How to Prevent Postpartum Relapse to Smoking

In view of the fact that smoking cessation is more likely during pregnancy than at other times, interventions to maintain quitting postpartum may provide the best opportunity for a long-term abstinence. Pediatricians, more than any other professional, see mothers of the infants and small children on a frequent basis, and pediatric well-care visits offer a unique opportunity for relapse prevention messages. The most important determinants of postpartum smoking relapse, such as having smoking partners or friends, the return to smoking as a way of coping with stressful situations, relapsing following weaning from breast-feeding, and concern about weight gain, need to be addressed during postpartum visits. The effective intervention would require pediatricians to be knowledgeable about tobacco use and how to stop, issues concerning postpartum relapse, and intervention strategies, such as role playing, problem solving and behavioral contracting.