Smoking whilst pregnant!!!

[Lwatkins]

Does anyone have any advice on how the hell to stop smoking. Used to be a 20 a day kinda girl, found out about pregnancy and have cut it down to about 4 or 5 a day. Sometimes the thought of smoking makes me physically sick! I couldn't live with myself if i harm my baby through this and have made it clear to myself i must stop smoking when or before i hit my 3 month mark (reading it gets more harmful after this stage). Anyone in the same position? Anyone have any advice?

Clean your teeth every time you fancy a cigarette, or eat an apple. By the time you've done that, your mouth will taste nice and the craving will have passed.

When are you having the four or five a day? First thing? With a cup of coffee? What can you do to change your routine so that you can't have them then?

And don't buy any. If you live with someone who smokes, ask if they'll quit with you, because it's not just your smoking that will harm the baby.

And ask your midwife for some help - the NHS run stop smoking clinics.

Good luck.

Hi, I used to smoke but quit a few years before getting pregnant. My recommendation would be not to think about the three month mark - I know so many people who said 'I'll quit after I've had my surgery' or 'I'll quit after I will have lost the weight' and it just doesn't happen. You will find another milestone to count on so you have to quit now. THe only tip I can give you is to take it one hour at a time. When you get up, don't have your usual routine, think of something new to do - go for a walk instead of having a cup of tea, or have a nice smoothy instead of a coffee. Than you'll realise one hour has passed and you haven't smoked.

Don't hang around people who smoke, just let your friends know and ask them not to smoke around you. Don't go to pubs, try new things. Then you'll realise it will be lunchtime before you know it, you will have smoked 0 cigarettes and you will be so happy with yourself.

Once you get through the first three days, than you can take it one day at a time, and every night you will be so happy with your achievement. Then it will go to one week at a time and before you know it you will have a beautiful baby.

I'm not trying to lecture you (because I know it doesn't work) but this is not just because it increases risks to your baby, but has a huge impact on your health. You will be a parent, and your child will depend on you, and you really really don't want to get ill (I mean, seriously ill). I know you probably think 'this won't happen to me' but cigarette kills people every day, in this country and all over the world. HUNDREDS of people. So quit now, for YOU and for your baby.

SPeak to midwife/health consultant. There are hundreds of resources to help you quit, really good support out there including constant contact, text messaging, counselling, etc...

If you feel like smoking, just log on and someone here will be there to help you.

Take care,

BP

I usually have one in the morning, one before bed, and a couple during the day when i feel like one. Having said that, sometimes i don't feel like having one at all. I know its all about breaking the habbit, i just never imagined it would be this hard to break! I always thought 'i could never smoke whilst pregnant', and this should be insentive enough to stop i know, but its sooo hard! I hate the idea of being addicted to something.

Talk to your doctor about the safest way. I know someone who is a chain smoker and her doctor told her not to stop because it would have such a shock to her system. Your doctor can tell you the safest way to stop.

hello! there is support on this site here

Stopping four or five cigarettes a day will not be a shock to your system, but it will be a welcome break for your baby's.

Visualise a baby smoking a cigarette every time you want to have one, maybe?

My DP smoked 20+ a day for almost 15 years. He tried giving up time after time and always failed. He tried lots of different things and about 6 months ago he read a book by Allen Carr and it helped him massively to give up. He read the book and gave up then and there and hasn't looked back. As his partner of 6 years I never thought he would manage to give up, so obviously I couldn't recommend more highly. Cutting down from 20 to 4 or 5 is a great though. No advise being pregnant & smoking though

Good luck.

I too was a 20 a day smoker & cut to about 3-4 a day when I found out I was pregnant.At about 6 weeks I got the worst bout of flu of my life & was in bed for 3 weeks so gave up then. I didnt need the 3 cigarettes I was smoking as I was only doing to socially at work before people knew I was expecting.The flu took the decision out of my hands, I know its hard but it is so worth it. My DP hasnt smoked since the birth of our baby- he said seeing him was enough to make hime stop.
Good Luck

I was smoking 20 a day when I found out I was pregnant. I just stopped immediatly. It was hard and I put on loads of weight but I felt much better about myself than if i had carried on. save the money you would have spent on cigs and buy something for baby instead and think how chav it will look when you have a bump and a fag hanging out your mouth

Same as lovelylou - I was on 20 a day, but once I found out I was pregnant, I stopped immediately.

It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would be, and to me there was no other choice.

Having a healthy baby was far more important than giving in to my cravings for nicotine (and these stop pretty quickly anyway IME).

Please stop smoking - you have a choice, but your baby doesn't.

Also, take up something like knitting, or playing computer games, something to keep your hands busy.

Agree that saying "I will give up when...." doesn't work. Just decide now that you will not have a cigarette for the next half hour, and then the half hour after that.....

Hi, I found that nicotine lozenges really helped when I was pregnant.
You are still replacing the action of having a cig with the action of having a lozenge and still getting a small nicotine hit without the other chemicals.
It took me a good few months and then I didnt even bother with the lozenges.
And I must add that i thoroughly enjoyed smoking.

"her doctor told her not to stop as it would be such a shock to the system"

what a pile of shite, sorry

only a smoker would say that, not a gp

its just an excuse

lwatkins, i smoked about 15 a day when i found out i was pg

i stopped using patches (NOT recommended but better than the fags) i bought the 24 hr ones, cut them in half and wore half a patch for a week

after that week, i had more willpower (thinking of baby) and ditched the patches

the recommended use of patches is 10 wks but just ignore that

GOOD LUCK

Could you hand over all your cards/cash to your dh/dp so that he only gives you the money you need so that you don't have any spare to buy cigarettes?

oh yes NP - that's what my MIL says when she failed to give up 'my gp told me not to go cold turkey because I've been smoking for xxxx years'

Ask your midwife to refer you to a smoking cessation service. They really help as they will do things like measure your carbon monoxide levels which gives you an incentive to reduce further (just a breath test).

Well done on cutting down.

Thank you all, i know i have to stop! I already feel like i've done well just by cutting down and have actually handed over all my cards etc to a flatmate today so i cant get to money! Seeing midwife tomorrow so will ask her about options. Cheers ladies x