Why isn't being pregnant an important enough situation to quit smoking

[loveyourself87]

I'm giving my self a very hard time about this and wanted to know from Other pregnant women who are smokers what they think.. this is a subject that will no doubt invite your typical 'just stop it', 'you're being selfish' etc comments but really wanting answers from women who experience this, have a go if you want but in the best words possible, it won't make a difference to how I feel. How is it that knowing full well I am pregnant with a much wanted baby isn't enough for me to stop smoking? I have cut down from 10 a day to around 5 a day, I vape during the day but on weekends I smoke more. I know the dangers of smoking to my health and more so the effect it can have on the baby. I'm just perplexed as to what the hell is wrong with me that I'm continuing to smoke. I've read the Allen Carr book, which helped for a bit but doesn't take away the need for a smoke. I vape during the day but when I get home it's as if a treat is waiting for me. I've tried to speak to the smoke free team and have been on the waiting list for 5 weeks and yet to be seen, spoke to the midwife and she said it requires will power! I was a strong minded person prior to pregnancy and was regular active in the gym and could quit if I wanted to but it's as I'd because I can't see the negative effects of the smoking on the baby it seems like it's not real! Ignorant of me I know but what did you do to help you quit smoking.

I struggle with this, I do want to sympathise, honestly I do but I just don't understand. The reason is because I cut mine up on finding out I was pregnant and that was that, would have the odd craving but wouldn't have dreamt of doing it. I'm not bashing you, you just asked for opinions so this is mine. I have suffered miscarriages so can't understand how someone could purposely harm a baby when others have no choice in what happens to theirs, even tho they do everything right.

Being a mum requires sacrifice and doing things that are hard.
You have to change eating habits potentially, no alcohol. No smoking.
Your sleep is impaired from pregnancy and if you're lucky for the first 3-4 month only, if you're 'average' for the first year.
You can't fully commit to the lifestyle you had before and for a while your career and social life are affected.
Stopping smoking is your first challenge and you're failing.
For those saying 'it's not easy or OP would have done it already' motherhood isn't easy. Childbirth / c sections / breastfeeding / sleepless nights / worrying about their health / making decisions on how to raise them.
Stopping smoking is the easiest choice that OP has to face and it's already proving too hard... doesn't bode well and I wonder if the selfish choices continue

@tiggertogger do you have any advise on how to help or do you just want to moan?

@woogal perhaps it's the nicotine level,I'll look into it, thank you.

@Serabi it is selfish I agree, and no, social services would not intervene with a pregnant women smoking.

@FenellaMaxwell thank you! Although smoking isn't the biggest cause of still birth. I do appreciate your post and will keep this in mind x

You don’t deserve a baby with a such a selfish attitude. You can’t even put your baby first, your smoking fix is more important to you.

@Newbie1981 thank you for your post! This is what confuses me. In the first trimester I found it easy to cut down as I had MS, but second trimester coupled with a lot of things not working out on the personal side of things have me craving for the relief of a smoke which I know is all in my head. This issue with people mentioning miscarriages and other people who are not lucky to conceive as a way to impact others ( and forgive me if it sounds rude), but my smoking and being pregnant does not cause other women to have a miscarriage nor inability to conceive. I do appreciate your post and I'm sorry for your losses x

@loveyourself87 I know that social services wouldn't intervene but I wish they would

It has to be enough of a reason. They live with your choice for their entire life.

Can your midwife or doctor help?

@Serabi I really wish your post could affect me so I can just chuck then away! Thank you for your advise anyhow.

@misspiggy19 do you have any advise or?

@loveyourself87 what do you think needs to happen for you to stop? What advise / help are you looking for?

@Serabi plenty have commented above so I am taking on board what they have said, your opinion just isn't doing anything to me which is weird! Selfish yes.

@loveyourself87 oh I'm def not suggesting your smoking causes that, and I'm not trying to make you feel bad either. Just honestly can't comprehend it because I would do all I can to keep my baby safe. I don't think my opinion would be different had I not miscarries but who knows. I think you will give up, I think you posted this to get people to be harsh which means you want to

Hi op, I'm sorry you're struggling. It is an addiction after all. I used a high level nicotine vape when I was pregnant. Gradually I started reducing the nicotine until I was on 0%. It worked for me and the midwives were happy with me vaping even when I was using the high strength nicotine. Unfortunately I started smoking again 2 years after having my DD. I had stopped vaping after pressure from my dp. Then I began smoking in secret, the odd one, now I'm on 20 a day and due to see a hypnotherapist next week in the hopes that will help me quit again. Hypnotherapy is expensive but perhaps an option for you if the vape isn't working? I don't know how successful it will be but the guy I'm seeing seems pretty confident.

Up the nicotine in your vape and use it as much as you need

@Newbie1981 absolutely! I'm trying to find that one post that will trigger something but there is nothing! I will have a chat with my GP tomorrow as I'm sure I can get some kind of help. I don't actually smoke 5 a day every day, I think I'm just perplexed as why it is so hard to give up.. x

@loveyourself87 I work in Maternity. Perhaps I should have explained in more detail. It’s the single biggest preventable cause. And actually increases the risk factors for other causes too. In fact your risk is nearly 50% higher than a non-smoker.

I stopped when I found out I was pregnant. I had planned to stop anyway as we were about to start fertility treatment so it was on the agenda to quit. Then I got a positive test without having started the fertility treatment and I just stopped. I kept thinking that if anything went wrong like premature labour or the baby had problems, it would be my fault. Also, the midwife checks your carbon monoxide levels if you tell them you are or were a smoker and the shame of having a high result would have mortified me. She checked once and knew I had quit and never checked again. I was so ecstatic at being pregnant that the urge to smoke just went away. It doesn't happen for everyone though. There's a stop smoking service offered through the nhs for free to help you quit. The pharmacies that offer it will have signs up so you can go in and ask

I quit when I was pregnant. Smoked thirty a day for 15 years.

Just ate cake and was a bitch for a few weeks.

Yes it's hard, but you just have to do it.

Stop over analysing it and do it.

You're about to become a mother which the most amazing but also the hardest thing that I have ever done. The buck stops with you when it comes to this child's welfare. You are it.

You're going to get through stuff a lot harder than this. Trust me.

So, just do it.

@FloreanFortescue thank you for the pic, that would be horrible if smoking was a definite cause! I will speak with my GP tomorrow about this. I'm normally a strong minded individual but since becoming pregnant I have lost the willpower.

Because you’re addicted to an addictive substance. That’s why it’s hard. Every cigarette you don’t smoke will help your baby though. Keep going.

@HarrietTheFly thank you! Others have also suggested upping the nicotine level which I will definitely try! Good luck with your sessions