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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to use a zero-nictonie e-cig while pregnant?

50 replies

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 12:59

DP thinks I am.

Meanwhile I'm stressed to bits, can't think straight anymore.

I'm about 5 weeks gone. Been using an e-cig (with nicotine) for two years. Quitting is hard - been in tears half of today.

Caved and got the nicotine free e-cig out. Now feel worse.

OP posts:

Pollyputhtekettleon · 16/02/2016 13:01

I don't know anything about them but I personally would equally try to stay off them while pregnant as I would normal cigarettes and alcohol. Could you talk to u your gp? I'm sure a small dose is preferable to you being stressed.

Original poster

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 13:04

Small dose of what? No nicotine involved.

GP appointment is next wednesday - may have tore my own hair out by then.

OP posts:

BasinHaircut · 16/02/2016 13:04

Id try to go without TBH.

I am not really up to speed with the possible effects of a nicotine-less e-cig on a foetus but even assuming its no (known) risks i wouldnt chance it.

StillEndOfMyTether · 16/02/2016 13:05

Nicotine on its own is only as bad for you as a cup of coffee, my friend used one but went from 18mg to 6mg when she found out she was pregnant, her doctor was delighted with her. Baby was born big and healthy.

ceebie · 16/02/2016 13:11

If it doesn't have nicotine, what does it have?

Original poster

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 13:16

Propylene Glycol, Vegetable Glycerin, flavouring.

OP posts:

Friendlystories · 16/02/2016 13:36

Saw a report on the news the other day saying they may be just as harmful to the baby as normal cigarettes unfortunately, research is still ongoing and tbh I'm not sure how they can be given the ingredients in ejuice but that's what the experts are saying I struggled like hell to stop smoking when I was ttc so totally understand how hard it is but we can only go on current medical opinion and the research that's been done. This is the article they were reporting on if it helps to see it in black and white, sorry it's not better news news.sky.com/story/1640586/e-cigs-as-dangerous-as-tobacco-in-pregnancy

BasinHaircut · 16/02/2016 14:02

I think the issue is that the ingredients are designed to be ingested rather than inhaled. They are not things that should be in your lungs so the effects are still largely unknown.

Original poster

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 14:08

No idea what to do.

They say stress is bad (and God am I stressed today) but nicotine is too. Now the study above.....

Can't bloody win!!!

OP posts:

Murphyslaw21 · 16/02/2016 14:15

I'm going to get bashed for this....

But I'm a smoker when I was pregnant I went to gum (with nicotine) doctor said it was better than smoking as nicotine was not the problem it was the crap in a cig which was worse than nicotine.

I hated gum and in end used e cig with less nicotine in it that gum and only had morning and evening. I loved it. It worked I stopped stressing. Doctor agreed it was still better than smoking. Also he said there is NO eveidence on e cigs yet. Which is why they cannot prescribe them but he thought there would be in next few years.

It worked for me, and I'd do the same next time around.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 16/02/2016 14:34

I'm going to get bashed for this....

not by me. I was congenitally unable to give up, I had 1 per day when PG.
Not proud, not boasting but MN is very vitriolic on this topic and I wanted to offset that as there are some people that did it are not Fred/Rose West incarnate

My midwife was not that fussed, I was 100% honest with them.

Anyway- I wont advise you-but if giving up fags was that easy...NOONE WOULD FUCKING SMOKE WOULD THEY!

Original poster

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 14:35

They do prescribe them on the NHS now.

DP seems to think one puff on the thing will instantly result in DC having an extra head (thanks to the study linked to above).

OP posts:

Sallystyle · 16/02/2016 14:37

YANBU

Grumpyoldblonde · 16/02/2016 14:38

Best thing to do would be have a word with your GP. I went to the anti smoking clinic and they offered me patches and gum.
Don't stress, it is hard. I always kept a pack of cigs in the house and told myself if I really had to have one I could. It helped knowing I would not send myself crazy and could have one in extremis, I would occasionally light one, take one puff then just hold it. Midwife was encouraging with me and the clinic tests showed me as an extremely light to non smoker.
Your DP should be supporting you and not nagging though, this is very important and will stress you more

whatdoIget · 16/02/2016 14:41

I can't see how the ecig will help your stress of it hasn't got nicotine in? Could you learn some relaxation techniques instead? Or go for a walk or something to release some tension?

