Booking Appt- smoking

[Missbdhfc]

Hi,
I'm not proud of this but I'm struggling to put down the cigs. I have my booking appointment this morning and I'm worried about being told off...
Has anyone any experience of this?

You won’t be told off but your midwife will do a CO test (all women have them at least twice during pregnancy - more regularly if you are a smoker) and will encourage you to stop. They may refer you to the smoking cessation service as well.

They’re there to help! That’s the whole point of the service to support you. Go with an open mind and don’t worry about being told off. You’re a grown woman, tell them to stop if it happens (it won’t) nothing to worry about with a co2 test- they know you’re a smoker, that’s why you’re there.

I was smoking before finding out I was pregnant, only around 2 cigs a day. I did manage to stop as soon as I found out at 4 weeks because I wasn't a heavy smoker anyway and morning sickness hit me quite hard early on and put me off smoking too.

But even though, the midwife still told me off! And she kept repeating that if I do end up smoking even one cig after that I've to let them know straight away and not hide it etc. So my point is no matter if you've stopped or not, they'll have a go at you anyway probably.

I know it's really difficult to stop smoking, especially when you're newly pregnant, it doesn't feel real yet and still no attachment to this baby inside you. Just do your best to try and cut down and hopefully quit eventually. I've read a few times that if you manage to quit by 14 or 15 weeks, there's very minimal risk to baby. The sooner you quit, the better. Try switching to an e-cig to help you quit maybe? The midwives prefer that to actual cigs.

Anyway, I really hope you manage to quit and that the midwives aren't too harsh on you! Good luck!

Also, I managed to pass the CO test just 3 weeks after having quit, so it goes to show how quickly your body can turn around after quitting (baring in mind I wasn't a heavy smoker to start with).

OP I don’t want to attack or upset you as it’s clearly difficult but I say this in case it helps you put things into perspective. Please just think how you would feel if something happened to your baby. You would never forgive yourself (even if the smoking didn’t cause it) and it’s not worth it.

I had a stillbirth earlier this year. I didn’t smoke or drink. I wouldn’t even drink caffeine. My baby died and I think over and over whether I could have done anything to save her.

No one thinks it will happen to them but sometimes it does happen. I had arguments with my DH about smoking around me and smoking when the baby arrived. For the record, he smoked around me so little (he smokes outside) that I don’t think it caused a problem to us (haven’t got PM results yet so don’t know for sure what it was), but why increase the risk. If I had smoked or he had frequently smoked around us I don’t think we’d have forgiven ourselves / each other.

I believe there is support for those who want to do try.

Can you switch to vape?

Hi, I was a heavy smoker before pregnancy and I gave up around 3/4 weeks after finding out I had cut down dramatically but really found it difficult to cross the line and not have my early morning one and my post dinner one. I went to a smoking cessation nurse and she put me on patches and I only wore them for 3 days then I just quit cold turkey, I was also reading Allen Carrs easy way to give up smoking - it is like the BIBLE, buy it, its so worth it! They won't moan at you but they will discuss the risks and take your CO reading.

Don't switch to vape. It's so so so hard to quit, I was a heavy smoker and it was easier to quit those than current ecig. I'm 5weeks and really really battling to quit the vape.