Smoking

Should I avoid it? Yes! You wouldn't light a cigarette, put it in your baby's mouth, and encourage your little one to puff away. As ridiculous as this scenario seems, pregnant women who continue to smoke are allowing their fetus to smoke too. The smoking mother passes nicotine and carbon monoxide to her growing baby.

Likewise, you should steer clear of people who are smoking, whether they're coworkers, friends, family members, or other diners at a restaurant (if your state still allows smoking in public places).

What are the risks to my baby? If a pregnant woman smokes, it could cause:

stillbirth
prematurity
low birth weight
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
asthma and other respiratory problems
And the risks to a fetus from regular exposure to secondhand smoke include low birth weight and slowed growth.

What can I do about it? If you smoke, having a baby may be the motivation you need to quit. Talk to your doctor about options for kicking the habit.

If you spend time with people who smoke, ask them nicely to do it outside — and away from you if you're outside as well. And, of course, request the nonsmoking area whenever you dine out.
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But What About...?
Whether you read it on an online pregnancy chat board, heard it from your best friend's coworker's cousin, or aren't sure where that nagging doubt came from, worries about what's OK during pregnancy abound. Here's the lowdown on some common ones that many expectant women wonder about.