Fags while pregnant made my girl strong

No butts ... Charlie Wilcox has a ciggie while pregnant

A MUM who smoked 20 fags a day while pregnant insisted last night ciggies were GOOD for the baby.

Charlie Wilcox, 20, puffed her way through 3,500 cigarettes while carrying daughter Lilly.
She was warned that the habit was putting the unborn baby at risk by lowering her oxygen levels.
But incredibly Charlie believed that was beneficial - because it would force the baby's heart to work harder and make her STRONGER.
As she cuddled Lilly, now 14 weeks, Charlie, who took up the habit at 14, said: "It was my right - and I don't believe it was hurting Lilly. Where's the proof that it's so bad to smoke?
"I think if I'd given up straight away the stress would have been even more harmful to the baby."
While she was pregnant midwives tested Charlie's carbon monoxide levels and found they were SIX times higher than those considered safe.
They warned her she risked the baby being born premature, below weight or with a range of other medical problems such as respiratory infection. One specialist even warned her: "Your baby is struggling for oxygen and it's saying, 'Help me'."

No regrets ... Charlie Wilcox with her daughter Lilly

Emma Cattell / Barcroft Media

Lilly was born ten days early weighing 6lb 2oz - more than 1lb lower than the UK average.
But Charlie, who lives on £141 a week benefits in Rainham, Kent, said: "I wasn't ready to give up smoking. On a typical day when I was pregnant I would smoke a fag every 45 minutes.
"I'd have a fag with every cup of tea. I love smoking. I love just having something there to do - roll a fag, watch TV, have another fag. It's like a hobby."
Charlie, who made the admission while appearing on BBC3 documentary Misbehaving Mums To Be, even claimed that a friend had miscarried because her boyfriend had made her suddenly quit smoking.
Lilly's dad, 20-year-old Shane Baker, said: "At first I didn't agree with Charlie smoking during her pregnancy. But the scan results showed a healthy baby with a regular heartbeat."
A spokesman for the No Smoking Day charity said: "Smoking during pregnancy is extremely dangerous."