Smokers / vaping around babies ?

Sheepdish1

Hi. Have any of you had issues with smokers / people vaping around babies?

The hospital advises smokers not to cuddle baby in same clothes as being smoked in, wash hands , wait 40 mins etc. Due to this I'm generally avoiding letting smokers hold baby which I think is fair enough even though I'm being made feel like I'm being OTT by certain people who incidentally are smokers or ex smokers😕

What I've also noticed is that some people think it's ok to vape in the same room or near my baby. How do you feel about this ?

I think it is really rude. I would be of the opinion nicotine in any form may not be safe. Also who knows what harm an unregulated product is doing or what it actually contains.

Im a " social" smoker and gave them up when pregnant and so far have stayed away from them . I didn't use a vape nor would I as I think they are too new to know whether they are causing harm.

Would you ask someone to vape outside as to avoid vaping around your baby? I thought this would be common sense but some people don't have the same view.

How do you handle this ? 3 family members vape non stop and 1 is a smoker.

Ps. I'm not an anti smoker, I Just don't want people vaping around my kid and baby

mrsmags16

I am an ex smoker (stopped when found out pregnant) but baby is occasionally around people who smoke e.g. my mum, brothers-in-law, friends etc. Nobody smokes near him or in the house, they generally go off somewhere else, but I would never stop them holding him. The child lives in Dublin City, has probably inhaled worse fumes. Vaping fumes wouldn't bother me. Nicotine inhaled by someone else will not harm baby, it is (I presume) the products of smoke from burning tobacco that is the danger.
3 people vaping non-stop in a small room; yeah I might make a comment and remove baby but also because I hate the weird fruit smells off those yokes!
I find people are generally good about the baby; for example met two people yesterday from work and they both exclaimed that they had used alcohol gel on their hands before they touched him. I wouldn't expect that but it was nice.
I am a bit guilty of the whole 'lick the soother' sterilisation if it falls though. I think most people are a bit more protective of their new babies than me (feel a bit guilty writing that!) but he is 4 months old, big bruiser and never been sick a day thankfully. I would also hate to upset my mum who adores the baby by not letting her hold him for 40 mins - not sure how I would even approach that.

Toots

I had to be pretty direct with a few family members who were smokers when my son was born. If they had just had a smoke I'd ask them to wait before holding the baby because I didn't want the baby to smell of smoke. I got a few "looks", but I think once they realised I wasn't going to back down, they just put up with it.

I vaped (no nicotine) before I got pregnant but I'd always go outside to do it because of the massive clouds it produced. My husband vaped with nicotine because he's an ex smoker and he wouldn't do it around our son. When the new baby is born he won't vape around him/her either. I'm not sure if "passive vaping" is a thing, but I'd be inclined to err on the side of caution in case nicotine can be passed in the vapour thing they exhale.

jelly&icecream

You're dead right OP, follow your gut and the medical advice you've been given and ignore the funny looks. Your child's health is your first priority.

Its really rude and selfish of them to be pushing back on this. Its not as if the effects of smoke on babies is not widely known.

Do you live with any of them? If you don't I'd be avoiding visiting them and if they come to you or you see them out somewhere have your strict rules and tell them its your way or the highway.

ally_pally

I'd keep my baby away from smoking and calling as much as possible including asking people to vape or smoke outside. It's incredibly lazy and selfish of people if they have s problem with that. Go with your gut and do what you feel is right for you and your baby.

DublinCJM

I smoke, but always wear a jacket / shirt which I remove after being outside for a smoke, and wash my hands also before picking up the baby.

Usually have a gum or sweet too to take the stink off my breath, but I don't wait 40 minutes before going near baby again.

Sheepdish1

I'm pretty direct with the smokers, I don't let them hold baby full stop. If they want to hold him they can hold him before they smoke....I have an older kid that was around second hand smoke ( out of my control ) and she constantly had chest problems.

It's more the people vaping around baby I have issue with ....they seem to think because it's just vaping that it's ok. Who knows what is inside the vapes and how they affect adults never mind a baby's developing lungs. I don't even use aerosols around him.

I just think it's really selfish and rude. Why should my baby have to breath in vapour that Has nicotine just because someone's habit or addiction. It's also really lazy....

I used to smoke and am craving them quite badly and have stayed away from them so it would be great if people had the common sense to stand outside when vaping.

shesty

If you are in my house, you can do you smoking or vaping or whatever outside.Non-negotiable, and I actually see neighbours in our estate when smoking grandparents and visitors stand outside, so it's really not that weird.

If I am in your house (especially with a small baby), I would be taking the baby and just saying "if it's ok, I'll just take the baby into another room to give you a chance to finish that" (ie, the cigarette or whatever).Either they'll take a hint and step out, or for a couple of hours of a visit you'll have to leave the room a few times.

I would personally have a problem with someone smoking or vaping around my kids.I am not a smoker and I grew up with a smokig grandparent.I hated how I smelled when I left his house, and I often had a kind of lump in my throat.If I had a cold or anything it was a million times worse.If you are going to have a habit that pollutes the atmosphere of people around you, then you need to give some consideration to where you carry out that habit when there are other people there.It's only polite

OnDraught

Sheepdish1 wrote: »

I'm pretty direct with the smokers, I don't let them hold baby full stop. If they want to hold him they can hold him before they smoke....I have an older kid that was around second hand smoke ( out of my control ) and she constantly had chest problems.

