Protect Yourself & Your Baby from Smoke

Drawing of a stork carrying a baby

Secondhand Smoke is Dangerous

If you smoked before getting pregnant, you've stopped (or will soon) because you want to protect your baby. But you also need to protect yourself and your baby from secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is the dangerous smoke that fills the air from other people's cigarettes.

Pregnant women who are around cigarette smoke have a greater chance of:

Drawing of a baby
  • getting colds, headaches and even cancer;
  • have a more difficult delivery;
  • having a smaller than average baby who has to stay in the hospital longer;
  • having a sick baby who is fussy and cries a lot.

After your baby is born, smoke in the air:

  • makes it hard for the baby to breathe;
  • causes the baby's eyes to sting;
  • increases the chance that your baby will get more colds, bronchitis, ear infections and pneumonia; and put your baby at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

You Can Protect Yourself & Your Baby From Smoke!

Ask people not to smoke around you and the baby:

  • Put a "no smoking" sign near the baby's crib.
  • Don't allow babysitters to smoke while they watch your baby.
  • Don't allow anyone to smoke in your house or your car. Tell family members and friends that smoke travels all over the house and that hurts the baby.
For help quitting, call
New York State Smokers' Quitline at
1-866-NYQUITS (1-866-697-8487).

It's a free confidential service to help you become smoke-free.

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