Help Please!?

Question

I am 7 week spregnant and I have a huge problem. I can't quit smoking. I am trying, but I can't. I am eating healthy, exercising, taking my vitamins, etc... but I just can't quit. I know all of the horrible risks I am putting on the baby, as well as myself. I hate myself more and more for it, but I just can't. Please no put downs, just genuine advice PLEASE!

teeheehaw2 you are an ***!

I have started to cut back. Prepregnancy I smoked 2 packs/day full flavor (a lot I know) I am now down to one pack ultra lights. Suggestions have been great!

Answer 1

smoking causes many problems to the baby, not just a small body weight.
if you can't quit, try reciting something to yourself every time you want a smoke. like, "i love my baby". name your baby now and start saying, "i love you, 'baby's name'" this will help you focus on the baby.
when you're at work, tell your boss that you do not want any breaks for cigarettes and that if you take a break, he should make you work that much longer. ask your coworkers to give you nice reminders not to smoke. ask your friends, sig. other, coworkers to not smoke around you. take breaks inside and out of the smokers' lounge.
when you are at home: every time you want to smoke, stick some gum in your mouth, say "i love you baby", go into the baby's room and plan something--hang a picture, make a baby blanket, etc. also, put a pad of paper on our fridge. every time you resist a cigarette, put a tally mark. At the end of each day, count your marks. Every 4 cigarettes resisted, saved you a dollar. At the end of each week, total the money you've saved and do something fun for yourself. Your favorite restaurant, a movie, etc.
The best thing to do is DON'T BUY CIGARETTES. Get them out of the house.
Keep your teeth brushed at all times. You'll learn to like the feeling and fresh breath.
Get the 'smoker smell' out of your clothes, hair, jackets, furniture, house. You'll learn to like the cleanliness.
Figure out something else that will calm you down; that's why you like smoking. A good CD, a walk outside, dance to a good song, yoga, etc.
Try hypnosis.
Don't give up. Baby steps: one temptation at a time.
Remember to reward yourself and focus on the baby. Good luck!

Answer 2

I understand perfectly. I used to smoke like choochoo train. full flavors too. now I'm 17 weeks. I did completely quit for two weeks but I still sneak a hit here and there from my husbads ultra lights. it it hard. just do the best you can. try chewing gum or put yourself in a position where you can't smoke. DO NOT leave the cigarettes right in front of you! put them out in the car or something. you won't always feel like getting up and going out there. remember tho, as i did, the first three months are critical for the baby. I'm not trying to scare you, but you can miscarry at any time. not saying you will. after 3 months the baby should be just fine. at least try to cut back a little more at least for a few months. once you feel a flutter and hear a heartbeat it will be a lot easier. it took me 3 weeks to quit. don't try to drop it RIGHT NOW. that won't work. good luck.

Answer 3

First of all, i am not a smoker so I don't have any experience with this. I know it will be bad if you don't quit cold turkey b/c that is what they told me friend. She has smoked since she was 14. It can cause alot of stress and the first trimester is the worst. If you do quit cold turkey you could miscarry b/c of the stress and your body wanting the nicotine. My friend was told to cut back as much as possible. So it depends on how much you smoke... but if you can cut it back to like one a day that would be better than nothing. Atleast you are trying and that is all what matters. Yes some mothers don't give a crap and will continue without trying and it shows alot of guts to actually try to do what you know what is best for your baby. i wish you all the luck and hopefully you will be able to do it. good luck

Answer 4

First, I want to say that I can understand that smoking is a difficult habit to break; many have tried and failed on many occasion. In fact, some say that it takes several attempts for the quitting to finally happen.

With that said, you must already know the effects that smoking has not only on you, but also your unborn child. These weeks are vital to his or her development; this is the time that birth defects occur the most. I strongly urge you to quit smoking, if not for your health, then do it especially for your baby's. I know that you want to give your baby the best chance possible to be born healthy.

