smoking while pregnant

[LauraB78]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if anyone had any recommendations for quit smoking aids? I haven't had a cigarette since Sunday, but the cravings are a B I T C H... I really never aspired to be a pregnant smoker, but it is an incredibly difficult addiction to kick. And advice would be appreciated. I really want to kick this habit!! ESPECIALLY now that I am expecting.. Thanks and please try not to judge me too harshly...I know smoking is awful!

[mellbell0306]

I went through the same thing I stopped by ,13 weeks. I still want to when I am really up set but can't cause it will make me sick. I'm 22 weeks now and won't even be around smokers what helped me stop was my baby plus I was told that every puff you take is five seconds that your baby doesn't get oxygen. Which was a big factor cause I don't want my daughter to die. She is growing well and very healthy I wish you the best and stay strong

[leeleepitt93]

im a smoker to . im 6 months and ppl think its soooo easy to quit . im so scared that my baby might die or be deformed it makes me uncomfortable but i just cant quit . pray for me ?

[KeekeeIbarra]

I know just what u mean. Im having such a hard time quitting. Mostly im just weening myself off of them. The saddest part is I have to fight my addiction behind my husbands back. He expects its to be easy with all the stress and added hormones to quit cold turkey. But with a little strength and determination we women can accomplish anything :) a great support team is key as well. If you are a sympathetic smoker try to avoid those friends who smoke. As a chain smoker it would be easiest to buy an electronic cigarette and ween yourself off of that. If you are just strictly a craving smoker thats the hardest... Try getting your friends and family to help you and congratulate you for each craving kicked. Or the guilt trips might help.as well. Being a stress smoker is easiest. Minimalize your stress levels by cutting out alot of those triggers. Hope these tips really helped!

[babydreams9]

I commend you for trying to quit. You're giving your baby a priceless gift by providing him/her with a healthy environment to grow. Being pregnant and a parent comes w/a lot of sacrifices and many of us have to give up a vice or two for the sake of our little ones.... it'll be so worth it!! Keep that in mind and commit completely to yourself, your baby, and to your decision to quit. You can do it!!!

I have several friends who really liked the Commit Lozenges. I have not heard good things about the gum... and heard mixed reviews about the patch. Honestly the best thing you can do is work on the mental addiction. As stated by a previous post, the nicotine leaves your system very quickly. It's the physiological addiction that is such a struggle.... look for online support groups and reach out to friends and family. Try to surround yourself w/non-smokers if at all possible. When you're really needing a fix, try to fill your time by trying a new hobby, or delve into online support groups/forums out there.

This will be a struggle, no doubt... but you have power over your addiction. Choose to use it! I wish you the very best!!

[Jame0223]

Its all mental! After 3 days the nicotine is out of your system and its all mental after that! My mom smoked for over 8 years and when she found out she may have endometriosis they wanted to put her on the pill for the hormones. Well she's 41 so they would not allow her to go on the hormones while she smoked. So she decided to quit. She just...stopped smoking one day and that was that. She wasn't very nice for a week or so but hey...small price to pay for something great. I agree that if you are pregnant I wouldn't go cold turkey. It can be bad for you and the baby..the shock and stress from quitting. I would maybe cut down by one a day..and even on that last day maybe smoke a couple puffs then put it out, cutting down is cutting down. I am very proud of my mom. She has now been smoke free for 3 months! Now its my turn. I smoke maybe 10 a day but still...I am young and shouldn't have too much trouble..Just think about your baby and how much better and healthier you will be and feel. Good luck!

[JOLOR]

I know how you feel.  I smoked up until I was 4 months pregnant and finally quit.  
At first it was hard to quit..I cut back because of the guilt trips.  I would light one, take a few puffs then butt it out.
I weend myself off them by cutting back everyday until i was down to one per day and then to none at 4 months pregnant.  (plus i didn;t want to be that pregnant lady smoking on the street,.,,looks awful)
Mr. Dr. told me NOT to go cold turket because I would be putting myself and baby into shock which is worse.

There is no easy way to quit, you just really have to want to.  Yes, I still crav them, but it's not all that bad...it passes and I try to think about how proud I should be of myself for fighting the cravings and how this healthier lifestyle will be benificail to my family!

Good luck!

[Irish741]

Congrats on try to quit! Wanting to quit is half the battle. I know it is hard, I did the same thing. I wasn't pregnant, but quitting at anytime is difficult. I can not vouch for any OTC products (I used a few, but found that my quitting was all mental), but there were some lifestyle changes I made that helped a ton. First, if you don't already, I would start exercising. You will start to feel so much better and it will take time away from the freedom to smoke. Also, if you are a coffee/soda drinker, I would put off having a drink for as later in the day as possible. I found that the caffene/ sugariness of the coffee/soda would aid in my cigarette cravings. Drink tons of water! Also, one major help in quitting was that my DH had quit a long time ago. He would nicely get on my case about it from time to time. I hated smoking alone so after a while I just wouldn't...

Oh, before I did my lifestyle changes, I put myself on a "smoking" schedule. Every moring I would wake up and tell myself I would not have a cigarette till my first break at work, say 10:30am. I would challenge my will power to see how strong I really was. If you are a "first thing in the morning" smoker, you just cut out about 1 or 2 cigs. I would keep that time frame for about a week, then the following week I would see if I could go all the way till lunch time. I would just keep pushing the time back till I could have my first one of the day later and later. Soon I was only having them after work and then soon none at all.

Of course, if you can quit cold turkey, that is great. However, the gradual weening off the cigatettes are probably the best for the longevity.

I hope this helps. I wish you the best of luck. If none of this works for you, I would definitely talk to your doctor (you probably should eitherway), he/she could probably put you intouch with someone who can help prefessionally.

[JMcGee]

Just stop.......I was a smoker for 8 years, a pack a day....and the second I found out I was pregnant, I quit!!! It has to be something that you do for YOUR BABY!!! I just kept thinking and knowing that I was going to have a healthy baby because I quit smoking cigs. people say that it is sooooooo difficult to quit cold turkey, BULLS*IT!!!! You have to WANT TO QUIT!!! Think about your baby!! I know that it is going to be difficult, especially if you are still craving them, but you will feel so much better about it when you have a healthy baby....not a preemie, not a baby with breathing problems, or asthma....BUT A HAPPY HEALTHY BABY!!! Good luck to you!! (Im not trying to be harsh, just honest. Im not judging you....a lot of people dont even want to quit, they dont even think twice about quitting....so I am glad that you are at least wanting to quit and have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby)

[Michele, Katy, TX]

For me, it is a very difficult habbit to break also.  I think about it all the time.  I have 5 good reasons why I should!!!  I don't do it around my children though.  I never have.  But to answer your question, I get very sick during my first trimester.  I mean I am just green and throwing up, so the smell or even the thought of a cigarette, just makes me sick.  So, it's never been hard for me to quit for that reason.  And by the time I get past the sick part, the urge to smoke is gone.  I wish I could be of more help.  The best thing I can tell you is to just remember why you're quitting.  I just think of it like I am making my baby smoke and possibly hurting him/her by what I am doing.  And it can lead to miscarriage also.  I know that doesn't help with the craving and it's hard for others to understand unless they have fought that addiction or an addiction of any kind.  You may also speak with your doctor.  I don't know that there are any aids that you can use while being pregnant.  I doubt it to tell you the truth, but I don't know.  I believe that there is also a smoking forum on here that may help give you some added support or ideas of things you can do.

I'm sorry.  I wish I could be of more help.  I really do:(  I wish you the best of luck with it as I know it is difficult :)