Smoking in pregnancy

[susie12345]

Hi
I found out this weekend that i am pregnant. I am only starting week 4 and i have been a smoker so i know i need to quit but would really love to hear from others how they did it and if they used anything to help them quit. I know its bad for the baby and that is why i want to stop but im worried i will not manage it on my own. Please help. Thanks

2 days after i found out i was pregnant with my son i quit smoking, i was able to do it without anything. I shocked a lot of my friends and family bc i was able to do it so easily. After my son was born i never picked it back up. He’s 5 now. Tell urself no every time you do get a craving and think about the baby’s health. That’s what helped me. Good luck! And congratulations on ur pregnancy 😊

You just have to be really strict with yourself. I smoked until I found out I was pregnant with dd and stopped the day I knew.

I couldn’t drink either which helped a lot. But even when I was desperate for one I just did something else. The house was very tidy!

Hi OP, are you in the UK? Your midwife or gp should be able to offer you the stop smoking service where you will be given free nicotine replacements if this is something you'd be interested in.
I was a heavy smoker at the start of my pregnancy and this really helped me, I am not even using the nicotine lozenges anymore.
Things that kept my hands and mind occupied also helped, games on my phone or puzzles in the newspaper.

How many a day do you smoke? I was on at least 20 a day when I found out.
I always told my DP that as soon as I was pregnant I would just quit, he didn’t believe me and nor did my family. I’ve tried quitting before and hating vaping.

I think if you want to quit, as soon as you realise that it’s not just your life at risk now your whole mind set just changes and you just get on with it.

I have found not drinking to be much, much harder than not smoking.. and I wasn’t a massive drinker! Hardly ever went out drinking but would have a glass of wine or g&t most nights.

You will do it OP, and I think you’ll surprise yourself :)

Talk to your gp/ midwife about it that can tell you what services are available in your area to help and what nicotine substitutes you may be able to use.

Congrats!

I too was a heavy smoker before I learnt I was pregnant. You need to kick the habit as soon as you can then it will be worth it.

You do need to want to quit which is good because it sounds like you want too :) honestly i tried everything under the sun to try and stop when i was pregnant with my 2nd... the only thing that worked was me literally just stopping! Sounds daft but i got up one day and thought rite im not going to have that first cig with my cup of tea.. then i had to take my son to school which passed another hour then i basically kepy myself busy, stayed away from heavy smokers because i knew it wouldnt help me. First 3 days i would say was the hardest for me but once you get into that routine of not having that first cig of the day etc it makes a huge difference.

I also bought hard boiled sweets/mints just to kind of replace too which helped xx

Get to your midwife and take all the help you need. Congratulations and good luck :)

I have stop smoking cessation appointment on friday, it cant come soon enough. I am still smoking around 6 cigs a day which is better than i used to as i used to smoke 20 a day. Im really worried about the baby obviously as i am now 5w+2 but im finding it so hard not to smoke especially when my partner stresses me out :(

Well done, can’t be easy to cut down so much. Sounds like you’re well on your way!

Stopping from tomorrow, got my patches given by stop smoking service. I think i need some encouragement lol i know i need to think of the baby and thats what i will do. Im just hoping i havent done damage to the baby.

Op well done on quitting. I've not had a cig si ce my bfp but went onto low nicotine vape and weened myself off that. Midwife recommended this and it worked for me. Good luck you can do if

Ok so first day today i did have a cig this morning but nothing since (all day). Patches seem to be good and stopping cravings but i do still want a cig a bit. I was told vape is less harmful and if it helps i can occasionally use it but i am trying not to. If i can do it today and tomorrow then i think i will be ok. Its hard tho especially when i am bored or stressed.

You can do it because yo dont want to risk being one of those mums to be in hospital having increased risk of high blood pressure, lack of oxygen, underweight and in danger of premature puffing away outside the maternity unit. You can do it, save the money and treat yourself.

Well done. Sounds like you are doing really well. Google pictures of placentas of smokers and compare to normal placentas. That should help you as the difference is shocking.

Just googled some pictures and it is shocking. Definitely helps to make my mind up. Thank you