Triggers in the air include factory smoke and car exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, fly sprays, strong perfumes and aerosol cleaning sprays.
Smoking should be avoided after your baby is born as well as during pregnancy.
Exposure to tobacco smoke is linked with wheezing in the newborn, increased frequency and severity of asthma symptoms in children with asthma as well as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs).
Some building materials and home furnishings give off fumes that might make asthma worse, such as formaldehyde which may be found in paints, wall boards, medium-density fibreboard (MDF), adhesives and more. Where options without formaldehyde (or with low levels) are available, we recommend those.
Paint and other coatings have been a major source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and may cause respiratory irritation. We recommend low (or no) VOC paint, or thoroughly airing freshly painted rooms.