smoking..

[Minniemouse94]

Thought I'd post here to say this is my 5th day of not smoking and I feel so brilliant knowing my child is benefiting from this!
Any mummies to be who are still smoking, have faith in yourself! You're stronger than you think!

People cant do anything about what is past, it has gone, but you can do something about the present and the future, so yes not smoking today is a success. I am a lifelong non smoker btw.

Gets easier everyday, so keep going! Well done.

Quitting late is better than not quitting at all. Just don't pick it up again when the baby is born

What made you stop now?

Well done op it is hard, do you have support from midwife or the smoking cessation in pregnancy team?

Just take it a day at a time.

It's great that you've stopped but I kind of agree that someone smoking for two thirds of pregnancy before giving up makes me feel a little sad when sold as a big success story. Definitely late is better than never so well done on taking a positive course of action.

I have to ask, all who are trying to put me down and etc, how do you know if I haven't only just found out I'm pregnant or whatnot? I thought I'd post on here not for praise but for to tell people that are stressing about still smoking that it can be done, but you get bitter people, like yourselves who make it hard and more stressful for people who smoke. If you have never smoked, you'll never know how hard it is, so like I said, I am not asking for praise,, it's always better late than never, the 0 cigarettes I'm smoking a day is a lot better than the 2 I've been smoking since finding out, but as you've made your bitterness clear, I know There's a chance damage has been done but I appreciate the bad comments, it just goes to show there are so many judgemental people around,

Oh FFS. How dare you OP, coming in here giving mums who are struggling to quit smoking (for myriad complex reasons and often the most vulnerable women eg those struggling with MH issues who struggle most) hope.

Well done on quitting, and keep it up! I feel so much better since quitting. It took me a while to stop when pregnant and the anxiety about it almost ruined the pregnancy for me.

Well said OP.

Smoking = bad. Of course it is. But if people could just turn off an addiction like a tap, they would. The deep intense struggle is overlooked by many, particularly at what can be on of the most anxious/challenging times in a woman's life, because mothers are supposed to by martyrs is an unhelpful attitude to have.

Sorry but seeing a pregnant woman smoke makes my blood boil and I know first hand how difficult it is to fight an addiction.

There's no point giving other mothers encouragement to stop because they already know how harmful it is.

Go ahead and flame me if you like..

It making your blood boil is neither here nor there and it doesn't help pregnant women quit smoking.

And OP, people downplaying your 5 days, quitting smoking starts with 1 day. I haven't smoked since I quit in pregnancy and my DS is 10 months.

Not sure why people are being so negative....yes in an ideal world no one would smoke full stop but the main thing is the OP has quit and is feeling good about it!

Whenever you quit, it is still far better than not giving up and also important to remember giving up smoking is not only important in pregnancy but also for your newborn and indeed throughout their life.

Well done OP and good luck to anyone else trying to do the same

thehillshaveyes you are totally entitled to your opinion, of course, but if it makes your blood boil seeing a pregnant woman smoke, surely you'd be pleased OP has now managed to stop?

There is always a point in encouraging pregnant ladies to stop smoking. Encouragement can make all the difference. There is a great message in this post that it's better late than never and if you're further on in pregnancy and think you can't quit, you CAN do it! Good on you OP for sharing your experience with others who may need that extra bit of encouragement. After all, every day without smoking puts your baby in a much better, safer position.x

Erm, I'm not bitter or trying to put you down! I'm realistic.
You're looking for approval for giving up smoking for 5 days. I'm simply calling out that there's 184 days of your pregnancy that you still smoked on.
Don't expect to write a post on an open forum and everyone to agree with you, as not everyone will see things on the same way as you do. And don't get affronted when other views are shared. It's a controversial subject. You posted on a thread where women are suffering from terrible pregnancy anxiety, recurrent miscarriage etc. and someone rocking up with 'go me, I've ditched the fags in my third trimester!' won't always be met with the wariness you desire.
Yes, well done for kicking the habit BUT I don't understand why you waited so long.
And btw why do you assume any negative comments are from non smokers?
I'm an ex smoker and that's why I'm so vocal. I know how hard it is to quit and I also know that when it comes to my baby's health I would never do anything to compromise it it any way.

warmness not wariness.

