Bad Mother of the Year

Saturday night we went to dinner at Olive Garden with the in-laws. A storm had just come in so it was nice & wet outside. All the smokers were taking their mid-dinner smoke under the canopy so as to not get wet.

As we walked in I noticed a women sitting down & smoking. She had a very recognizable bump.

Yeah, she was noticeably pregnant, probably about 7 months pregnant.

I was livid, almost to the point of tears.

She finished her cigarette & came back inside to wherever her table was. It took all I had to not follow her & let her have a piece of my mind.

How could she do that to her baby? How completely selfish do you have to be that your addiction is more important that your baby’s health?

It hurt me. When you want a baby of your own so bad & have come so close already & learn that it’s gonna take some work to get it, it’s just another kick in the gut to see someone who probably got knocked up with no problem & is completely careless with the blessing she’s been given.

And it’s not like she can claim ignorance that she has no idea why a pregnant woman shouldn’t smoke. Here’s some of the consequences that I found to smoking while pregnant:

1. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Women who smoke during pregnancy expose their babies to SIDS as these babies are more likely to die from the harmful effects of smoking.

2. Stillbirth: Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the chances of the death of their babies during pregnancy itself.

3. Low birth weight of the baby: Birth weight of the baby is an important factor for the future health of the baby. Low birth weight can lead to a great many complications. In fact, low birth weight is the main reason for pre-natal death (during the first month after the birth).

4. Colic: A baby born of a mother who used to smoke during pregnancy is more likely to have colic. Colic is often a condition is early infancy. Colic results in abdominal pain caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera, such as intestines.

5. Respiratory Infections: Your baby is more likely to have asthma and other respiratory diseases if you expose your babies to smoking or even secondhand smoke.

6. Placenta Abruption: This condition arises when the placenta pulls the walls of the uterus either before or during labor. This requires an immediate delivery usually through cesarean operation. A smoker's placenta is thinner making her more likely to have placenta abruption.

7. Premature birth: Smoking during pregnancy can lead to pre mature birth due to premature rupture of membranes. A pregnant smoker's body is more likely to end her pregnancy sooner in an effort to protect the baby from harmful smoke. Premature birth can lead to serious complications for the baby such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy.

8. Miscarriage: A woman who smokes during pregnancy can have trouble staying pregnant. It may lead to miscarriage. It can also decrease you fertility.

Now why would you risk putting your child through that?

I decided to not say anything to the lady, mostly because I’m a big chicken about confrontation & would just cry. But what would you do? Would you have said something?