Original poster

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 14:41

He's a worrier though.

He looked like a kicked puppy earlier, I felt awful.

OP posts:

Original poster

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 14:43

It's a psychological crutch as much as anything. I know that.

Plan was to shift on 0% nicotine, now he thinks that I need to quit completely over night. Urgh.

OP posts:

Sallystyle · 16/02/2016 14:46

There has been tons of studies showing that e-cigs are 95% safer than smoking and it is looking really great for us vapers because new research is looking very positive indeed.

Just because some study says it is dangerous doesn't mean it's based on good science, most of the studies that talk about popcorn lung etc are really poor studies that should be discredited (and have been)

Grumpyoldblonde · 16/02/2016 14:47

Does he smoke?

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 16/02/2016 14:48

Congratulations on your pregnancy

NHS advice here:

What are the effects of e-cigarettes during pregnancy

Many people are choosing to use e-cigarettes to help them stop smoking. While these products are not completely risk free and the vapour may contains some toxins, these are at far lower levels than in cigarette smoke, so using an e-cigarette is a great deal safer than smoking

However, little is known about any potential risks of e-cigarette vapour to your baby and mums-to-be are therefore recommended to use one of the licensed stop smoking medications such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to help reduce any withdrawal symptoms when quitting smoking.

If you do want to use an e-cigarette – maybe because you’ve tried other methods without success – there is lots of advice and support available from your local Stop Smoking Service. The most important thing for you and your baby is to stop smoking.

In response to the story linked above by Fern25, Professor Peter Hajek, Director of Tobacco Dependence Research Unit, London said: The story is based on an unpublished presentation and so the actual data cannot be checked, but in most such studies, animals are exposed to doses many times above any realistic human exposure and the results have little relevance for vapers. Most importantly though, no comparison with effects of cigarette smoke was made and so the conclusion that vaping could be worse than smoking has nothing to do with the study findings.

Original poster

Polgara25 · 16/02/2016 14:48

He quit a couple of years ago. I switched to e-cigs.

OP posts:

AliceScarlett · 16/02/2016 14:51

I've just given up nicotine as TTC, it was HELL....for 5 days, 1st 3 days were the worst, now I'm 13 days in and so pleased I'm not reliant on it anymore.

Bit of glycerine will probably do very little harm, it doesn't have nicotine in, so you are giving up. Well done! DP can go do one, you're giving up on of the most addictive substances on the planet.

Keep going, eat lots of sweets and lollies, this will pass.

Don't chew sugarfree gum all day, I went through about 50 pellets and realised too late that they have a lax effect, don't do that.

Sallystyle · 16/02/2016 14:51

I knew we could rely on pubegardens :)

Friendlystories · 16/02/2016 14:52

Sorry OP, last thing I wanted to do was make things harder for you just remembered I'd seen it in the news the other day. FWIW I was a heavy smoker (now a heavy vaper) and struggled like hell when I was pregnant, suspect I would have used ecigs had I known about them back then. Think you have to offset all the risks, including stress, and make a decision that's based on your own circumstances as well as what medical info is available. Talk to your MW as well, her experience and input should be part of the decision making process. I note the study mentioned in that news report is full of 'may' and 'could' as most studies about ecigs seem to be, it also points out that this study is at odds with the recent findings that ecigs are 95% less harmful than tobacco so really can't be deemed conclusive. Ultimately we all know not smoking anything is best when pregnant but we also know stress is bad for baby and mum so I just think you have to weigh up all the factors and settle on something doable for you. Does your DP smoke? Is he giving up while you're pregnant if so because there's probably as much evidence around him breathing out residual toxins after smoking (even if he smokes outside) as there is about ecigs. All you can do is your best, for baby and for yourself

gunting · 16/02/2016 14:55

I didn't find out I was pregnant until I was 13 weeks and I had used an e cig until 8 weeks and it started making me retch

My son is lovely and born 10lbs+ and perfectly healthy. While I can't vouch for long term effects, he certainly seems fine so far.

Although I'm not sure what I've had done had I known I was pregnant sooner.

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