Before last week, we had plenty of reasons to move. Our rent is
ridiculously high and will only go up more this year after the
construction completes next door, literally downstairs by our
window. We wanted a baby-friendly neighborhood that is safe, a
building that is relatively new so we'd have some form of
soundproof, and a doorman for the convenience and safety, so most
of our take home income went to rent. It is the sad reality of
living in New York City. We miss the outdoors, open sky and quaint
downtowns of small town America, so we have been plotting to move
which comes with a career change for a while. But this last week it
seems to have gained some urgency because of a new problem with our
apartment living - smoking neighbors.
It's no surprise that secondhand smoking is bad for everyone,
especially babies. Quick links below if you really need the
facts.
CDC
smokefree
A somewhat new concern is something called "third-hand smoke" which
is residual particulates that contaminate surfaces after a
cigarette has been extinguished. This is one of the reasons why
homes and apartments will still smell like cigarette smoke even
years after the smoker has left or quit smoking. The smell that
permeates carpets, sofas, chairs, etc. It is suggested that
children are especially at risk for this type of "smoke" since they
tend to play on floors and their faces are typically right at
couch-height especially when they're learning to walk.
Babies also come into contact with smoke residues in the car. Even
if parents never light up in their car, residues on smoker's
clothing and hair settles on the dashboard, seats and car seats.
Particles can accumulate on smoker's clothes and skin. When you
snuggle, or hug, babies come into contact with the toxins. A
nursing mother's milk also might contain third-hand smoke
residues.
What is third hand smoke
Dartmouth Research
Fantastic. Why am I freaking out a bit? Well, our apartment has
smelled like pot for the last week, and this afternoon it got so
bad that I had to open the window just so I could breathe.I wonder
why Eli is coughing a bit today. Good thing we have an air purifier
from a beloved aunt! We live in a smoke-free building, but people
really don't care. I have filed multiple complaints with building
management, and I hope they could put out enough warnings that
people would stop. It is just a terrible thing when we try to
protect Eli from harmful substances by removing them from his diet,
his clothes, skincare products, etc., we end up exposing him to
high levels of chemicals that are known to mess with the brain,
even for adults. I may have to personally beg our neighbors to
stop, especially knowing that it could even cause SIDS (Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome) by way of interfering with the breathing of
infants.
In other news, even when we move out to a pristine country home
free of smoke residue, I may still have to explain and politely ask
smokers who want to hold and play with Eli to come back another
time, showered and wearing clean clothes. Call me crazy. My father
smoked, like all men in business did in his time, when I was
younger, and I had a lot of respiratory problems and my eyes were
sensitive to the smoke. Not a good time. He quit by the time I was
6. It was such a brave and amazing thing to do and I am so grateful
for it. I hope I never have to subject Eli to that kind of
discomfort and health risks.
I realize this blog is quickly reading like a over-protective
maniac trying to put a child in a bubble. But is it really so
awful? Young children are more at risk to environmental "poisons"
due to their size and metabolism, lower ability to limit
penetration of chemicals from blood to brain, and reduced ability
to breakdown and eliminate chemicals from their organs. So, before
they are out in the world exposing themselves to all things good
and bad anyway, is it so wrong to try to minimize that negative
effect in their first years? Comment, as you wish.
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