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Baby Steps to better health

Giving birth to healthy children is a main concern around the world and hospitals, doctors, nurses, mothers, etc. take steps, precautions and care to ensure the good health of a baby.

Central Alberta is encouraging pregnant women to quit smoking by launching the ‘baby steps’ campaign.

The campaign focuses on women in Central Alberta who are smoking during their pregnancies and encourages them to quit for the sake of their baby.

On March 24 the board of directors for Alberta Health Services kicked off their campaign at the Red Deer Regional Hospital and introduced the new faces for ‘baby steps’.

Five women who recently gave birth, or are pregnant, are the faces of the campaign including Marliana Littlechild from Hobbema, Amber Burdett from Lacombe, Wanda Paskemin of Wetaskiwin, and Sylwia Ciezar and Kertyn Van Sandick of Red Deer.The campaign will use the real-life stories of these women to promote the health of Alberta women and their unborn children and the public will see their faces in the ads.

“Reducing smoking rates among pregnant women is vital to meeting the Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy (ATRS) goals for 2012,” said Ken Hughes, Alberta Health Services Board chair. “By reaching out to pregnant smokers, we have the opportunity to improve the health of two or more people. The baby steps campaign is about motivating women to take the small steps necessary to become smoke-free.”

The campaign highlights the stories of these women and the hope is that these different stories will be stories that other women can relate to, and help them take the steps necessary to help them quit smoking as well.

“The struggle to quit smoking is a difficult one, especially when the added stigma of being a pregnant smoker prevents people from seeking help,” said Marino Francispillai, Tobacco Control Program Leader with Alberta Health Services. “It is important that women know they are not alone and that there are resources available to them, such as the smoker’s help line which will provide them with confidential support throughout the quitting process.”

The baby steps campaign will run from March 24 through April 30 in Central Alberta.

Women who are pregnant and who want to quit smoking are encouraged to call 1-866-332-2322 for free and confidential support and information.