BLOOMINGTON – In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, it’s important to note the importance of tobacco cessation especially for those with children or who are breastfeeding.
“Indiana has a pregnancy smoking rate that is almost double the national average,” said IU Health Community Health Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Kristen Terry. “Infants and fetuses are at increased risk of serious health issues when exposed to tobacco, and they don’t even need to be in the room where someone is smoking to be affected.”
We know these harmful chemicals pass directly from the mother to the infant during pregnancy,
and through breast milk and secondhand smoke after birth, Terry added.
Babies can even be exposed through third-hand smoke, which can be found on a person’s clothing, hands and furniture. That’s why everyone around an infant should wash their hands and change their clothes to ones that have been washed recently before coming in contact with the child.
Quitting tobacco is one of the best things you can do for the health of yourself and your baby
If you want to quit and need some help, call the Indiana Tobacco Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) for free, evidence-based support to tobacco users who want to quit. Visit QuitNowIndiana.com to find out more.
About Indiana University Health
Named among the “Best Hospitals in America” by U.S. News & World Report for 23 consecutive years, Indiana University Health is dedicated to providing a unified standard of preeminent, patient-centered care. A unique partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation’s leading medical schools – gives our highly skilled physicians access to innovative treatments using the latest research and technology. Learn more at www.iuhealth.org.
