Please don't ***** and judge at this question?

Question

Before I found out I was pregnant, I was quite partial to having cocaine and cannibas and I smoked and drank as well. Being an entertainer/singer its part of the lifestyle (not that im using that as an excuse, I know its wrong). Since I found out I was pregnant i haven't touched cocaine, cannibas or alcohol but I am really really struggling to give up smoking. I have given up everything else but I know the cigarettes are worse than the others combined. The pharmacist will not give me anything to help so i have switched to the lightest cigs i can find. Can anybody help me with this as i know i have to stop for the health of the baby (and myself) and im sick of strangers telling me i shouldn't be doing it. I want to be the best mother I can be. Please don't judge on the previous lifestyle-i need help on the new lifestyle please.

Can i just add to those telling me what smoking is doing that i know all these things which is why i want to stop. Plus it would be a lot easier if i didn't have a partner who was still smoking and doing cocaine in front of me. Who insists that me doing a line of cocaine wont harm my baby and i think i've done pretty damn well not to do it. Im doing all I can. The pharmacy will not give me patches or gum or anything.

Answer 1

Cut up some carrot into strips and when you feel like smoking chew on one

Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations.
- Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting. Do not be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit.

Avoid being around other smokers can make you want to smoke. Avoid drinking alcohol, drinking lowers your chances of success.

Eat a healthy diet and stay active.

Once you quit, do not smoke - NOT EVEN ONE PUFF

US- Telephone counseling is available call 1-800-QUIT-NOW
UK- NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline 0800 169 9 169

http://baby2see.com/medical/cigarettes_alcohol.html

Good luck

Answer 2

You already know that smoking is bad for you and for baby. If you can't quit there is nothing we can tell you to make you stop. But, I think your bigger problem here is your domestic partner. You have already changed your ways and are no longer doing illegal drugs and drinking and this is a change that needs to continue after the birth of the child as well, not just during the pregnancy. You have made the commitment to become a mother so it is now time to put ALL of the reckless behavior behind you. If you are living with a partner who is continuing to live this kind of lifestyle then you will need to do what is best for your baby and begin a new life, one that is conducive to a healthy, stable, and safe enviornment. I am more worried about the home the baby will be brought into than you smoking cigs during pregnancy. While I don't want to make light of smoking, it is a far less serious a problem than the home issue. All you can do is try not to smoke, but I would concentrate on getting out of that bad enviornment which is potentially much more debilitating.

Answer 3

Good girl ! You have already changed a whole lot of things in your life that will help you have a clear head for the rest of your decisions ! I smoke , and I smoked while I was pregnant , but , like you , I knew it was ( and still is ) wrong , but cut down significantly . Almost everyone I know smoked when they were pregnant, nd their babies are fine . (including mine - now 11 years old ) But I'm again NOT saying it is right ! I guess we ALL just got lucky , but yes , it would be BEST to quit ! I also like to "party " but know when and where to do it ! NEVER when my daughter is home or to be expected home shortly ! She usually spends the night at my mom's which is right across the street , since she takes her to school every morning , and I do not have a working car in the daytime , since my husband leaves for work, before she has to be at school , So the whole point of that little story is to let you know that the evening is "our time " to do whatever we want ! But that is "our choice " I know lots of people who let the same things go on in their homes with their children as they did before they had them . I personally would NEVER do that , so I think you are on the right track , and a good start to being a great mom. A long time ago , my husband and I were at a party where there was a VERY pregnant lady with a straw up her nose and another girl with a baby on her lap , drinking from her breast while she was smoking a joint ! To me , that is NOT a pretty picture of "motherhood " You can ask your OBGYN if there is something you can do or take to help you quit smoking cigarettes, cause obviously he/she knows your pregnant , Where as if you just ask the pharmacist , they can't recommend something if you are pregnant . When I was pregnant , cigarettes sometimes made me gag , and I put it out halfway through , and didn't want them as much as a result ! So that was a GOOD thing ! You have done a great job keep coming back ! ( A little AA slogan ) but it works if ya work it ! ( another one ) ALL TRUE Keep up the good work ! E-mail me if ya want or need someone to talk to ! Good luck and congratulations !!!!! Do NOT use the gum or patch as some people have said , without asking your doctor !! These are also filled with NICOTINE and other chemicals !! The idea of the patch is to "overdose " you with nicotine so you will feel sick and not want it anymore ! You would probably get LESS nicotine from just smoking !!!

Answer 4

I agree with you that people are too hard on mothers for smoking, especially since you know smoking is not good for the baby. It's not like you are doing it on purpose.

