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QUESTION: My 3-Year-Old Still Breastfeeds, But Can I Smoke Cigarettes?
“My baby is almost three years old, he still breastfeeds. I’m trying to make him quit slowly.
Is it alright for me to occasionally have a plain cigarette? Will it harm the baby? He eats normal food and stuff and takes the bottle too.”
RELATED: The Effects of Smoking While Pregnant: These Are the Dangers to Your Baby
Community Answers
The following top answers have been selected by a moderator from hundreds of responses to the original question.
“If you haven’t smoked up until now why start? I’m a smoker and I don’t recommend it as a habit: it’s disgusting, expensive, and bad for you.”
“I wouldn’t recommend smoking period.”
“Why does he take a bottle at 3? I don’t care about the breastfeeding but that’s horrible for his teeth. And personally if you haven’t smoked for 4 years essentially at this point (assuming you quit while pregnant) why start again?”
“You breastfeed as long as you want he is YOUR child!!! You smoke that cigarette and not worry. I promise it will not hurt him! These moms… I mean these so-called ‘perfect’ moms (smh) act like you’re smoking meth or something.”
“What baby? You have a newborn too? Personally by 3 the child should be weaned… that’s just too old. Then you have nothing to worry about.”
“You’ve obviously not been smoking for at least 3 years so why start now? Don’t start that bad habit.”
“Lol breastfeeding aside, don’t smoke when you have children. That’s extremely selfish.”
“Do it! STOP the mom guilt for being human!!”
“You should not be smoking when a child is involved. Secondhand smoke is more lethal than firsthand smoke. Cigarette smoke toxins linger in your clothing hair, furniture drapes. You should stop smoking for everyone’s health.”
“You shouldn’t smoke with a child in the home whether they breastfeed or not. There’s so much research linking parents who smoke to medical problems in children even if the parents don’t smoke in the home or in direct presence of the children.”
“I am a smoker. Never have been able to quit. I would say, if you’ve not smoked this whole time, please consider leaving the habit behind!”
“I wouldn’t smoke period. There are proven risks from second and third hand smoke. The only way you’re going to get the scent of a cigarette off of you is if you come in, take a shower, wash your hair, brush your teeth and change your clothes after every one. Trust me the scent is wayyy stronger to a non smoker. The post is worded like you haven’t smoked up until this point. Please don’t start again. It’s so bad for you. When you watch someone close to you die from lung cancer from smoking it changes your whole perspective on it. It’s not worth it!”
“If you’ve gone 3 years without smoking, you’ve pretty much kicked the habit! Why start it up again?”
“Yes it’ll harm him. I’d stop breastfeeding. Also I would avoid taking up smoking. It’s pretty addictive and causes a lot of health issues for not only you but anyone you come in contact with.”
“If you don’t smoke you shouldn’t start. It’s an awful habit and so hard to quit. But I will say you can still breastfeed and smoke cigarettes. I’m sure he isn’t nursing all the time and breastfeeding is still the best option even if you smoke.”
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