Volusia County, Fla. - Baby and Me - Tobacco Free.  First program in state to help new mothers kick the habit.

New or expectant mothers now can get additional help and incentives for kicking the habit. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) in Volusia County is the first county health department in the state to offer the Baby & Me - Tobacco Free Program.

“Women who quit smoking are less likely to give birth to premature and low-weight babies,” said Ron Rondeau, DOH-Volusia interim director. “We are helping them to have healthier babies by offering practical incentives and holding mothers accountable by monitoring their success.”

Rondeau said the department is thinking out of the box and collaborating with local agencies to reach out to new mothers. As part of the department’s long-standing smoking cessation outreach effort, the Baby & Me program offers support specific to pregnant women and targets low-income women – the largest group of those who smoke during pregnancy. Enrollment and participation is free.

To reach mothers most at risk of exposing a child to secondhand smoke, the program collaborates with local agencies that provide prenatal services to low-income populations, according to Kristen Mialki, Tobacco Program manager. DOH-Volusia provides training and testing equipment. Partnering agencies offer prenatal cessation sessions and support for quitting and staying tobacco free. They also test participants for tobacco use.

A mother who stays true to her smoke-free goals not only offers a healthier environment for her child, she also receives monthly $25 vouchers for diapers for up to a year – if she stays tobacco free, Mialki said. Community partners are funding the vouchers.

In a three-year pilot study in New York, the quit rate at six months postpartum was more than 60 percent for enrolled Baby & Me mothers, Mialki added. Currently 11 states participate in the program. Florida now is number 12.

The first enrollment site will open March 14 at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach.

New and expectant mothers interested in breaking their tobacco addiction are encouraged to call DOH-Volusia at 386-274-0601.

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