A pair of Peckham sisters who quit smoking when one of them became pregnant are now encouraging others to do the same.
Adele Moore, 30, was three months pregnant when she was referred to Guy’s and St Thomas’ stop smoking specialist Rowan Agate.
“My midwife mentioned my smoking at the first ten-week appointment in January 2017 but I carried on smoking until I was referred to Rowan,” said Adele.
“Somehow I had it in my head that his lungs would be the last thing to develop. As a smoker you’re always finding excuses but at the first meeting I saw a poster on the wall with a baby struggling to breathe in its mother’s tummy.
“I cried and that was it – we set a quit date for the following Monday.”
When Adele’s son Freddie was born he was a healthy size and weighed eight pounds, which Adele attributes to knocking her smoking addiction on the head.
Her 23-year-old sister Megan, the heavier smoker of the two, who smoked 25 cigarettes a day, accompanied her to the first stop smoking meeting at Dulwich Community Hospital.
“I had a nagging thing in my head that I wanted to quit and I knew I couldn’t support her unless I did it myself too,” said Megan.
Adele and Megan used Nicotine Replacement Therapy mouth spray and patches to reduce the smoking cravings when they quit.
The women attend Rowan’s stop smoking clinic once a week for advice, support and to take a carbon monoxide reading, to keep them motivated to remain smoke-free.
“We couldn’t have stopped smoking without the support of Rowan; she’s been amazing,” said Adele.
Stop smoking specialist Rowan added: “We know it can be challenging to quit smoking, especially when you’re pregnant and the cravings are very strong, but with NHS support you’re four times more likely to quit smoking and we can help you stop smoking for good.
“Adele and Megan show that by stopping smoking you’re not only improving your own health, but also the health of your children and setting a great example for the whole family.”