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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Smoking while pregnant?

91 replies

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:08

I unfortunately am a smoker, and im finding it very hard to give up.
Is this common for smokers and does it really affect the baby if you do smoke??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

PrivetDancer · 12/09/2010 16:10

Of course it bloody does. Yiu are risking lot of things going wrong for your baby.

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:12

Are you a smoker??

OP posts:

PrivetDancer · 12/09/2010 16:18

Not any more and I would never have smoked when pg.

I'm not going to have an argument with you, if you're looking for someone to tell you it's fine to smoke when pregnant then you'll be waiting a long time and you know it.

And don't try the stress of giving up being bad for the baby line either.

Bunbaker · 12/09/2010 16:19

Yes, without a doubt it does. Well done for being brave enough to admit it. You will get a lot of flack on here.

I would suggest you ask your midwife to refer you for extra help to stop.

Midwives can tell if you have smoked during pregnancy when they deliver your baby as the placenta looks older than it should.

The risks from smoking during pregnancy are well documented and include: higher risk of miscarriage, placental abruption, prematurebirth, lower birth weight and fetal distress. Please, for the sake of your baby, seek help to give up.

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:21

Wow, im really not looking for an argument, its just i have been told different things by a few different nurses and doctors. Im only 22 and this is my first so to be honest i have no idea.
I appreciate your honesty because as i said i have had so many different answers.
And you've helped cause now i will go cold turkey.

But really, theres no need to be rude though is there?

OP posts:

Bunbaker · 12/09/2010 16:22

I thought I wasn't being rude.

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:23

Not you BunBaker sorry! The other one..

And thankyou, that was the kind of answer i was looking for.

I honestly didnt know any of that so thankyou for your advice, i really do appreciate it.

OP posts:

Bunbaker · 12/09/2010 16:27

Don't be afraid to ask for help. You will get a lot of support, and congratulations on your pregnancy.

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:29

Yeah i will, i just thought the midwife might yell at me for being such a terrible person! lol.

Thankyou :) i wish it was more joyous at the minute though.. just feel sick sick and more sick! lol

OP posts:

Bunbaker · 12/09/2010 16:31

I don't think she will. She will think more of you for wanting to quit. Good luck.

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:34

Thankyou for being so kind :)

OP posts:

DancingCat · 12/09/2010 16:36

Hi Charleney,
it is hard to stop smoking, make the most of the help and support you can get. Don't feel bad for asking the question. Best of luck with your pregnancy and with quitting :)

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:37

Thankyou DancingCat :) x

OP posts:

DancingCat · 12/09/2010 16:39

You're welcome - contact me if you need extra support :) x

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:41

Aww i will :) thankyou :)

OP posts:

trufflesbum · 12/09/2010 16:48

Hi Charleney,
I'm 5 weeks pregnant and stopped smoking the day I got my BFP. I've been stopped for a week now, and the last 2 days I haven't used any NRT.
It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do and I've spent the last two days threatening to kill DH for just about anything!
But... I have a 5 week old Nugget inside me who would't thank me for one. In fact, he'd positively hate me for it and he's the most important thing to me now. I have to remind myself many many times a day, but with a bit of luck, it'll get easier!
Good luck!

NeedToSleepZZZ · 12/09/2010 16:50

I'm not going to lie, giving up smoking was the hardest thing I've done and not a day goes past where I don't want one BUT... the thought of my baby being harmed has totally outweighed the mere thought of smoking again and I haven't touched one (now nearly 19 weeks).
I was on 30 a day when I found out I was pregnant and I went cold turkey, I am so proud of myself and my doctor, family and friends still can't believe I've given up.

You will feel the same way and so you should, you are giving your baby the best chance in life by quitting.

A few tips that helped me:

keep a smelly ashtray with a little bit of water in it with a couple of dog ends outside the backdoor and if you feel really tempted then give it a good sniff....

get rid of all lighters, other ashtrays etc

wash your curtains, cushion covers etc and really notice the difference in the smell

Good luck, it's tough but honestly if I can do it then so can you.

cardamomginger · 12/09/2010 16:54

Well done for tackling this. It can't be easy for you right now. If you do a search on smoking during pregnancy in the pregnancy forum, you will find some very supportive threads which might give you some advice and good suggestions of how to cope when the going gets rough. I remember when we "did smoking" in biology at school, we were told that it was "better" to half smoke 2 cigarettes and then bin the remaining halves, than to smoke a single 1 down to the butt - the bit that you don't smoke helps to filter out some of the gunk. So whilst you are giving up, and if cold turkey doesn't work, that might be something to try? (And please - nobody flame me - am not advocating smoking when preggers, just trying to offer some realistic help and advice! Clearly not smoking at all is preferable and I am not disputing that!)
Good luck! And congratulations!!

