Smoking and depression, help!

[bumblebee39]

I am currently pregnant and am trying to quit smoking. I have all the NRT and do ok for a day or two then depression hits me really badly and I start again. It's the only thing that lifts my depression but I know I need to stop. I am on ADs can't up them or change them and can't go on anything else due to pregnancy.

I really want to stop. I feel it's affecting me bonding or even telling people I'm pregnant (just into the second trimester)
I was so proud of myself when I got a good carbon monoxide reading at the stop smoking clinic but then I just end up depressed and lapsing again.
Quit again but worried the depression will come back.

What can I do?

Ps. I know smoking in pregnancy is shitty and I don't need telling, I honestly feel so terrible.

Oh love I really feel for you. What a massive amount of shit you've had to deal with and you sound like you've actually coped amazingly well.

I've experienced a very minor version of what you're going through in that I am a secret smoker who smokes to relieve private stress/depression. I'm currently pregnant and really have to fight it and have slipped up a couple of times. But one thing I did find useful was to SHARE the situation with my husband which I had never really fully done before (he basically thought I was a casual social smoker and had no idea of the shame/secret stress thing. I am a very private person too).

So I bought cotinine urine strips (basically pee strips that detect nicotine) and asked him to 'randomly drug test' my urine once or twice a week.

I know this sounds draconian but the major problem for me always was 'just one cigarette... no-one will be any the wiser and it'll help me get through the next 5 minutes'. Knowing I could be tested anytime by someone who would be really sad/angry/disappointed by a positive result, really helped to motivate me to stop.

Just my personal experience and of course may not work for anyone else. And you need someone who you can ask to test your urine once a week! Needs to be someone you trust/can open up to and who you also really don't want to let down, to motivate you to keep those tests negative.

Wishing you all the best, try not to be too hard on yourself xx

If it makes you feel any better my mum smoked when she was pregnant with my brother, and although he did have asthma as a child he grew out of it and is a very healthy, smart man with a great career.

Still going this time hopefully no going back
The E-cig has helped the times I thought about buying a pack and NRT stopped the rest of the cravings

Feeling much better being smoke free
Hope I can keep it up

OP I work in the vaping industry, have done for five years now. I am currently pregnant and vaping 3mg nic ejuice. I stopped vaping for two weeks during which time I was all over the place and came close to terminating because I was so emotionally unstable. I am also on Ad's and won't risk reducing the dose or stopping them because I have reoccurring severe depressive episodes and going into a relapse would be far more dangerous to the baby. I spoke with my midwife who told me she was far more concerned about the stress to the baby from my emotional upset than she was about me vaping. The AD I am on is classed as one of the safest in pregnancy anyway.

There are over 7000 dangerous chemicals in a cigarette. There are four chemicals in an ejuice which is strictly regulated. There is no carbon monoxide, no tar and nicotine itself has never been proven to be bad for you. In some studies, nicotine has helped increase motor control and hand eye coordination.

The best thing you can do for your baby is to stay well. You are going to be a wonderful mother, you already care so much about your babies wellbeing.

Keep on with the vaping if it is helping you and try not to beat yourself up. Taking care of yourself Is taking care of your baby x

Honestly I was the same as you. I used smoking as a way to escape my anxiety.
I cut down by making myself wait an extra half hour or so every time I wanted one. Eventually got down to 2 a day and was fine but found it really difficult to get past that. Until one day I was around 9/10 weeks pg and smoking when I felt a strong pain in my stomach, I immediately chucked it and never had one again because it scared me so much

Still going strong!
E-cig occasionally and still using NRT a lot but not smoking for a couple of weeks now so really happy 😊

Just sending you a “Well done”, a hug, and my best wishes for a happy new year! Be proud of yourself.

Thanks @Babdoc

Next I need to get off the NRT and occasional E-cig but at the moment I'm just happy to not be smoking.