World No Tobacco Day:
Protecting Babies From Tobacco

Coming with English/Spanish presentation notes, our What Mommy Does, Baby Does™ Model graphically illustrates how the toxins in tobacco and other harmful substances (such as alcohol and other drugs) can cross the placenta and damage a developing fetus. The model features a see-through placenta with cigarette butts, beer bottle caps, and pills suspended in hard plastic that is attached to a fetus by the umbilical cord. The model powerfully reinforces that everything that goes into the mother’s body can affect a baby’s health, which is why tobacco use should be avoided. Tobacco smoke causes anatomical changes to the placenta, which affects its ability to provide a fetus with the nutrients and oxygen needed for optimal development.

An eye-opening demonstration model, our Smokey Sue Smokes for Two™ is a great way to show a group how maternal cigarette smoking can harm a developing baby. Facilitators can place a lit cigarette into Sue’s mouth, and when her bulb is pumped she “smokes” the cigarette, causing tar collect to collect around the lifelike model of Sue’s fetus representing 7 months of gestational age. The demonstration is a graphic way to show how the toxins in tobacco can reach a fetus in the womb. Because the model requires real cigarettes (not included), the demonstration should be performed in well-ventilated areas. For a smoke-free demonstration of how tobacco and other substances can reach a developing fetus, check out our What Mommy Does, Baby Does™ Display.