Pregnancy and Tobacco Use
Free help to quit, without judgment.
Quitting can feel hard, but you do not have to do it alone. Get free help from Maine QuitLink and Baby & ME Tobacco Free. Join one or both programs for extra support.
Baby & ME Tobacco Free Program
Free help for pregnant people in Maine who want to quit tobacco. Get caring, judgment-free support during and after pregnancy. Earn gift cards for staying tobacco-free. The program is free, and no insurance is needed.
You Can Join If You
- Are pregnant (36 weeks or less)
- Use tobacco now or quit when you found out you were pregnant
- Use any tobacco or nicotine products: cigarettes, vapes, chew, cigars, pouches
What You Get
- 10 telehealth visits total: 4 during pregnancy and 6 after birth
- Up to $400 in gift cards for baby items like diapers and formula
- A personal quit coach who supports you without judgment
- Quick breath or saliva tests to earn gift cards
- Ongoing support, even if you slip up
Better together: You can join both
Baby & ME Tobacco Free and Maine QuitLink work together to support you during pregnancy and beyond.
Quitting Now Can Still Make a Difference
Quitting smoking or vaping gives you and your baby the best chance at a healthy pregnancy and birth. Nicotine products, including vapes, can affect your baby’s growth and health. Quitting will help create a healthier future for you and your baby. When you stop smoking while pregnant, your baby gets more oxygen, even after one day.
You can also take steps to protect your baby after birth. Learn how to protect your baby after birth.
What you gain by quitting:
- Lower risk of problems during pregnancy and during birth
- Less likely to give birth too early
- Easier and faster recovery after birth
- Lower risk of feeling depressed after birth
- More oxygen leading to stronger growth and development
- Lower risk of being born early and health problems that often go with being born early
- Better lung growth
- Less likely to be exposed to thirdhand smoke residue when being held
- Lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Support health and development for years to come
Other Free Quit Programs
Maine QuitLink provides free coaching, medications, and online tools to help anyone quit tobacco or nicotine. Choose the support that’s right for you.
Talk to a Quit Coach
Get free, 1-on-1 phone coaching with a trained Quit Coach to make your own quit plan. People who join are twice as likely to quit, and using free nicotine gum, patches, or lozenges can triple your chances.
- 12 weeks of free gum, patches, or lozenges
- Talk with a Quit Coach
- Unlimited support
Sign Up for Online Tools
Take control of your quit journey with easy-to-use online tools. Customize a quit plan, stay motivated, and track your progress using the online dashboard. Start today and build a plan made just for you.
- Free 4-week starter kit of patch, gum, or lozenges
- Text message support
- Chat online with a coach
Benefits After the Baby is Born:
The postpartum period can be hard, beautiful, and stressful. Many new parents may feel tempted to turn to old habits during this time when stress increases. Most relapses happen in the first 6 months after birth for people who quit or cut back during pregnancy. The Maine QuitLink is here to support you and help you stay tobacco-free, even during tough times.
If you make the choice to breastfeed your baby and use tobacco products, you are exposing your baby to the harmful substances through your breastmilk. Talk to your doctor about the risks associated with tobacco use while breastfeeding.
There is no safe level of secondhand or thirdhand smoke. Opening windows or using fans won’t remove the harmful chemicals that stay on surfaces. These chemicals can be inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. Babies exposed to secondhand smoke also increases their risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Keep your family and home healthier by removing secondhand and thirdhand smoke from your home.
Learn more about the effects of secondhand and thirdhand smoke.
Need additional support with quitting?
Try enrolling in SmokefreeMOM for free text message support.