Hey everyone, what are your thoughts on a smoker holding your newborn baby? Would you be happy for a smoker to hold them, would you ask they don’t smoke for a while or wash their hands or would you say that you don’t want your newborn being held by a smoker?

I’m based in the UK 🇬🇧 and been reading up on the nhs advice about smoking, I have never smoked but a few people in my family do so I know this will be something I need to think about. Between things I’ve read and sort of advice from friends with babies it varies from asking them to not smoke for a few hours, to change their clothes, to wash their hands and brush their teeth, to the more extreme of saying not allowed to hold the baby at all.

Just wondered what you think is the best thing to do about this. In my experience so far I did mention this to one of the smokers in my family and said I’m not comfortable with the smoke toxin around the baby and the response back was they will smoke if they want and I can’t tell people what to do. I’m not going to trying to stop people smoking if that’s their choice, it’s up to them to smoke or not smoke, but I think it should be ok for me to say not to hold the baby if I feel that way about it.

Any advice or thoughts would be really appreciated 😊