It's more the people vaping around baby I have issue with ....they seem to think because it's just vaping that it's ok. Who knows what is inside the vapes and how they affect adults never mind a baby's developing lungs. I don't even use aerosols around him.

I just think it's really selfish and rude. Why should my baby have to breath in vapour that Has nicotine just because someone's habit or addiction. It's also really lazy....

I used to smoke and am craving them quite badly and have stayed away from them so it would be great if people had the common sense to stand outside when vaping.

Vaping is regulated now. People do know what's in them and they are completely harmless to your baby.

In saying that I still wouldn't vape in a room with a baby unless someone has brought one in to the pub with them when in that case they chose to bring their child in to an environment where they can expect people to be vaping.

Digs

Just in my own experience, parenting is a learning curve and it takes time to build confidence. There's plenty of stuff when I think back on my first I was rail roaded into doing or not doing (mostly by inlaws!). Things that I wasn't happy about and used to upset me but I used to sit back and not say anything in case it caused issues.
Different story by the time my second came along. Our children come first so we make our decisions with their best interests at heart. If someone is a bit peeved as a result it's not the end of the world, they'll live. I'm much happier knowing I've made my own decisions.

With regards smoking we don't have any smokers or vapers in our immediate family/friends. I wouldn't allow anyone smoke in my house regardless of a baby being there but would include vaping if the baby was. I'm sure they could go outside or just wait!
Saying that my husband grew up in a house with both parents smoking and lost one to lung cancer so he has zero tolerance for it.

waterfaerie

You have to put the health of your baby first. Who else is going to stand up for their rights? It's your job.

I don't let smokers near my baby and I certainly don't let them handle her.

Family or not, grown adults who choose a disgusting and harmful habit need to accept the consequences of that and I wouldn't be concerned about hurting their feelings.

As for vaping, as others have said, it's too new to trust. I would apply the same rules as for smokers.

I think smoking outside cafes and the like should be banned as well. It's awful not being able to sit out for lunch on a nice day. It's something that would have always bothered me anyway but since being pregnant and now having a baby, I really notice how much smokers stop me from doing certain things I enjoy.

Sheepdish1

OnDraught wrote: »

Vaping is regulated now. People do know what's in them and they are completely harmless to your baby.

In saying that I still wouldn't vape in a room with a baby unless someone has brought one in to the pub with them when in that case they chose to bring their child in to an environment where they can expect people to be vaping.

I can't see how you can say it's completely harmless. These are new products and they have not been around long enough to say they are harmless. Nicotine does have affects on young children...it is not recommended to vape when pregnant so it is no different to being around a baby imo. Our lungs are not designed to breath in vapour and nicotine...

Sheepdish1

waterfaerie wrote: »

You have to put the health of your baby first. Who else is going to stand up for their rights? It's your job.

I don't let smokers near my baby and I certainly don't let them handle her.

Family or not, grown adults who choose a disgusting and harmful habit need to accept the consequences of that and I wouldn't be concerned about hurting their feelings.

As for vaping, as others have said, it's too new to trust. I would apply the same rules as for smokers.

I think smoking outside cafes and the like should be banned as well. It's awful not being able to sit out for lunch on a nice day. It's something that would have always bothered me anyway but since being pregnant and now having a baby, I really notice how much smokers stop me from doing certain things I enjoy.

I agree with this. I chose to give up smoking and it is difficult. I was socialising last night but didn't smoke even though I wanted to because I wanted to be able to sleep in the same room with my baby.

What annoys me about it is that it is rude, disrespectful and self centred to think it's ok to vape around kids. I know when I say this it will cause arguments but my partner agrees and will back me up.

The same people who vape around my baby tried to argue with me that second hand smoke wasn't harmful when I told them to put out a tobacco cigarette when my daughter and I were in the back of the car.....

PLL

It's wrong. / thread.

bee06

Just came across this new study that shows third hand cigarette smoke from clothes etc caused cell and organ damage in mouse. Obviously not conclusive proof that the same happens for humans but I certainly won't be taking any chances. Same goes for vaping.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2147549-third-hand-smoke-in-furniture-and-clothes-damages-mouse-organs/?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#link_time=1505494601

OnDraught

Sheepdish1 wrote: »

I can't see how you can say it's completely harmless. These are new products and they have not been around long enough to say they are harmless. Nicotine does have affects on young children...it is not recommended to vape when pregnant so it is no different to being around a baby imo. Our lungs are not designed to breath in vapour and nicotine...

Have a look at the latest research. You're a year behind.

Sheepdish1

OnDraught wrote: »

Have a look at the latest research. You're a year behind.

I don't uderstand this comment...

OnDraught

Sheepdish1 wrote: »

I don't uderstand this comment...

I was responding to your outdated information. Read the latest research. Educate yourself.

pwurple

I think it depends on the vaping but most of them are simply water vapour released. The ones that are certified and tested anyway.

All the grandparents were told no smoking around the baby when my eldest was small. My brothers followed my lead with their babies. It just occured to me, here we are 6 years later, and none of the grandparents smoke anymore.