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, vomited without any schedule, morning - noon - afternoon - night. (I'm sorry mom! Because of me, my mother was like this). And my father smoked, they argued. (I thought to myself: Does my father 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 fathers and mothers 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 father, loving cigarettes more than loving her child. That if anything happened to her child, she would divorce Dad in a flash. Dad heard the doctor's words and Mom's threats, and 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 from the moment I appeared until now, this is the happiest period for Mom and Dad. Dad cares for Mom more. However, every now and then I see Mom sniff Dad's shirt, his lips, and suddenly ask: "Are you smoking again?" Dad denies: "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, you were 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, he keeps smoking and doesn’t listen to me! I’m sorry!”

Week 30. The doctor said that the baby had gained little weight compared to the gestational age, and blamed the mother for not eating much because she was trying to stay in shape. If this continued, the fetus could be malnourished. The doctor asked the mother to go home and eat a lot. When the mother got home, she tried to eat a lot. One day, the child felt so sorry for her, she ate until she was full and then lay there panting. The mother said she was not afraid of gaining weight, and tried to eat so that the child would have 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 too, but why doesn't she complain at all, she talks and sings to the baby all day long. Dad also joins in talking to the baby, but every time, he can only say one sentence to the baby and then mom chases him away: "Gosh, the smell of cigarettes is so bad! Stay away from the baby!"

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 Mom’s belly right now, because not only Mom but I, I can’t stand Dad’s cigarette smell anymore. Dad, try to imagine, Mom’s belly is too cramped 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)