Smoking and Alcohol During Pregnancy

By stopping smoking before – or as soon as – you get pregnant, you can have a safer pregnancy and a healthier baby.

Smoking During Pregnancy

Stopping smoking once your baby is born will still help protect them against:

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, or cot death)
breathing problems
ear infections and hearing loss
behavioural problems

Read more about the effects of passive smoking on children.

Breastfeeding and smoking

As a new mum, not smoking is also the single most important thing you can do to protect your own health. However, if you're finding it hard to quit smoking, it's important not to stop breastfeeding.

Guidance on Breastfeeding and Smoking

Benefits of stopping smoking in pregnancy

Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life.

Stopping Smoking Benefits

Ways to quit smoking

Quitting is much easier when you get the right support and there are lots of options to choose from. Even if you’ve tried before, maybe more than once, you can still succeed.

Ways to Quit Smoking

Alcohol During Pregnancy

If you have difficulty stopping drinking, talk to a midwife, doctor or pharmacist. Confidential help and support are also available from a number of different organisations.

Drinkaware national alcohol helpline

As a new mum, not smoking is also the single most important thing you can do to protect your own health. However, if you're finding it hard to quit smoking, it's important not to stop breastfeeding.

Drinkaware Advice Service

We Are With You support services

We Are With You provide a UK-wide treatment agency that helps individuals, families and communities manage the effects of alcohol and drug misuse.

We Are With You Support helpline

Alcoholics Anonymous free self help groups

Alcoholics Anonymous offers a free self-help group; its "12-step" programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups. There is also a national free helpline 08009177650 and a live chat tool.

Ways to Quit Smoking