Suggestions on ways to quit smoking during pregnancy

[katkins]

When I fell pg with Kat, I knew I'd have to quit smoking. I'd had 3 previous m/c and I am sure the stress and hence increase in smoking is what caused me to m/c. With Kat, I was married and secure and we BOTH so wanted the baby. I decided I would quit. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. First off, I tried so hard to quit, and could not manage it straight out. So I cut right down to 2 a day, and only when stressed would I allow myself a drag or two. Then I changed my habits. I wasn't allowed to smoke inside as Dh didn't smoke and I smoked more at work anyway cause being a nurse, a lot of us did and would go on break together. So I cut out coffee and stopped going outside for breaks. This meant two of my main triggers were gone. M/Sness helped too cause my body soon decided it didn't want me having coffee anyway. If I really really craved a cig, I'd say "Ok, just two drags" then put it out for later on. I kept telling myself that every drag less I had was one more breath my child would be able to take without a wheeze. In this way I was not stressing my body so much and I was still cutting down. By the time I was 20wks preg, I had completely stopped smoking.
Once I had Kat, I went over to a friends place, she was smoking and I wanted one. I had one drag and put it out. I realized I didn't like the taste anymore. I've probably had maybe 1/2 a cig since and that's been one drag at a time when I have been so very stressed. Last yr when I started work and was fighting with DH all the time, I went a bought a pack. I light the first one and put it out after one drag. I didn't like the taste and forcing myself to have it was making me feel sick. I gave the pack away a few days later. I wanted more kids and taking up the habit again would simply mean having to quit again.
My advice is simply this. Do it by degrees. Cut down. Smoke half a cig at a time. Then eventually change habits. Stop drinking coffee or take breaks inside doing some work at the same time or something. Anything to take ur mind off wanting a cig.
You are doing well honey. And u already love that baby, that's for sure. I am incredibly proud of everyone who cuts right down or quits during pgcy.
My older sis cut down to 2-3 per day and my best friend did the same. They both have healthy kids.
Goodluck honey, I know u can do it.

[bellelass]

I had a 20-30/day habit when I found out I was pg. Lord, I can hardly believe it now. I didn't want to be pg, and I didn't want to quit smoking, dh smoked and most of our friends do too so it was really hard for me at first. When I got a positive test result, the first thing I did was light up and suck one down like my life depended on it.

First I cut it in half. Then after a few weeks I'd cut that half in half. So by the time I was 20 or so weeks (which HAD been my own mental cut off date) I was having maybe 3-6 a day. I knew that was less bad for me and the baby, and I thought positively- that is, I encouraged myself for cutting back as much as I had. And kind of used that positivity to help me keep cutting down. I figured if me quitting was slow and steady, but stuck then it was better than going cold turkey several times and destroying my self-confidence every time I couldn't resist.

I guess about a month ago DH was finally mentally ready to quit. I didn't nag at him or anything, I figured it had to be his own decision in order for it to be lasting. He had cut back a little, and I knew he realized that his smoking was impeding me quitting. Like, if I had one, or half of one, he would act like I was being awful and I'd point out he was smoking, too. That was all I said. Anyway, he's been on patches for the past month and I've pretty much quit. I have had the odd one every now and then but I think I'm mostly over it.

My baby is perfect and right on with weight and measurements, as far as they can tell. I figure that several generations of women smoked through their pgs without knowing any better, and that plenty of women still do even though they do know better. And probably most of them had fine babies.

Try to focus on the positives, and don't beat yourself up. You're already being a wonderful mum for trying to quit. Focus on how much progress you've already made, and how much money you've saved, and how much better your skin looks, how much more you can smell, the fact that you don't stink of smoke anymore etc. I tried to think about it in terms of something I was doing for myself; the fact that I was expecting a child was a catalyst, but I thought of quitting as something to help ME feel better. Cause in a lot of ways, for me smoking was an identity thing. Does that make sense?

One thing that's helpful for when you REALLY want one is to do something else, something active. I've been doing a HEAP of baking the past few months, sometimes really late at night. DH likes having apple pies and homemade breads and thinks Im spoiling him, but mostly it was to give myself something else to do when I was jonse-ing.