Nicotene patches and pregnant?

Question

OK I have tried over and over to cut back on my smoking but it is almost impossible for me because I smoke so much...Is there anyway that I can use a low dose of a nicotene patch? I read earlier that some midwives suggest that quitting smoking while pregnant while add stress to the baby as well as me, and I was wondering if a patch would be ok. I read a post similar to mine, where people were talking about, "why are you pregnant and smoking" "quit cold turkey" But for some ppl is isnt that easy, it is easier said than done, especially when you smoke and you know how it feels to not have a ciggarette when you want one. I would really appreciate answers where ppl arent trying to look better and bigger or who arent trying to put me down. Thank you

Answer 1

I know how hard it can be to quit smoking. I have been quit for just over 9 months, and it feels great. The reason I quit was to have a baby, and for me this time was easy. I knew that I had to quit before I got pregnant, otherwise I would probably continue. Anyways, I dont know if the patch would be safe while you are pregnant. That is something you will have to talk to your doctor about. It is stressfull to quit, and I am sure that it passes to the baby, but so does the smoke.
I quit on the patch, it really does work. How much do you smoke? You mentioned a low dose patch, if you smoke a lot the low dose patch wont help you, you will feel the withdrawl just as much. I would recomend using the patch as directed. If you can use it make sure you use the Nicoderm. they are the only ones that are time released, so you get the equivilant to a cigarette every hour instead of a lot in the beginning of the patch and not much at the end. I wish you all the best with your quitting. Just remember it is for the health of your baby and you.

Answer 2

I also was told not to use the patch, so I did it cold turkey. It was easier than I thought...but all these months later...I sure do miss it! The best thing I can say is when you get a craving, take about a minute and just deep breathe...like you were inhaling and exhaling the cigarette. And then do something productive immediately afterwards. If you can do that and try to cut down to a couple smokes a day, you'll be in a much better position. Good luck!

Answer 3

I asked my dr. when I was pregnant with my son last year the same question. He told me that the patch is basically the same thing as smoking. The baby gets the same amount of nicotine because it is absorbed into the bloodstream and then passed through the placenta to the baby. I smoked throughout all four of my pregnancies and all my babies came out fine and all of them were 7 lbs and over. I tried to quit when I was pregnant with my first and just couldn't quit. My advice, if you feel bad about the amount that you are smoking, cut back. Like to start with, just have like one an hour, and then after a week or so, one every two. You might be able to quit that way, but if you can't, just cutting back is a good thing.

Answer 4

I know how you feel. I smoked prepregnancy, and loved it and miss it, I hate to admit, but I had to quit for my baby's sake. I was told by a nurse that the nicotine in the patch was bad for the baby as well and that I couldn't use it, plus the patch package says "not for use by pregnant or nursing women". I had to quit cold turkey. It wasn't easy, but what I did was only smoke a half or a third of a cigarette at a time. I felt so guilty that I quit cold-turkey within 3 days of doing that.

Answer 5

I would talk to your doctor or pharmacist, but I would imagine that a low dose patch would be better than smoking. So, if it's a choice between the patch and continuing to smoke, I would go with the patch unless there's some kind of ingredient that's dangerous to babies.

Good luck.

Answer 6

I just wanna say that when i found out i was pregnant with my second baby,i quit smoking immediately no matter how hard it was for me *and i was a heavy smoker since i was 17 *now 26* when i thought about the harm it could cause to my baby i didnt even wanna smoke,havent smoked since,,,if u really wanna stop,u can stop..many many many people do it cold turkey just like me

Answer 7

According to the Mayo Clinic, using a nicotine patch when quitting cold turkey isn't working, is a much better alternative because the nicotine is delivered at a steady rate, instead of the concentrated rates delivered with cigarette smoking, which causes more stress on the baby.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 8

Okay, I smoke a pack a day. 2 years ago I gave birth to a wonderfull little boy(I smoked through out my pregnancy). Here is something I hope scares you...My son was born with breathing problems caused from my smoking. He has to be on a breathing machine 3 times a day. He has asthma, has had pnemonia and numerous health problems all because of me, so if anyway possible, please stop. As far as the nic patches, they are the same as smoking.

Answer 9

First of all the patch is definately safer than smoking. Second, get used to giving up your wants, you need to quit smoking, no matter how hard it is. Your baby is depending on you for it's nutrition. From now on it should be about the needs of your baby.
Go to this website for more reasons to quit!
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksBirth.html

Answer 10

It's better than smoking while you're pregnant isn't it? If it will make you quit then go for it, rather the nicotine through the blood stream that way and you quitting soon rather than a constant stream of nicotine through smoking (also goes in the blood stream) which you don't quite. Best of 2 evils really.