pregnant and need to quit - Smoking Cessation Message Board

hello to all · 10-21-2004, 03:57 AM

hello everyone. i have just found out i am pregnant and i desperately want to quit smoking for the health of my baby. i have been a smoker for over 10 years now and see this as the perfect opportunity to quit. trouble is i can't use any of the patches or other products as there are warnings on them all not to use in pregnancy. will power alone is useless. i have tried to stop, but it's so dificult, any tips??? i feel so guilty for smoking with my baby inside me, but the feeling of guilt just seems to stress me out ... then i smoke even more. any ideas on how to quit?

please advise x

elatedgiraffe · 10-21-2004, 09:16 AM

Hey-
Congrats on your pregnancy! You're right, now is the perfect time to quit. I quit cold turkey over a year ago so it is possible to quit without all those aids. You know how awful smoking is while you are pregnant.

So throw those cigarettes in the trash! Find an empty jar and label it "Baby Fund" and everyday put the amount of money you spend on cigarettes in that jar. At the end of every 2 weeks go out and buy you something for you and your unborn baby. Get you several packs of gum to chew when you get cravings. Go for a walk and get some fresh air when you have a really bad craving. Tell your family and friends that this is important to you and that you need their support. You maybe quite moody from nicotine withdrawl and pregnancy hormones and they need to be understanding.

Pretty soon you'll feel better, you'll smell better, and you'll wonder why you ever starting smoking in the first place.

Good luck and once again, congrats!

Tobias · 10-21-2004, 12:04 PM

Do I understand from your post that, although you are pregnant, you are still smoking as we speak?
Have you consulted your doctor about advisability of using patch or gum INSTEAD of smoking and would this be any more harmful to your baby than smoking is now or would it be less harmful just as it is less harmful to a non-pregnant person to use nic replacement than to smoke cigarettes?

just a thought. Ask your doctor for sure to see if, given those 2 options, s/he would opt for nic replacement over smoking. Interesting to hear what they say.

Terri43 · 10-21-2004, 12:39 PM

I also quit smoking cold turkey the day I found out I was pregnant. Have you thought about laser concepts. I heard that it works to quit smoking. congrats and good luck

hello to all · 10-21-2004, 01:37 PM

thank you all for your advise, with reguards to what tobias was saying, i did speak to the doc and he said that nicotine replacement of any description while pregnant was a big no-no...i have decided to give it a try cold turkey...if you guys can do it i guess i have no excuse. i know it's gonna be hard but i guess if i take each day as it comes i will be able to get through this bit by bit, thank you all.