Well, you know it is bad. And yet, you do it? Why? You must not really want to quit. That is the leading indicator as to whether someone quits...and stays a non-smoker. You need to figure out that you want to quit...and just do it. Or deal with the consequences.

To be honest, I don't necessarily want to quit. I do want to have the willpower to force myself to only smoke outside right now. I haven't made the decision to quit yet, I'm hoping I'll hear enough encouragement to get me to that step. Thanks.

second hand smoke has beev proven to effect a baby/child's ear health. babies with ear infections are not fun!

Ok, here I go....LOL...
I have never been a "real" smoker, I would once in a while if I had a cocktail, I have not since I was prego and not after. My husband still smokes, and I hate it. Know that I do not at all, I really can smell it on him and it makes me sick to my stomach sometimes. I have not told him he had to stop, I have asked, he has tried, but he still does. BUT he does outside and NEVER in the car. The other thing, since you asked us to give it to you....I work at a cancer hospital, I see all the horrible things everyday that happens to grown ups as well as children. My mother died from cancer, ovarian, but a direct link to her lungs, she smoked for many many yrs. It was the most horrible thing I have ever went through, a very painful death, and I do not wish that on anyone.
Of course, honestly, I am the one that says everyone should do as they wish, but for your children's sake, I would try to stop or at least take it out of the house. I can hear in your words the love you have for your baby, if you need a push, use that, there is no smoking worth any harm to your baby. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!!!!!!

I grew up in the 70's and everyone smoked. My mom says her doctor smoked in the office while she was getting prenatal check-ups. My mom still smokes to this day. I never did...this is why:

When I moved out of the house, I went home to visit after about two weeks. The house absolutely reeked!!! The air was thick with the smell of cigarettes and I had to run to the bathroom and vomit. You don't notice the smell and the thickness of the cigarette smoke until you are totally away from it. I then realized that I probably went to school every day from K-12 smelling like an ashtray. Other kids probably did too and they were the ones who didn't notice...but what about the kids whose parents didn't smoke???? Nowadays, less and less people smoke so the odds are in favor that everyone will be able to smell smoke on your little one and it won't be pleasant. All health risks aside, just looking at the asthetics of it...I'd rather send my son's to school smelling like shampoo and lotion than nicotine.

I hope you didn't smoke during your pregnancy! I was a pack-a-day smoker, until I decided to have babies, & I gave up cold-turkey & have never looked back. I think that you have to WANT to give it up to be successful at quitting. But really, if you simply don't want to, at least get those stinky things OUT OF THE HOUSE!! LOL to the reply from dancermom, re: kids going to school smelling of smoke - let's hope your daughter does not suffer the same fate! And really, it isn't like you are addicted to crack or anything - smoking is relatively easy habit to break, you'll just be cranky for a few days. Surely that one negative outweighs all the positives!

Have u quit yet? Or at least taken it outside? I'm curious to know...

I am fed up and sick of the gross things! I chucked a few packs in the garbage the other day but since then have continued to smoke, but less, and ONLY outside! It rained alot last week and it helped me cut down even more. It's just not worth it. I hope I can continue, your responses helped me so much, I even printed this page out and posted it on my bathroom mirror. When I don't think about smoking and the reprocussions, I just do it mechanically. When advice is in front of me from other people, it's a daily reminder and I think about it consiously. So thank you everyone!! I'll keep at it. :)

I am a smoker too. I am sorry to say that I smoked through out both pregnancies, I did try quitting (cold turkey is all you can do when preg, the patches, gum, tablets after!) although managed to get down to 5 max per day (from 20!), and my youngest is now 5 months old. I used to go outside to smoke, until recently when we moved to a bigger house. Siad house is in a block of flats, so I went out the front on the balcony....But last week one of the 'NO SMOKING OR BE FINED' signs got put up at the building entrance....so now what do I do??? I am being forced to smoke, and allow visitors to smoke in my home, around my children!!! But in reality, I am still on the balcony risking being fined. So you have my support and hugs lastadvice, i know how it feels!

I met a new friend in our apartment complex and she has 4 kids the youngest being 2.To my suprize she smokes like a train in her van with the kids and at home in the living room..she wonders why her son has really bad athsma..

My mom smoked through 5 pregnancies and smoked in the house all of our lives.Luckily none of us have health problems but 3 of the 5 are heavy smokers,I am a social smoker(never at home or around the kids)so 4 out of the 5 turned out to smoke..I even had my first one at 7..that's just something else to think about.

I am not a smoker, but my father was until I was grown and gone. He had a heart attack and it scared him so he never picked up another cigarette. I am convinced that his smoking caused me to have terrible ear infection and asthmatic bronchitis as a child. It got better as I got older and didn't live with him anymore. I still struggle with mild to moderate respiratory problems and don't go anywhere without an inhaler. You moms and dads who smoke in the presence of your kids or anywhere in your home, think about the suffering you could be causing your child if you continue. I have spells when I feel like I cannot get enough air in no matter how hard I try. That is a really scary feeling and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, especially a child that can't tell you what the problem is.

But for those of you who think that smokers should just buck it up and quit, it isn't that simple. Nicotine is as strong a drug as things like street drugs such as cocaine or prescription drugs like codeine. So don't be so judgmental when someone says they are trying but aren't successful. It almsot always takes a huge scare like the threat of dying or some help medically or psycologically to quit.

You wanna know what made me quit smoking years ago? My brother in law was an EMT. One day, I was visiting my parents and I heard a slight hissing sound. I looked in my parents room and my brother in law had my dad on his portable oxygen tank. My dad was gasping for breath. The fear in his eyes took my breath as well. To watch someone you love try to take a breath and they can't, they panic, they are afraid that they might really die this way....I will not let my children see me like that....not from smoking anyway. I smoked for a short time, so it might have been easier for me to quit, but I still did it. I have not even thought about smoking a cigarette since. I hope you can quit. You have taken the first step which is admitting that it's harmful and dangerous. You are also willing to take a tounge lashing from strangers, so maybe you do really want to quit. I read a lot about it when my mom quit last January. Did you know that it's only about 2 or 3 days until you are over the nicotine withdrawl? After that, it's just breaking the psychological habit. Read about it, get some tips. You can do this.

I think the scariest thing about smoking around a small child is that it is the #1 risk factor in SIDS. I was told this by a RN recently. Maybe smoking in the basement is far enough away so that it doesn't really affect your daughter, I don't know. But smoking outside would be better, I think. Of course, quitting is even better. Besides improving your health, you would probably save a lot of money by not buying cigarettes!

I smoked about 1 pack in a 2 day span, it was hard to quit and i did up until the end of the 1st month, but i knew that it would be that much better to have a healthy baby. I am still pregnant and my fiance smokes, but he just keeps it as far away from me as possible. He knows it was hard for me to quit and it is just as hard for him. If you do choose to quit you will see a dramatic change, in the way you feel when you walk or run or move, and it also gives you over 50 to 100 extra dollars at the end of the month.