FabSwingers.com forum: Financial Incentives to Stop Smoking

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

A trial is underway in Scotland to provide an incentive for pregnant ladies to give up smoking for the duration of their confinement. Up to £200 could claimed if the expectant mothers give up for the full term. A spokeswoman for NHS Scotland said the cost was less than treatment given to babies born with complications that could have been caused by the mother smoking. Surely the incentive is improving the chances of a healthy baby?

By *rcticFoxxxWoman
over a year ago

Hereabouts

I was discussing this with my mate earlier. If I were actively trying for a baby I would stop smoking. But if it happened accidentally then the financial incentive would probably help. However when I was in the hospital a few months ago, I was on the same floor as the maternity ward and I got chatting to a girl who was like 8 months pregnant. Her baby was extremely healthy etc. And she was smoking. She quit around month 3 of her pregnancy and the stress of not smoking was actually more harmful to her baby than the smoking was. Her midwife implied that the smoking would be less damaging. Now I understand that this is an extreme casr and i don't know all the ins and outs of her pregnancy but she mentioned heart problems and stuff because of the stress. It's tricky. Alcoholics can't just quit drinking all together instantly because it's dangerous, and cigarettes also cause addiction and completely stopping straight away COULD be harmful. I'm not saying it's the same for everyone but it depends on the person.

I was heavily medicated for the whole conversation so I can't give any more information than that.

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"A trial is underway in Scotland to provide an incentive for pregnant ladies to give up smoking for the duration of their confinement. Up to £200 could claimed if the expectant mothers give up for the full term. A spokeswoman for NHS Scotland said the cost was less than treatment given to babies born with complications that could have been caused by the mother smoking. Surely the incentive is improving the chances of a healthy baby? "

True. I gave up easily with all my pregnancies (thanks to morning sickness extending to the smell of cigs knocking me sick), continued not smoking for a while afterwards as well then eventually went back to smoking again.

My mum smoked with all of us, we turned out fine and many people have that attitude that smoking during pregnancy is fine, because for most people it seems the evidence is that it is fine. Plus smoking is an addiction and addictions aren't rational, especially when people are expected to give them up and don't want to.

Seems a bit weird to hand out money for something that ''could'' be caused by smoking though. Hope it works, wish i'd never started smoking ever.