Craving cigarettes - pregnancy craving

[Crystallove]

Hi all

My first post here. I'm looking for advice / help - no judgement please. I was a smoker about 15/20 a day but stopped just before I reached 6 weeks pregnant (I found out I was pregnant around 3 weeks - I did cut down right away, it just took me a bit of time to kick the habit using NRT patches)
I have had cigarette cravings every single day since I stopped smoking and still now since I've stopped using the patches (about 2 weeks ago) no other pregnancy craving just the urge to smoke!

I am absolutely going out of my mind as all I can think about is smoking. I'm so stressed out, i cry alot, I just feel emotionally exhausted. I'm not enjoying the pregnancy at all which makes me feel like such a bad person! I'm stuck in a vicious cycle and wondered if anyone else felt or feels like this?
I've tried lots of distraction techniques, I eat fairly well, I exercise and try to keep myself busy and motivated. I use the calm app daily for meditation and gratitude journals and I'm speaking with my midwife and doctor to see if they can help.
I just wanted to know if anyone has experienced this and what you did that helped/worked? (before I finally crumble and smoke a cigarette) I'm now 23 weeks pregnant and I know I should just be thinking about my baby but level of upset and stress i experience every day cannot be good for baby at all. I'm totally stuck. Thanks for listening to my rant x

Sorry no advice, but well done! You've done the hard by quitting. Hope you can keep going.

Thank you 😊

Just remembered a friend having an imaginary cigarette when desperate during an exam. Used a pen closed his eyes and really imagined it was a cigarette for a few mins. Might be worth a try.

I was exactly the same. The only craving I had during pregnancy was cigarettes. It was extremely intense and constant. I cried a lot. I caved and smoked half a cigarette a few times, and used a low nicotine vape a few other times when it was unbearable.

You’re doing so well and I know how excruciating it is. Most people don’t understand what it’s like, and there’s nothing I can really say because I know how awful it is.

I know I should just be thinking about my baby but level of upset and stress i experience every day cannot be good for baby at all.

People give birth in war zones without stress impacting on their unborn child at all. Upset and stress isn’t a problem for the unborn baby. Starting to smoke again would be.

Eyes on the prize. You want a healthy baby and you want your baby to have a healthy parent. Keep on going

Thanks @Sally872 I did try this with the nicotine inhaler but with no filter in it for a week or so but then thought it was encouraging cravings if that makes sense? So stopped it 😕

@Saz432 I wrote a post and it's disappeared 🙃 anyways thank you. It's a relief to hear someone who has experienced the same thing, like a little weight has been lifted off my shoulders knowing I'm not the only one. I just hope it eases soon x

@PotteringAlong the stress thing has been mentioned by both my midwife and doctor which really just adds more stress 😖 I just need a break for this pressure or at least find something that will satisfy my craving. I know this baby is the priority, I will keep trying, thanks x

17 weeks to go your over halfway there you can do this

I craved alcohol with my last pregnancy it went when I had the baby so in 17 weeks you will have a healthy baby and no craving

I wasn't as bad as you've described, but I used to have regular dreams about smoking throughout both my pregnancies. Almost every night. I felt guilty in my dreams smoking but you've done so, so well. You can keep it up. Definitely speak to your midwife though, surely there must be some advice on what you can do as it sounds like you are really struggling.

I've heard hypnotherapy is really good for this sort of thing! Might be worth looking into finding someone practicing near you.

Congratulations on quitting, you've done the best thing you can do for your baby! Maybe get a jar and put some pennies in you'd spend on cigarettes and treat yourself to something nice every so often, you deserve some quality treats mama :) we understand it's super hard but wow we're proud of you! Addiction is soooooo hard and you're soooo strong!

Thanks everyone, I'm really trying. I've arranged to do CBT as my anxiety is through the roof and making the cravings worse or visa versa 🙃 I'll look into hypnotherapy too - that's good shout, thank you xx

Join a quit smoking forum. I think NHS has one. Vent and rant and tell them you can’t go on, because their responses are just so positive and encouraging. The responses from strangers on a forum when I quit made me cry, in a good way, they just me feel so supported. They really know what it’s like and why it’s worth doing.
It’s going to get easier. Remind yourself that. Write down why you are doing it, what the benefits are, and why you are excited for a smoke free future. I did that and read it back often. I wrote about ways I’d treat myself, and with the money I’d saved I got a pedicure, bought some posh conditioner… little things but I felt pride in knowing how I’d ‘earned’ them.

Thanks I'll look into the forum. I am doing everything in my power but it isn't getting any easier, it's getting worse if anything as it's my pregnancy craving and nothing at all whatsoever will satisfy it. It's a real challenge everyday but I know I need to do it for the baby. Thanks again x

I was exactly the same as you. I quit when trying to conceive, but as soon as I hit the 7 month mark in my pregnancy cigarettes were all I could think about. Unfortunately I caved and used to have half a cigarette each night after dinner which is when I craved them more.

I was exactly the same, absolutely desperate for a smoke. It got so bad that I asked DH to bum one off of someone from work and bring it home to me!

I used to sit there and hold it when the cravings were bad. Having one there ready to go if I wanted it really helped me get through without smoking.

@Blueisnotmyfavouritecolour it's really horrible 😥 I don't want to cave but I'm honestly at my wits end. Feel like a crazy woman x

@MuchTooTired I'm exhausted with it! It's sucks

DH didn't smoke for about 5 years after hypnotherapy, the session put the idea in his subconscious that a cigarette was something really disgusting (he had to imagine something really disgusting in the session, I don't want to make you feel ill as you're pregnant!)
We were on holiday and he got drunk and smoked and had another session with the same hypnotherapist for a top up and so far so good.

In my trust there is a specialist midwife-led clinic to help pregnant women stop, I saw posters about it. Even if yours doesn't have that I think online support will help.

You're doing so well. This really is one of the best things you can do for your baby.
A hypnotherapy session could be a really good investment for both of you.

Do you have a partner? If so maybe you could quit together for the baby. You do have to want to but I can't think of any greater motivation. Good luck.

@Crystallove I don’t blame you for being exhausted with it! I had so much rage that I couldn’t, and that I was being treated like a child when I’m an adult ffs and it’s my body. I was also angry that DH got to carry on living a normal life and not being treated like some idiot who wasn’t ‘allowed’ to do things. I realise now that it was hormones at play, and I never did it but the temptation was infuriating.

It did pass after a few weeks. Just don’t make the same stupid mistake I did and start again once the baby is here no matter how tired you are - it’s impossible (I think!) to just have one...! Unless you want to obviously, it is your body and absolutely none of my business

@Arecklessmanor thanks. My midwife has got me into CBT as my anxiety is through the roof! I feel like I'm not helping my baby as I'm so angry all the time, the emotions this wee one is picking up cannot be good 😕 no, no partner, he's decided he's not interested so no support there!

@MuchTooTired thanks, it's never letting up at all - even after the patches I thought it would be easier but no. I'm so angry all the time. I hate myself for feeling like this! Horrible vicious circle. I'm pretty sure I will go back to smoking once the baby is here, as sad as that is. X

Please don’t go back to smoking when the baby is here. You’ve done the hardest bit and, if you start smoking again, you are risking both your own health and the health of your baby. It will get easier.

Well done for quitting, not easy at all!

No real advice, other than I find mindfulness really useful for dealing with anxiety. But I recognise your overcoming an addiction which mindfulness might not be overly helpful with!

You’re doing great!