I'm not downplaying OP's five days. I applaud you for taking this step.

However this comment leaves me baffled: I feel so brilliant knowing my child is benefiting from this

The 'benefits' your unborn child will reap now are simply relative to the damage done during the previous 26 weeks.

Like PPs have said, don't post on a forum where women are living / have lived through miscarriages, late term loss, terminations for medical reasons, horrendous days waiting for the results of antenatal tests and a host of other life-changing, traumatic pregnancy experiences and expect adulation for what you've done.

Well done OP. I think you were very brave to post here actually. It's useful to raise attention to the fact that it is always beneficial to stop smoking during pregnancy, at whatever point you quit (or at least, so I understand).

I think before anyone posts negatively about her they might want to consider two things:

• they are posting with no idea of her life and circumstances, and what she may have been living through.

• negative posts on an on-line forum towards a woman who has stopped smoking later in pregnancy, may well put off others in her position who are wanting to stop, from reaching out for support. That would mean more pregnant smokers, the thing you so deplore.

What sizethree said. All the way. In fact I wanted to reply last night but couldn't work out what to write. Sizethree hit every nail on the head. Well done for giving up smoking.not so well done for posting about such a controversial subject on a site full of women who are ttc, have fertility issues, MC's and everything inbetween and expecting not to get any backlash. And don't get upset and shout "no support" just because people aren't falling over themselves to give you a medal.

You smoked during pregnancy. Potentially damaging your baby. Well done for stopping. Better late than never.

It's a forum that covers many different subjects. The fact that others are ttc or struggling with fertility does not preclude OP and others from discussing issues that affect themselves.

fuckup I agree; it does not preclude this kind of post. What it does do is put it into perspective.

As for potentially discouraging others from reaching out for support to stop (sorry I'm on the mobile app so can't scroll back to see who posted it), I disagree. I can say with absolute confidence that even though I have made my thoughts on this OP's actions clear, if an MNer posted asking for help to stop smoking I would react very differently than I would to someone who's smoked for 26 weeks and is now getting upset because others aren't tripping over themselves to shower praise.

As I've said before on this thread, I was a smoker. I would quite happily and readily share my experience of giving up in very early pregnancy with someone who asked for help. I would tell them of the time I sat at my desk in my office with my forehead on the table clawing my nails down said desk because I was so fucking, agonisingly desperate to smoke but couldn't because I made the choice to put my child before my own physical and mental needs. What I can't do is sit back and throw 'well done!!!!'s who's waited until the third trimester. And if there is an underlying reason for the OP choosing to wait until 26/27 weeks to stop, it hasn't been shared so can't be taken into account when opinions are formed and thoughts shared.

Sorry, fat fingers error - that should read at someone who's waited until the third trimester

Well done OP.

No fuckup it doesn't stop people from posting. Of course not. And of course all topics are covered on these forums. I'm simply pointing out that you shouldn't expect rounds of applause on such a controversial subject or expect posts not 100% supportive. You'd be naive to think that and compared to some threads on this board, the OP's got off lightly (we've all seen how nasty MN can be).

OP's also shouldn't drip feed info. If there's a reason why they've only just stopped smoking, including that in the OP is vital to avoid people pulling on their judgy pants. Because on this topic, everyone is going to judge in some way.

Ruby I've been there. Crying at my desk because I want a cigarette. 4 months after I gave up I fell PG. weirdly having not really wanted one for about 3 months before this baby, in the last 3 weeks I have literally craved for it every day. Not that I would, but it's a strange thing!!

And btw, all the judgement and posts which basically say 'what's the point of stopping now' really do not help.

As soon as you stop you reduce the risks to your baby.

Risks of lower birth weight are reduced, as most weight is put on in the third trimester. Risks of cot death are reduced as the chemicals present in both mum & babies body fall, and once the baby is born if mum continues not to smoke this obviously reduces it further. Risks of stillbirth are also reduced.

She's done a great thing to stop now. Yes, it would have been better to stop earlier, but clearly she cut down and found it difficult. It's called an addiction for a reason.

wombat I have also craved cigarettes throughout this pregnancy. Even just the smell of smoke, which prior to falling pregnant I despised after giving up. Bizarre. I'm 37 weeks now and it has eased though.

I also pondered how this thread would be received elsewhere on MN.