SMOKING IN PREGNANCY

[Kezza7779]

Of course i am going to be like a lamb to the slaughter writing this - its embarrassing and i am deeply ashamed of myself.

I have smoked for 17 years, heavily (30 a day). on finding out i was pregnant i immediately booked in to see the NHS smoking nurse determined to quit for my baby.
However, being such a heavy smoker the pathetically low nicotene patches u are allowed whilst pregnant didnt touch me, i have tried the inhalator and gum all to no avail. instead in the last 3 weeks i have cut down to around 10 and am working on reducing this much more over the next few weeks. My Carbon monoxide levels on testing weekly with the nurse have over halved.
I m particularly stressed as the moment as i had a previous MC 2 yrs ago at 9 weeks, i am now 8.4 and hellishly nervous / apprehensive. the nurse advised me that if i was really struggling and stressing out about it, that its best to have a smoke than work myself up to the point i stress the baby out or even worse cause a miscarriage.

I dont realy expect many people (SMOKERS) will admit on here that they are or have smoked in pregnancy but i just wanted to discuss it, especially with smokers / ex smokers (understanding of the terrible addiction) unlike non smokers like my DH!!!!

I smoked until the day I found out I was pg with dd1...16 yrs ago. Gave up through fear of harming her in any way.

Well done for cutting down, keep trying.

Don't be too hard on yourself you know what you should really do, you have managed to cut your smoking down by two thirds, the patches may be more effective now you are smoking less it may be worth giving them another go.
I would never advocate smoking during pregnancy but babies are born to women who do far worse things imo and survive generally unscathed.
You are doing all you can by seeking help, good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

Cutting down is a great start, please don't beat yourself up. I always assumed that i'd stop SO easily when I got pg but sadly it was much harder than I thought. I cut down from about 40 a day to about a day. Those 3 were SO hard to get rid of but I did it, using the patches (lowest dose, prescribed by my GP after I persuaded him that I couldn't do it without the patches. I had one or two slip-ups but basically I stopped altogether about 4 weeks after starting teh patches. Up until that point I managed some days with none and some days back to smoking 3. Each time i lit up I hated myself and felt so weak and so guilty.

Pre-pregnancy, I would have told myself that that was it and I obviously just couldn't quit. Being pg though meant I gave it another chance the following day and I did get there in the end. Sadly I am now smoking again (I know, I know, it's so silly) but that was something elsethat kept me going on the tough days - the thought that if I REALLY had to smoke, i could smoke again just as soon as I'd given birth. Anyway, you CAN do it - if I can, anyone can, I promise.

YOu cando it, but at the same time, it's not the absolute end of the world if you have one or two. Many smokers have healthy babies, so though it's not good it's not as bad as the more hysterical type of anti-smoker will claim.

Awww thanks ladies its helpful to hear of other peoples experiences and general advice. I WILL keep trying! im on this mission now where i will roll 10 cigs (i smoke tobacco) per day for a week then next week 8 fags, then week after 6 and so on and ween myself off. This way i will lose many of those habitual cigs like.... one for the car, one for the loo etc. Ill use the gum and inhalator to replace the cigs i NEED!!! until hopefully im just on the NRT and no cigs.... Its so scary and hard, i fear giving up, i dont know what ill do if i dont smoke, i think ill go mad, no i wont, yes i will, no i wont........

I smoked 10-20 a day but stopped the day I found out I was pregnant. Terrible morning sickness helped no end, mind you!

Just keep trying. I really advise reading the Allen Carr books, too. And have you joined a smoking cessation support group? It can be really helpful to have the moral support of others who are going through the same thing - more helpful than you might imagine, actually. I also think a lifestyle change might be in order - maybe take up pregnancy yoga or swimming? - as taking better care of yourself physically can often help to reduce your craving to smoke a little bit.
remember - it isn't just important to stop smoking for your unborn child - you should be aiming towards stopping after the birth, too. Smoking while BF-ing, smoking around babies, even breathing on babies or touching them after you have smoked, can all be harmful. You can become a non-smoking mummy - you just have to believe you can do it (that's where Allen Carr or some sort of hypnosis can help loads).

