Stoptober is running throughout October and Warwickshire County Council is supporting pregnant women, partners and families to quit smoking with the help of dedicated Warwickshire stop smoking in p...
Stoptober is running throughout October and Warwickshire County Council is supporting pregnant women, partners and families to quit smoking with the help of dedicated Warwickshire stop smoking in pregnancy advisors.
Smoking is an addiction and Warwickshire’s experienced and friendly advisors are here to help pregnant women beat the addiction with support and guidance along with free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).
If you smoke during your pregnancy, you have a much higher risk of developing pregnancy and birth complications and beyond, including miscarriage, pre-term pregnancy, stillbirth, lower birth weight, sudden infant death. There’s also a higher chance that children exposed to smoking develop asthma, as well as an increased likelihood that they will smoke in later life.
Support for pregnant women who smoke has continued throughout COVID-19, with online and telephone access to advisors. One new parent shared how the Warwickshire stop smoking advisors supported her throughout pregnancy:
“I would just like to thank my advisor for all the support she put in with me over the last 8months + during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I never thought I would be able to stop smoking before and during my pregnancy, it was a very stressful time but the help and support I got from my advisor was just amazing! Within the first meeting with her and chatting to her it changed my outlook on smoking and the risks it can do not only to my baby but me also!
“I stopped smoking within the first week of meeting up with her and I have never felt better.
“Due to COVID-19 it's been very difficult with meetings but having the support over the phone as and when I needed it didn't stop me with battling my smoking addiction.
Not only do I no longer want to smoke again, but I also have a gorgeous, healthy baby girl.”
Councillor Les Caborn, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care & Health, added: “Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life. In Warwickshire, our specialist team of experienced stop smoking in pregnancy advisors provide a friendly, confidential service to help pregnant smokers stop smoking.
“The service is provided not only to pregnant women, but also their partner and family, helping everyone to make positive changes and improve their health. As well as giving your baby the best chance at being healthy, stopping smoking is also really good for your health and your pocket too!”
It’s never too late to quit smoking, but the sooner you decide to do it the better.
Contact the Quit 4 Baby team via email on ssip@swft.nhs.uk, look at their website quit4baby.co.uk, for more information, you can call or text the team directly on 07917 227004 or find them on Facebook @Stopsmokinginpregnancy