I would go to my ob-gyn and ask for a referral to smoking cessation groups. Sometimes it helps to have a support system and someone to talk to about your feelings. Also, try to identify why you smoke -- is it behavioral habit or is it a physical addiction? If it is a habit, you can replace the behavior with something else. If it is an addiction, you will have to go through the withdrawal for the urge to lessen.

My wish for you is that you seek help right away to quit. You show that you have the desire and motivation to quit, you only need to find the means to quit. I hope that you will find the strength to quit for your baby. Find a way to do this for your baby... in time, maybe you will be able to quit for yourself.

I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy...

Answer 5

I don't know if this will help but I smoked with my first daughter and she was a healthy 7lbs 10oz baby. She has always been very healthy more so than with my friends who didn't smoke. I'm not saying you should smoke by any means but just saying she was very healthy and I had no problems. Also right now I'm 28 weeks pregnant and so far from what they can tell I will have another healthy good sized baby. You do what you got to do if nothing else cut back by half of what your smoking now, better than not quitting at all.

Answer 6

I am 6 weeks pregnant and i have changed everything , but i am having a hard time quitting smoking too , I'm trying because the father of this child is a big time non smoker so i know he'd flip if he found out i haven't quit yet. I hate it too that i can't quit , so as bad as it is I'm glad to hear I'm not alone , maybe we could coach each other through the quitting process to bad i can't get your e-mail address . i don't really want to post mine hear but to talk to a woman that is in the same situation as i am would be helpful

Answer 7

don't hate yourself- im 8 months pregnant and still smoke cigg's... i am down to like 3-5 a day, i don't drink caffiene i am on iron pills and vitamins and my doctors have advised me that it is safer to quit in your first trimester but also safer to quit anytime in pregnancy because of the higher preterm labor risks and low birth weight- i have been very fortunate that my baby is just as healthy as any other. but you still should try your best to quit even if that means hiding your ciggs somewhere- or not smoking inside because you'll find you crave less if you keep your mind busy and will start to think about it less if you have to get up find your ciggs and go outside where ppl can see your pregnant and smoking.. trust me its been the hardest thing to stop during my pregnancy i can totally sympathize- but just because i haven't quite and my baby is okay-doesnt mean that yours will be, ive thought about that my whole pregancy just dont hate yourself just make sure your doing everything in your self power to do the right thing- if you light one up and realize you really shouldnt be smoking cause you just had one put it out.... talk to you doctor they can help you.. being around people who smoke is also a challenge-but ask for your friends and families to help you if you think you dont have enough selfrestriction.. ya know.. i hope this has helped.

Answer 8

well i'm not a smoker so i can't say that i've been there. so my advice is to either suck it up and quit cold turkey for the better of your child....or at the very least, cut down on how much you do smoke. maybe you'll get to the point where you can just keep cutting down to nothing. a drastic idea might be visiting a neo-natal intensive care unit where there are babies with under-devolped lungs and such who are fighting to stay alive and breathe, maybe those images will stay with you and make it easier for you not to grab a smoke.
good luck, and don't quit trying to quit! (even after the baby is born!)

Answer 9

Just try to think of all the unnessasary pain and suffering you could be causing to yourself and your baby possibly, if you do not quit. I had a niece that had terrible ashma problems because my sister smoked during her pregnacy. Not to mention, my grandmother died at 63 of throat cancer, she smoked since she was a teenager, my uncle died at 68 from Lung cancer. He said he started at 28. The eviedence is there with so many people affected by smoking. I admit I did it for a few years in my 20's, but, not during my pregnacies. At least try to quit while your pregnant. Its mind over matter!

Answer 10

It can be hard to stop smoking. even more if you have been smoking for a long time.

but you have to try, think about your baby. I think that when you get the craveing for a smoke, try to hold the ciggerette in your hand for a while, try smelling it, try putting it in your mouth but dont light it and just puff on it. usely for me this takes the craveing away. but if it makes you just want it more them just try cutting back as much as you can.