Good Luck xx

Message withdrawn

kezza - well done for cutting down so much

I used to smoke but gave up the year before last. Had a bit of a relapse over the summer but managed to give up again a few months ago. Tis the hardest thing I have ever done.

I didn't manage to give up during any of my pregnancies, although, like you, I cut down.

Don't stress yourself out. You are doing fantastically well and should be very very proud of yourself for what you have achieved so far.

I found that the best thing for me when giving up (apart from the CO monitors - they were fab, it was the best feeling when it registered zero) was keeping a smoking diary. Your NHS adviser may have suggested one to you, but if not, you have columns for:
time
where are you
what are you doing
do you NEED the cigarette
do you WANT the cigarette
how do you feel

Fill it in every time you have a cigarette and after a few days you start to realise that you have answered no to needing and wanting the cig. Tis easier to then think that you don't want it and not actually smoke it.

When you do eventually give up properly, the first three days are the worst, then you get an awful day on about day 9 when it hits you and you kind of feel that you would be allright to have just one as you have managed over a week without one. Don't give in.

It really does only take a fortnight or so for you not to constantly want a cigarette - I'm not saying you never want one, but cravings are really simple to squash after that.

Seriously, give yourself a big pat on the back for cutting down like you have, and good luck with the giving up. There is a thread on here somewhere about support for people who are giving up right now... I'll see if I can find it

sorry my post was an essay

support thread here

I gave up smoking when I got pregnant but when I have tried to give up previously and it was always being stressed that made me give in to my cravings.

I read somewhere that physical cravings subside after 5-10 minutes (until the next one). If you get a real craving try and distract yourself for 10 minutes till it subsides. Think about it one craving at a time and dont beat yourself up if you get weak and have one. It worked for me.

Re: nicotine patches - they might not recommend stronger ones for pregnant women but if it helps you stop smoking cigarettes - ask your mw what's more harmful: a higher strength patch or a fag?

Good luck with it, I know its not easy!

It's really hard if you don't feel violently ill when you have one - luckily I did.

One of my oldest friends has 4 dcs - she has smoked all through each one of her pgs and all 4 children are massive, healthy and with no asthma or other problems.

She cut down as much as she could and I think that is a good effort if you are a really heavy smoker.

Agree with trying patches again if you really want to try. It's undoubtedly better for your baby if you don't smoke obviously but as madamez says, as long as you are trying your very best and carry on weaning yourself off then be proud of yourself.

One thing that helped me stay off them when I was pg (because even though I felt sick I still got tempted), was a friend saying to me - just imagine putting that into your child's mouth and lighting it - the image disgusted me for quite a while.

well good luck with it, and try to be honest with yourself and not use what the nurse said as an excuse to have one any old time you feel like it

sounds like you have done well to cut down as far as you have, don't let the hard work go now

I smoked for most of last pregnancy, but cut diwn, more determined to this time was 20+ a day and having tried everything before, tried hypnotherapy and so far so good, nearly done 10 weeks and really don't want one.

Well done for cutting down.

Have what you have and enjoy them. The don't buy anymore. Put the money in a jar that you would have spent and buy something nice for you and the baby.

try reading Allen carr's "easyway" book - i read it to quit my 10-year, 25-30 a day habit and after reading it twice, i gave up cold turkey and it really was not nearly as hard as i expected.

good luck!

Sophie how has the hypnotherapy helped? ive been debating hypno and also acupuncture, .....

It was the habit I had a real problem with and although she said she couldn't do anything about the nicotine leaving body, i.e. cravings, she got rid of the habit and for some reason really don't like the smell anymore, whatever she did it worked.

its the mind over matter thing for me i need to be brainwashed!!!xx

I don't smoke so can't offer advice but just wanted to say well done for cutting down so much, keep up the good work

Did feel a bit brainwashed by the hypno. My DB tried with acupuncture many years ago, and cravings went but habit stayed.

