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I say “we” as I assume it will be tax payers money that pay for this scheme. I simply cannot believe what I have heard in the news today: financial incentives could help pregnant women to stop smoking! Could being the operative word of that sentence, but what a crock of crap the entire sentence is, the entire idea is! Sorry, but I am on a rant and I don’t usually do this publicly on my blog. But this idea has just shocked me into it.
First off, why are these mothers not just wanting to quit? Why are they wanting to harm their unborn children? I do not smoke and have never, I hate it, but if I was pregnant and smoking I would stop right away. One of my close friends, who smoked heavily and drank quite a bit too before finding out she was pregnant, stopped as soon as she did find out. If she could do it, then I am sure anyone could. I just do not understand why women would accept money to help look after the health of their unborn babies, isn’t that just instinct? A maternal feeling that just takes over when you become a mum? Or is it greed and laziness? If these women stopped smoking, they would probably save more than the proposed ยฃ400 vouchers as a result of not buying cigarettes. Or even an e-cigarette is cheaper, isn’t it?
Andrea
January 28, 2015This subject has had me stewing all day. I find even the thought of it disgusting. The health of your unborn child should be more than enough incentive, and quite frankly, if it isn’t, but ยฃ400 is, then you should be questioning WHY you are even considering having a child. Being a parent is all about putting someone else first and this starts from the second you know you are pregnant. I HATE seeing pregnant women smoking outside the hospital – I have to take deep breathes because it makes me so angry.
And the saddest thing about it is? In trials this has worked. More women who were offered a cash incentive gave up smoking, than those that weren’t offered it. Says so much about some parents in our society – thats the sort of society I want nothing to do with. Our children’s health is our responsibility – its not something to be paid for doing.
MummyConstant
January 28, 2015Thanks for the comment Andrea. I do agree – you shouldnt need money to do it. Its part of having children. I hate seeing pregnant women smoking too, but try not to get on my high horse when I do see them.
I cant believe it about the trials. Disgusting.
I think you are right, it does say alot about our society – I bet we will be paying our children incentives to get to school in the future!!
Hannah
January 28, 2015I just can’t fathom this kind of thinking, having to be paid to not poison your unborn child. I also don’t get the mentality behind remaining a smoker into pregnancy, I know people say it’s an addiction and don’t judge, but me judging them should be the last thing of concern to them – if they are lucky enough to have a child that survives a) the pregnancy, b) any after effects following the birth, will they honestly be able to look their child in their eyes when they, in years to come, find out that their mother wasn’t strong enough to kick the habit whilst carrying them? Speaking of after-effects, the article doesn’t even touch on how even coming into contact with anyone that has smoked, let alone the mother, can greatly increase the risk of SIDS. Jesus, people, the stats just stack up and up, the combination of smoking and having a baby just does not mix. Want to smoke yourself silly? Great, you sod off and do that but don’t bother having a baby. Mums are supposed to nurture and do everything they can to put this child first and sacrifice whatever it takes for their benefit. What’s also frustrating is how desperate the situation must be for the NHS to consider paying people off, in the hope they won’t drain any more of its valuable resources. I’m a great believer in the NHS and it makes me feel like these people are reducing the very institution to a laughing stock. Our road to getting our beautiful baby boy was not always easy. In fact, we probably had more heartache than most. All my doctor (although lovely) could do, was advise of the waiting lists and lack of resources and forced me down an alternative to Western medicine route, via acupuncture. We spent into the thousands on this and I would recommend it to anyone for various needs. Actually, those addicted to smoking would do well with a bit of acupuncture! If it’s an addiction, then treat it medically – offering cash suggests it is merely psychological and nothing a bit of willpower wouldn’t sort. I’m sure they would get the acupuncture paid for even, unlike me, who with the best will in the world, had to dig deep for money that I could have been saving for the essentials of having a baby! All the pain, all the worry, all the hoping and wishing and we were lucky to eventually get our amazing baby. I can’t even bear to think of doing anything to harm him, not now or ever.
It just doesn’t sit well, having to be given a cash reward for giving a crap about your own baby. Anyone who has had a baby will know how magical the whole thing is, a thing of such innocence deserves the very best start in life, all the best chances. So stop rubbing your hands together at the idea of getting a nice little pay packet at the taxpayers’ expense, stub that disgusting, child-killing fag out and start acting like a mum. Trust me, you won’t regret it, motherhood is amazing x
Toni @ Gym Bunny Mummy
January 29, 2015Totally agree with you, it’s crazy to continue smoking in pregnancy. Maybe in the days when we didn’t know how harmful it was but those days are long gone. We shouldn’t be incentivising it, we should be supporting women to stop when through other means. This mindset is completely crazy to me
Alfresco Aussie
January 31, 2015I agree this is a ludicrous idea and a desperate attempt by the government to win votes from certain members of society that think this is a good idea. Have they considered how they will police those that have “kicked the habit”, receiving the ยฃ400, yet still having the cheeky ciggie outside the pub or hiding round the corner at the supermarket? Come on! Why not invest that money back into the desperately needed NHS hospitals? Increase nurses pay? Or schools? That’s what’s wrong with society these days…the Governments priorities are all wrong!
tally sale
February 2, 2015Do we slam mothers for refusing to move out of polluted areas? No! Do we sneer at those lucky enough to enjoy a big of sun whilst pregnant? No! What about the mothers we see who pile on the pounds through pregnancy, increasing theirs and their baby’s chance of diabetes and other health problems? Why, they are applauded for not bowing down to media pressure to maintaina slim frame during and after pregnancy.
So why make a woman who is already going through a torrid time feel worse about themselves than they already do.
Londoners breathe in the same amount of tar everyday as they would do from smoking 4 cigarettes, a woman who lives in the countryside and smokes one cigarette a day is technically being kinder to her baby than the woman who won’t move out of the city.
Let’s stop bashing those around us for not being as ‘perfect’as us, and instead support each other through one of the most difficult periods a woman has to go through.