing for a developing baby. Alcohol passes from your blood through the placenta and to your baby. There is no known safe level for drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
How alcohol can harm your baby
Your baby's developing all the way through your pregnancy. Alcohol can be harmful at any stage.
Drinking alcohol:
Damages your baby's developing cells which can affect how their brain and organs develop and how they look
Makes it more likely you'll have a miscarriage, or your baby will be born early or underweight
Can cause foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Even small amounts of alcohol can cross over from your body into your baby. The exact level of alcohol exposure that can lead to harm is not known with certainty, but the more you drink, the greater the possible harm.
Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
If you drink while pregnant your baby could develop foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This is a term used to describe a range of alcohol-related birth defects.
About 3 in every 100 children and young people in the UK have foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, but it’s preventable by avoiding alcohol when pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder may not always be detected at birth but can cause problems later in life, including:
Problems with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attention
Learning and behavioural difficulties
Experiencing difficulty in social interaction, personal care, making sense of the world, and staying safe
Sensory difficulties such as being sensitive to, and distressed by, certain patterns of light, sound, or touch.
Support your partner
Dads and partners can support a healthy, alcohol-free pregnancy by:
Not drinking alcohol around their partner
Trying activities that don’t involve alcohol - you could go swimming or go for a walk
Trying non-alcoholic alternatives such as mocktails, smoothies, and flavoured and fizzy water.
Smoking in pregnancy
You already know that smoking is bad for your health. We're not here to lecture you - we're here to help you give up. Giving up smoking can be hard, but if you're pregnant, now is definitely the time to quit.
How does smoking affect my unborn baby?
It's hard to imagine when you can't see your baby, but everything you breathe in passes through to your baby (including second-hand smoke). Each cigarette contains more than 4,000 chemicals.
When you smoke, carbon monoxide and other harmful toxins travel from your lungs, into your bloodstream, through your placenta and into your baby's body. When this happens, your baby struggles for oxygen. When your baby can't get enough oxygen, this affects their development.
It's never too late to quit
Whether you're pregnant or trying to have a baby, the sooner you quit, the better.
There is lots of help available, so you don't have to do this alone. Your local stop smoking service offers free, one-to-one advice, support and encouragement to help you stop smoking. You can also talk to your GP or midwife – they can talk you through the best treatments available.
Benefits of giving up
When you give up, the harmful gases (like carbon monoxide) and other chemicals will soon clear from your body.
Reasons to stop smoking include:
You're doing the best thing for your baby's health
The chances of having a miscarriage or still birth are reduced
You'll minimise the risk of cot death (SIDS)
Your baby is less likely to be born early (premature) or underweight.
Stopping smoking will help your baby in later life – some people suffer from asthma and other serious illnesses if their mother smoked while pregnant.
Help and support
If you are currently pregnant and want to become smokefree, speak to your midwife about our Maternity smokefree service at East Kent Hospitals.
If you are pregnant and smoke, you will be immediately referred (option to opt out is available) to a specialist maternity smokefree team and will receive support from a Tobacco Dependency Advisor to assist you on your journey.
The initial rollout of the service is available to women, birthing people and their partners in the Ashford area and the clinic will be based in the Women’s Health Suite at William Harvey Hospital. The service is flexible, person-centred and appointments can be offered in a clinic setting or at home. As part of the Maternity Smokefree service, you will have:
Early access to appropriate treatment using prescribed medication
Personalised plan to support you to become smokefree, built within your usual maternity schedule of care
Ongoing support throughout your pregnancy as required.
To find out more, please speak to your midwife.
Remember, you don't have to do this alone. Talk to your GP, midwife or pharmacist for help and advice. You can also contact the Specialist Midwife Smoking Cessation on 07815 705737 or Kent Stop Smoking Services on Freephone 0300 1231220.