I smoked during my first pregnancy. My baby was born early with a low birth weight.
Second time round i did not smoke, baby born at estimated time average weight
Stopping smoking does make a difference.

i smoked before and after DS1's pregnancy and stopped again when I found out I was 8 weeks pregnant with number 2.

I wasnt a particularly heavy smoker (around 5 a day) so found it relatively easy to stop during pregnancy(terrible sickness and a non-smoking dp has helped immensely)

And i think smoking is one of those things that, pregnant or not, we all wish we did no do. Certainly I was very unhappy with myself when I picked it up again after DS was born. Because there is nothing but huge amounts of evidence that it is bad for our health nad our children's health. So I think that if your are going to stop, you'll probably never have a more opportune or relevant time than when you are pregnant. You need ot be really strong and decisive about this and not let yourself any little 'cheats'. It is sooo worth it.

(im sort of preaching to myself here!)

So good luck. It sounds like you are doing amazingly already. Just keep giong. You dont need the cigarettes. You really dont.

I am currently 34wks pregnant and am on my 10th day of not smoking. Previously I had a 10-20 a day habit and at the beginning of my pregnancy cut down to about 3 a day because of morning sickness, I just didn't feel like it. Into the second trimester when I was feeling brighter this crept back up to ten a day and I felt so guilty and terrible every time I had a cigarette. I always said i would give up smoking once I was pregnant and thought that I couldn't possibly have more of an incentive than the life of my unborn child and hated myself for not being able to stop. My midwife praised me and said I was doing really well having cut down at all and I used that as my excuse for long enough. Then over Chrimbo I got nasty flu, coupled with chest infection and sinusitus and that was the catalyst for me stopping. Now I'm on my 10th day I am feeling really postive that I wont smoke and glad that I am not polluting my poor baby anymore. Although I have to say I feel incredibly guilty for not having done it sooner. My DP said he was actually ashamed of me and I was too, as I never smoked in front of anyone. It used to cause arguments as he would nag me to stop, and pull a face everytime i lit up, yet he would still be smoking which i thought was unfair.

I was always very critical of pregnant women who smoked throughout their pregnancy, including my best friend who had her baby six months ago and didn't stop or cut down - i used to nag her to death and it became a real bone of contention - i couldn't believe she couldn't just stop. But I have eaten humble pie and apologised profusly since. I was mortified when she told me that whilst she was in labour she actually went outside the hospital in between contractions to have a ciggie before they gave her the epidural and crawled back up to ward on her hands and knees. All for a fag! When I've been to the antenatal ward at the hospital I've seen heavily pregnant ladies puffing away oustide and been shocked - it just looks awful.

Well, 10 days and I hope I can keep at it.

Well done for cutting down - keep at it - you'll get there - I have also heard that Alan Carr's book is really good. Is the guilt you feel for those few puffs really wth it? I promise you it isn't. xxx

if you need to be brainwashed read the alan carr book. it works.
well done for cutting back.

I stropped when pg with DD1 although I was desp for one (had odd puff when out). then started again as this was, stupidly, the plan. stopped again 6 months ago as DD was starting to imitate us smoking and could not get over the idea that I was deliberatedly doing something that might endanger the number of days I'd have to spend with DD. morbid I know but it worked a treat for me and DH who smoked 20plus all his life. pg again now and do not think will ever start again - that's the idea anyway.

you can do it. don't be too hard on yourself but try as hard as you can. it's def worth it.

Thanks ladies, it all helps.....

Ive read Alan Carr and was so impressed by it i paid £180 and teavelled to Bristol to go on the actual workshop - it was rubbish!!!! The book is better - i must read it again as this was years ago!!!!

Im going to try acupuncture and hypno to see if that works, ill let you know..... failing that....
My mum has said shes going to give up with me, we have set the date 6th feb as this is my 12 week scan date, a huge milestone in the pregnancy and i will have pictures i can copy and stick all over the house..... we are going to cold turkey it and scream at each other instead of smoking. Ive bought a treadmill to walk on in an effort to 'replace' the smoking and get fit - not fat! (apart from baby fat).....