For the sake of the child, can you quit smoking?

(Baonghean) - Do you remember, Dad?When Mom told me she wanted to get pregnant and wanted Dad to quit smoking, Dad brushed it off and said that the pregnancy was Mom's business, not his. Mom "threatened" a divorce, so Dad got angry and left for a while.

But did you know that smoking affects both your sperm and your mother's golden eggs?

After 6 months of dad quitting smoking, one beautiful morning mom was so happy she cried when she saw the pregnancy test stick with 2 lines. Mom jumped up and hugged dad and cried, was dad happy at that time? At this time mom also reminded dad not to smoke because during this time he could still lose the baby at any time.

I was 2 weeks old, my mother had morning sickness, she vomited everything she ate, she vomited without any schedule, morning - noon - afternoon - night. (I'm sorry mom! Because of me, you're like this). And my father smoked, they argued. (I thought to myself: Does dad not want me?)

Then at week 16, dad took mom to see a doctor, the doctor said the baby was slow to develop compared to normal fetuses. The doctor said: Children born to parents who smoked during pregnancy have a rate of mental retardation of more than 50% compared to non-smokers and increased to 70% in those who smoked 1 pack/day.

More dangerously, cigarettes can increase the concentration of hormones epinephrine, vasopressin... making miscarriage easier. When she got home, mom cried like rain, she punched dad, blamed dad for being a bad dad, loving cigarettes more than loving his child. That if anything happened to the child, she would divorce dad in a flash. Dad heard what the doctor said and mom threatened, he was also scared. Quit smoking for the second time.

Illustration: Nam Phong.

Week 20. Dad quit smoking! I'm 10 times happier, Mom is 10 times happier. Perhaps this is the happiest time for Mom and Dad since I came into the world. Dad cares for Mom more. However, every now and then I see Mom sniff Dad's shirt and lips and suddenly ask: "Are you smoking again?" Dad denies it: "No way!"

Week 24. Mom was angry with Dad again when she found out he was smoking secretly again. Dad said he would rather quit than quit smoking, and besides, I was past the dangerous stage. Mom was silent and didn’t say anything more. She must have been fed up with Dad because she once told me: “I’m so fed up with Dad, Bin. Dad keeps smoking and doesn’t listen to me! I’m sorry!”

Week 30. The doctor examined me and said that I had gained little weight compared to my gestational age, and blamed me for not eating much because I was trying to stay in shape. If this situation continued, it could cause malnutrition in the fetus. The doctor asked me to go home and eat a lot. When I got home, I tried to eat a lot. One day, I felt so sorry for her, I ate until I was full and then lay down panting. She said she wasn't afraid of getting fat, and tried to eat so that I had enough nutrients.

Week 34. Mom's belly is starting to get too tight for the baby, now turning sideways or lying down is frustrating, sometimes the baby is so uncomfortable that he just kicks mom. Mom must be starting to get tired of the baby, but why doesn't she complain at all, instead she talks and sings to the baby all day. Dad also joins in talking to the baby, but every time, after only saying one sentence to the baby, mom chases him away: "Gosh, the smell of cigarettes is so bad! Stay away from me!"

Dad, actually, I find your voice very pleasant, but it would be better if you quit smoking and talk to me more. Because what Mom doesn’t like, I don’t like either, and anything that affects me, Mom will definitely take action to… eliminate it all!

And I am thinking whether I should “crawl” out of mommy’s belly now, because not only mommy but I, I can’t stand the smell of dad’s cigarettes anymore. Dad, just imagine, mommy’s belly is too tight for me now, and I have to inhale cigarette smoke every day, if you were dad, could you stand it?

Thanh Tuong(compiled from the Web)