By Vanessa Geneva Ahern

From that surreal moment when you see two pink lines confirming you’re pregnant, you feel a flush of excitement and, at the same time, one stunning realization: “The party’s over!” No more Sunday mimosas, Starbucks mochas, smoke breaks, and working ’til all hours. Welcome to pregnancy, the ideal time to bust a bad habit or two that you’ve been neglecting to face. Here are five vices to quit now for your health—and your baby’s.

Chain smoking, social smoking, and everything in between.
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that women who smoke in early pregnancy—pre-conception to the end of the first trimester—were more likely to give birth to infants with congenital heart defects than women who didn’t smoke during the same period. Maternal smoking has also been linked to premature placenta detachment, low birth weights, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Laura Riley, M.D., medical director of labor and delivery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and author of Pregnancy: The Ultimate Week-by-Week Pregnancy Guide, says some smokers can quit cold-turkey during pregnancy, but it’s challenging and the relapse rate is high. “An addiction usually requires a multi-pronged approach, including behavioral therapy and a nicotine patch,” Riley says.
Have a thorough chat with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using the patch during pregnancy. Look to your health plan for smoking-cessation resources, like support groups, at low or no cost. Some states offer free help, too; Washington’s department of health just improved its quit line, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, especially for pregnant women. If you’re still trying to conceive, quit smoking now.

Extra cups of coffee.
One morning coffee is probably OK, Riley says, because the association between miscarriage and caffeine is notable when women consume more than 200 milligrams a day (a regular 8-ounce cup has about 140 milligrams).