A new campaign encouraging parents-to-be to quit smoking called ‘Love Your Bump’ has launched in Coventry and Warwickshire.
The Love Your Bump campaign uses messages from ‘bump’ directed to parents and fellow family members who smoke to ask them to stop. The campaign will be shown across the region and a new webpage is available to signpost residents to local support services at happyhealthylives.uk/LoveYourBump.
Smoking is an addiction and Coventry and Warwickshire’s experienced and friendly advisors are on hand to help pregnant women beat the addiction with support and guidance. Smokers are three times more likely to quit smoking with support from the stop smoking in pregnancy service than on their own.
Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of developing pregnancy and birth complications and beyond, including miscarriage, pre-term pregnancy, stillbirth, lower birth weight or sudden infant death. There’s also a higher chance that children exposed to smoking develop asthma, as well as an increased likelihood that they will smoke in later life.
Tracy Pilcher, Chief Nursing Officer, Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board and new Chair of the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS).
“Stop smoking is the single biggest positive action you can do for the health of your baby. Giving up anything is hard, especially when it can feel like a comfort and is as additive as smoking, but there is help."
“The LMNS is the coming together of providers, commissioners, public health teams and other partners to improve the health and wellbeing of our local mothers, babies and their families. Second hand or ‘passive smoke’ is also damaging to the health of both baby and mother so supporting those around them to stop smoking is just as important. Our LMNS ‘Love Your Bump’ campaign is timed to coincide and reinforce the established annual Stoptober campaign.”
Councillor Margaret Bell, portfolio holder for Adult Social Care and Health at Warwickshire County Council said:
“Quitting smoking can be a challenge for many people. Nicotine is an addictive substance, and we understand that even when you know it’s the best thing for the health of you and your baby it is still difficult to take steps to quit. The local stop smoking in pregnancy service has specialist advisors trained to work with pregnant women and their families to support them through the stop smoking journey.”
Councillor Kamran Caan, portfolio holder for Public Health and Sport at Coventry City Council said:
“Giving up smoking is extremely difficult for so many people and we are really hopeful that this campaign will help us reach more women and their families expecting a baby.
“This campaign is really important, and it is just as much about continuing our work in Coventry to tackle health inequalities by helping residents to live healthier and happier lives as well as giving their babies the best start in life.
“If you are expecting a baby and would like to give up smoking, our local stop smoking specialist advisors are on hand to help you take your first steps towards a smoke free pregnancy.”
Find out more about support available for pregnant families on the Love Your Bump website.
Initially created by Hertfordshire County Council and adapted for Coventry and Warwickshire, the Hertfordshire County Council ‘Love Your Bump’ campaign is research based using information from Public Health behavioural insights along with primary research, speaking directly to a range of practitioners for their insights and holding focus groups with women in the target audience to understand some of the social and lifestyle factors that influence their behaviour. For more information about the Hertfordshire's campaign, view the case study here.