I commend you for trying to quit and switching to lighter cigarettes. Here are some tips that have helped me and some of my friends:

1. Find a buddy that can hold you accountable while you are trying to quit - someone to keep tabs on you.
2. Eliminate 1 cigarette per day and replace it with something else pleasurable or that relaxes you or makes you happy (a snack, a hot bath, a cup of coffee or tea, candy, calling your buddy to talk about it)
3. Get some nicotine gum for when step 2 is not enough! You'll get a little nicotine but at least you're not holding and puffing on a cigarette
4. Find other stuff to put in your mouth, like a pen top to chew on or toothpicks

There are probably a lot of good websites with more tips than I can offer. Best of luck and congratultions on your baby and on making some really progress with your other habits.

Answer 5

First and foremost, congratulations on your little miracle!
Second of all, I want to say that I am proud of you for all that you are trying to do for you and the health of your baby.
I know that giving up smoking is very difficult, and you will need all the help you can get. One of the first things I would do is try and find a support group in your area... people that are giving up smoking is a start, and one for new and expecting parents. Heck, it wouldnt suprise me if you could find a group of expectant mothers trying to quit smoking!
I know that it is cliche, but a lot of the smoking addiction is an oral fixation. It wont take away the nicotine cravings, but substituting suckers and gum when you feel a craving coming on does help some. This is also something that one of my friends did when they were in your same situation... they carried a print out of an ultrasound of their baby... when the craving for a cigarette got to her, she pulled out that picture to remind her of why she was doing it. It helped her a lot, and she hasnt smoked since... over 6 years ago.
I really wish you all the luck in the world. A child is such a blessing (coming from a proud father of a 14 month old daughter), and every day I get to hold her I remind myself why I am working so hard in school and making a better life for her and her mother.

Answer 6

I reccomend finding something to put in smokings place. I know its hard to quit but you've already come a lot farther than most people do and your amazing for that! Im proud you could quit the other stuff that easily. Smoking is hard to quit....but replacing it can sometimes help. Try buying tons of suckers or straws....sucking on a sucker can sometimes help or chewing gum. Chewing on straws will give your mouth something to do that will distract it from the smoking. You can buy gum or patches over the counter.


And not that im encouraging you to keep going...but some woman do smoke during pregnancy and end up having healthy children. yes..people argue and say that it can cause them to have asthma when they get older. But....i have asthma and my mom wasn't a smoker. So anyone can get it. My sister in law smoked her entire pregnancy when she was pregnant with twins and gave birth to them 3 days before she was 40 WEEKS PREGNANT! They were perfectly healthy. They have no health problems at all.

But again...try to replace the smoking with something else or cutting down to only one or 2 a day. That can at least help a little bit. Light cigs don't really change the effect they have on the baby supposedly.(Im still kind of skeptic on if they even do anything harmful...although everyone says they cause harm..i dunno..im just..i dunno. haha)

Good luck and congrats on your baby. And again....its great to hear that you quit everyone else. Your already 10 steps ahead of a lot of people!

Answer 7

i know it sounds mean, but you are already harming your new baby- 'light' cigarette are just as bad for him or her a sany other kind.

If the pharmacist can't or wont help try an alternative therapy- like accupuncture, it should be fine as long as you tell your practitioner that you're pregnant.

there's a really good book by Alan Carr that has helped several people I know give up for good.

You sound like you really want to stop- so why not just throw away all the cigarettes? drown them in water so you wont be tempted.
Try and build up a new routine in which you do not do the things that make you think of smoking. Now might be the perfect time- you could take up ante natal yoga or somehting? to distract yourself?

if you need more motivation ask someone asthmatic to describe what an attack feels like, and realise that this is one of the things you're putting your baby at risk of. A lifetime of breathing difficulties....

Think of yourself, your new life with your new baby, grit your teeth- drag up the will power- it has never been more worth it.

i wish you the very best of luck

Answer 8

I understand how hard it can be to quite smoking...Just try to chew LOTS of gum or even snack on something to eat when you get a craving...thats what my mom did and it worked. Its all a mental thing i use to smoke for 2 years and one day i was like this is making me feel gross so i just stopped cold turkey...easier said then done! Everything you pick up a cigarette take a look at one of your ultrasound pictures and remember theres a little one growing inside you and if that doesnt work then i dont know what to tell you..but i think it will :) Good luck you'll be fine!

Answer 9

Congratulations on giving up the hard stuff. When I found out I was pregnant, I wasn't into drugs, but I was quite the drinker, and that wasn't easy to give up. You might have to do this one gradual, because you quit everything else cold turkey. See if your doctor can help with something, or try the gum thing. As long as you are making an effort to stop, I'm proud of you. Try the nicotine patch too. Good Luck, and congrats on a new beginning.

Answer 10

Well, congratulations on realizing what is important in life. And Congratulations for stopping cold turkey on such hard-core drugs. If you are still only smoking, it's not the worst thing in the world, but the sooner you stop, the better. I would advise you to start chewing gum every time you need a cigarette, or carry lollipops around with you and have one of those every time you want a cigarette. and if none of that works, then i would contact a stop smoking hotline which can be found on google: stop smoking hotline. Well, Good luck and God bless you and your baby! :)