How Bad Is Second-hand Smoke For An Infant When The Smoker Smokes Outdoors?
22 December 2009
My mother-in-law (MIL) is staying with us for a short time. I have an infant barely two weeks old. My MIL smokes often, and always outdoors, but you can’t escape the lingering cigarette smell on things like dishtowels she uses, or her own clothes. Naturally, I won’t go outside with the baby when my MIL is smoking. What else can I do about the smell in the house? Do I deny my MIL the right to hold the baby because her clothes smell like smoke? Thoughts and advice please…
Just have her wash her hands after she smokes….
My husband smokes (outside only) and thats what I have him do…..you can always request she wears a jacket or a shirt over her other one while she smokes to reduce the smell on her other shirt!
the bad effects CAN come from clothes, blankets, hair, etc…..it’s not worth it. maybe if she can’t come near the baby she’ll QUIT and wouldn’t that be great for her?!
First of all do not deny her the right to hold her grandchild, that is taking it a bit far. And I yes am a mom and was very overprotective, but never went that far.
My husband smoked (and still does) outside and it never hurt my kids, they are now 6 and 8 and are fine.
It is scary but even at stores there are people with second hand smoke etc. of course they are not holding your baby, but my point is they are exposed to it anyway and she is going outside. And she will be leaving soon, so I would just grin and bear it unless she tries to smoke inside or in the car or something.
Congratulations on your baby!
Oh geeze! You are in a spot aren’t you? Well second hand smoke is very bad! The smell that lingers on clothing…I would talk to my doctor about seriously. I know I wouldn’t want to pick up my child and smell smoke on him/her! You will eventually need to say something. Sooner is better than later when you are fed up with it. Tell her the doctor said or something like that. Heck, let her son talk to her. It is his mother and his child! Oh boy, good luck!
I can see your concerns. I don’t know how the smoke on her clothes, etc would affect the baby other than make the baby’s clothes smell bad after she has held him/her.
The smell may be unpleasant, but it won’t hurt the baby. Your MIL is doing the right thing by smoking outside so that the baby doesn’t breathe the smoke.
Your MIL can hold the baby, it won’t hurt and it would be cruel to deny her the right to hold her grandchild.
I would get one of those plug-in air fresheners which don’t sneeze at you. They give off a continuous scent which will help to mask the smell, but they don’t draw attention to themselves. I would also use a furniture polish with a pleasant smell, the scent lasts for quite a while.
I wish you and your family a pleasant visit together.
I made my MIL and FIL NOT smoke while I was around them when he was very little, but now as long as they wash their hands and smoke outside, I’m okay with it. Tell them you’d rather them take a few days off smoking if they wouldn’t mind.
I know that it is alot to ask of her, but ask her to change her clothes when she goes out. At the hospital with our 3rd child, they told my husband that the best thing to do was to at least change his shirt before he came back into the room with the baby.
Since it is your MIL it is a tougher situation, but my mother and one of my sisters smoke so much it is disgusting! And this coming from someone who smoked! So before I even had the baby I let everyone know that I did not want my baby smelling like cigarettes or perfum.
So anyone who came to visit had to not wear perfum or smell like cigarettes.
with any baby your suppose to wash your hands before holding her/him. to reduce virus’s and gems since they dont have a great immune system atm..
other then her washing her hands she could wear a jacket when she smokes and the smell would linger on that more then her shirt and pants…
As for the smells in the house try febreeze air effects or oust.
dont spray alot and not near the baby…. and that should help elimate some of that stinkiness.
congrads on your baby….
edit- my mother and grams Quit b/c they knew how i felt about smoking and the baby was worth the quit… they didnt quit completely but when around me and my baby they never did…. they went cold turkey for a week.
Be tolerant