Help - TTC And Quitting Smoking?

Question

I want to quit smoking. I've been reading up on this and smoking affects your fertility and smokers take longer to conceive. I am torn between quitting now and risking throwing my ovulation off because of stress or waiting until I get pregnant and quitting. It's going to be tough either way but I think if I quit ahead of time it would be better for the baby. I (tentatively) picked January 7th as my quit date. I have the patch and hopefully I don't go too nutty trying to quit. I have bought a fertility monitor, preseed and I drink a cup of green tea every day. Smoking, I think, might be interefering with my fertility. I am a relatively heavy smoker (pack a day) and have been ttc for 3 months now with no luck despite reassurances from my handy fertility monitor that I am indeed ovulating. My only fear is that when I quit smoking the stress I experience might delay ovulation or cause it not to occur. Any advice?

Answer 1

Congrats on your committment to quitting smoking! This is best for you and your baby. The patch really helped me quit. I always peeled it off a few hours before bed so it didn't give me weird dreams or keep me awake.

DEFINITELY quit smoking now, BEFORE YOU CONCEIVE for the healthiest baby. I have heard of women miscarrying in early pregnancy due to quitting smoking cold turkey, and the stress it causes, although I don't know whether this is true or not.

Also, you should be taking prenatal vitamins every day (best to start them 3 months before you conceive, especialy if you are a smoker) and eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly oranges and other citrus fruits, strawberries, canteloupes, broccoli, green leafy veggies, etc.

Here is more motivation to help you kick the habit, from the Dec/Jan issue of Fit Pregnancy (p. 18). It says that women who smoke during pregnancy have the following outcomes:

29 percent more likely for their baby to be born with finger and toe anomalies (extra, missing, or webbed fingers and/or toes)

42 percent more likely for their baby to have Tourette's Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes involuntary sudden movements or vocalizations

more likely to have children with behavior problems, such as aggression and refusal to follow directions

women who smoke before, during, and after their pregnancy are also more twice as likely to wean their babies early, before 10 weeks, and their babies are less healthy as a result

four times the risk of leukemia (if the baby's father smoked).

Answer 2

Well if you are really TTC, then you will have to sacrifice your smoking habits.
smoking can affect your fertility. It's bad anyway. Let's say you do end up getting pregnant but you keep procrastinating to quit smoking? You probably know that there is a high risk of it affecting the baby.
Try to quit smoking first, get some help online, or join a support group. And then when you quit, then it will be easier to conceive.

Answer 3

Good for you for getting help. It's best to stop smoking before TTC because smoking increases your risk of miscarriage, and can diminish the quality of your eggs. I quit smoking years ago - before kids and even before I met my husband - but I remember how hard it was. I used nicotine gum which worked very well. My tips for you: - Pick a quit date and stick to it (make it about two weeks away) - Tell your friends and family that you're quitting - On your quit date, throw away all cigarettes and lighters - If you want to smoke, just chew the gum. It really helps the craving even though it doesn't taste great - The more times you quit, the harder it gets. Make this your last time quitting. Good luck!

Answer 4

Try quitting now. I did not quit until I was 10 weeks pregnant. Cigarettes made my morning sickness worse so I slowly cut back. First, I made my home non-smoking. Then, I switched to Ultra Lights and cut back to 5 cigarettes a day (only after meals and snacks). Then I cut down to 3 cigarettes, and after that I completely quit (no patch or nicorette gum). I used snacks and cinnamon gum to help with the cravings and stayed away from people who smoke. It's true, the first few days are the hardest. I haven't smoked in 11 weeks and feel healthier than I ever have. If you put your mind to it you can do it. Good Luck!

Answer 5

This sounds bad but I got preggo 2 times while smoking. YES I quit when I found out.

I can give you the tips that helped me. I was at a pack a day also.

I had my husband jump my a&s every time I would light one up. I eventually got tied of this so I would only smoke when he wasnt home. This cut me back alot. I also started going to bed sooner to avoid some of the cravings. Then durring the day I would slowley cut back. I would smoke a few puffs and put it out. Then do the same when I wanted another. I started chewing gum to replace some of the day time cravings. Eventually I replaced cig's for gum. Durring this time I had to stay away from my family (mom, aunt, grandfather) because I would try to puff off of them. I would sit in non smoking sections at restronts. Once you have almost stoped the first week is the hardest! Your body is being cleaned out and you do get bad cravings...try to replace the cravings with gum or hard candy. Once your past the first week it gets better but you have to have will power!!!!!!! And after that its a breeze but you will run into things that cause a trigger and make you want one. The biggest things thathelped me as my husband jumping my butt when I wanted one and staying away from smokers.
Actually once you quit you will be surprised at how bad the smoke from other people smell. Or how much you point out smokers cause you can smell it on their clothes.

As for TTC.
Start temping in the mornings this site tells you how to do it
http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/preconception/bbt.htm

then use this site to chart it
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/

This site is a forum where girls can chat about TTC......Please look at this one they can be so helpful
www.justmommies.com

Checking cervical mucus can tell you when your fertile...here's the site for that
http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/cervical-mucus.html

Checking your cervix. You need to scroll down some cause the first part we have covered already
http://www.womenshealthlondon.org.uk/leaflets/cycle/cyclechanges.html

Using ovulation predictor kits (these can get expensive....(I recommend ordering them in bulk on line or using the dollar tree)

I also recommend this book
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060937645/bookstorenow57-20

If you have a 28 day cycle then you are likely to ovulate around the 14th day after your period. You would want to have sex before during and after this time! Have sex every other day cause everyday will lower his sperm count!

Answer 6

Staying clear of smoking cigarettes causes will help reduce the urge to smoke, but you cannot avoid yearnings entirely. However cigarette cravings do not last long, so if you're lured to light up, remember that the yearning will pass and attempt to wait it out. It likewise helps to be prepared beforehand. Having a plan to cope with yearnings will assist keep you from giving in.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Stopping is different for everyone, so discover a strategy that will work for you. This could be either the cold turkey method (stopping all of a sudden and totally) or a more steady reduction in the variety of cigarettes you smoke daily. Set a date to give up-- and stay with it. Make it earlier instead of later on. If you are giving up by yourself, it is advised that you stop smoking entirely on your stop date.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

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Women can easily keep a tab on their ovulation by maintaining a temperature chart. Usually around the time of ovulation there is a spike in the temperature of women.

Stress and strain has significant role to play in respect of reproductive cycle including ovulation and menstruation. So if you are planning to get pregnant see to it that your partner as well as you are calm and collected.

Diet, weight, physical fitness and lifestyle have direct bearing on pregnancy. This holds true for both men and women. Both underweight and overweight may be exposed to the risk of infertility on account of difficulties in ovulation. So optimum importance should be given to body weight. One should opt for balanced diet, regular work out and exercises.