Original poster

Charleney · 12/09/2010 16:55

Well im thinking like that now, all i am worried about is my lil peanut :) but i honestly didnt know any of the risks.
I think because ive seen people in my family carry on smoking i didnt realise.
The thing is my fiance smokes so i think its gonna be a bit harder for me but im gonna have to be strong!
I know i can do it, i think its just more boredum for me.
Ive had 1 fag this morning and thats it now! No more!! lol.

OP posts:

lolabanola · 12/09/2010 17:01

Tell your fiancee to be supportive and to stop smoking too ... even second hand smoke is very dangerous for babies. Good luck with the giving up, I have never smoked but should imagine it's very hard to do so ... so worth it though because you are protecting the life of your baby.

EricNorthmansmistress · 12/09/2010 17:01

I stopped the day I got my BFP. (started again after ) and I did not find it hard. It just wasn't an option. Smoking whilst pregnant is vile, end of. It causes low birth weight, lifelong breathing issues which can be fatal, and raises the risk of cot death significantly. Can you imagine going through pregnancy, giving birth then losing your baby overnight because you were too lame to stop smoking?

Get to the GP, go to groups, buy Allen Carr's book, get an inhalator, whatever. There is shit loads of support if you struggle. Just do it. You will hate yourself if you damage your child through this.

MrsMogwai · 12/09/2010 17:14

Congrats on your pregnancy and congrats on your decision to quit smoking. It's not easy, but is definitely doable - especially with such a good incentive as a small penut to protect!

Call the NHS stop smokin line. They will be able to send you out an info pack and point you in the direction of specialist help in your area. You should be offered one to one sessions with a stop smoking counsellor who will be non-judgemental and supportive of you as you quit. They have a lot of experience working with pregnant women on quitting and harm minimisation.

It's very important to get the support of friends and family. Talk to them and let them know why you are quitting. Ask them not to smoke in your house or around you. Let them know when you are having a tough time with it and they can distract you through the bad bits of craving.

Have a chat with your fiance about his smoking. Is there anything he doesn't like about being a smoker? Has he ever considered quitting? What would be the benefits to him and both of as a family if he did quit. You can let him know that it might be easier for you to quit if he did too, but don't push him too hard - if he makes the decision himself, he'll be more likely to carry through with it.

Good luck with it all! You may find that people will look at you in horror if they know you are a smoker and pregnant. This is because the risks to an unborn baby from cigarette smoke are much more widely known about. Use it as a reminder that quitting sucessfully is the single biggest gift you can give to your baby.

MrsMogwai · 12/09/2010 17:21

Oh, just to say, I smoked 30 cigarettes a day for 13 years before giving up when I was 26. Best decision I ever made and I can't ever imagine smoking again. My health is so much better now I haven't had a single chest infection or trouble breathing since! I'm pregnant now, and being a bit healthier will definitely help.

It wasn't easy quitting, but I was determined. Once I was over the first couple of months, it started to get easier.

If you get morning sickness, you may find that the smell of cigarettes is totally off putting!

squirrel42 · 12/09/2010 17:26

Advice from the NHS

There's a specific pregnancy smoking helpline too.

daisystone · 12/09/2010 17:26

As everyone else says - you can do it. Thousands of people have done it before and you aren't the first. So no excuses!

I do know how hard it can be. I haven't been a smoker for many years but my best friend is and she has just found out that she is pregnant and stopped immediately. She misses smoking but knows it is simply something that she cannot do while pregnant.
Also, the fact that you are 22 doesn't mean that you can get away with not knowing about smoking during pregnancy being a no no. You are about to become a mother so you can't play the "poor old me I'm only young" card.

Sorry if that sounds harsh but you need to face reality as you are now responsible for the wellbeing of your unborn child. You shouldn't have got pregnant if you still feel like a young girl yourself.

Again, harsh, but you need to grow up a little. Who doesn't know that smoking during pregnancy is harmful??!

Your midwife and doctor will offer you loads of help and support.

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