Vim & Vigor - Winter 2008 - (Page 49)

the smoke-free mom-to-be S quit while you’re ahead Sonographer Lisa Norman passes the ultrasound wand over her patient’s pregnant belly. As the placenta connecting baby and mom comes into view on the imaging screen, Norman asks the woman if she smokes. The young mother-to-be is clearly surprised Norman can tell, until she’s shown the tiny white calciﬁcations in the placenta caused by cigarette smoking. Norman explains that such changes in the placenta can compromise the ﬂow of nutrients and oxygen between mom and baby, affecting fetal development. When the expectant mom says she’s been trying to quit and can’t, Norman tells her about St. Anthony North Hospital’s smoking cessation program speciﬁcally for pregnant women. The brainchild of childbirth educators Carol Zook, R.N., and Kathleen Herrington, R.N., certiﬁed addictions counselor Andrea BonWilson, and OB/GYN Jenni Cooper, M.D., of Women’s Health Specialists at St. Anthony North Hospital, this new program is offered at no charge to those delivering at the hospital. Designed to support moms-to-be in making changes to protect their baby’s health as well as their own, the program is ﬁlled with facts on why now is the best possible time for them to quit. st. anthony hospital north launches smoking cessation program for expectant mothers If you’re expecting—and still smoking—there’s still time to give your baby a better chance at a healthy start. To learn more about the free smoking-cessation program for women delivering at St. Anthony Hospital North, call 303-629-4051. call ❋ an easy argument “Apart from all the usual reasons for stopping smoking, moms have some special incentives before and after baby arrives,” Cooper says. “In addition to placental dysfunction restricting growth, we know that smoking is one of the leading identiﬁable causes of sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS].” Babies born to women who smoke also have higher blood pressure. The risk of respiratory problems is increased. Even when parents do not smoke around newborns, they can transmit the toxic chemicals from cigarettes through their clothes. But it’s compassion—not criticism—that drives this new support program. “Nicotine addiction is very powerful,” Cooper says. “It’s been shown that many people have a harder time getting off cigarettes than cocaine or methamphetamine.” The support of a group can help, she says. And should the pregnant woman need medication to quit, this obstetrician understands. “Of course, the ideal is to quit as soon as possible without medication,” Cooper says. “But if I have to choose between her smoking a cigarette or using a patch, gum or inhaler, there’s no choice.” Smoking Cessation Counselor Andrea BonWilson understands how difﬁcult stopping can be. “People will smoke, even at the risk of their child, and feel terrible,” she says. But maternal love is a powerful motivator. This is one area where personal choices have double the impact—the beneﬁts are ongoing.” vim & vigor · wi nter 2008 49

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2008

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2008 Contents Friendly Faces For Your Health 'Tis the Season to be Safe Eat Your Veggies Joint Effort Fresh Beginnings Decades of Opportunity Keeping Score Your Big Give Roll Up Your Sleeve Tidings of Comfort and Health Blueprint for Safety The Smoke-Free Mom-to-Be Childbirth Trends Moms Choosing Midwives Community Sections Dollars & Sense Ask the Experts

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.