Pregnancy Forum - Trying to Quit Smoking! Urgh!

Pregnancy Forum > Pregnancy Forum > Trying to Quit Smoking! Urgh! (Page 1)

What happens during labor? What do contractions feel like? And how do I know that labor has begun? Read on to learn about birthing basics....

Q: Trying to Quit Smoking! Urgh!

asked by: wannababy25 on February 21st, 2006

Experienced User

This has to be one of the hardest things for me to give up during pregnancy! I've been able to give up caffeine and junk food...But this one is tough! I want to quit...I know I should quit...But every time I try...I get so emotional and irritable that I eventually cave in. As an example...I tried again today to quit. I went to get my blood work done...I ended up waiting almost 2 hours to be seen! With every passing minute...I became more and more miserable. To the point that I felt like I could just cry. By the time I left there...I was so desperate for a smoke that I ended up buying a pack.

For all you non-smokers...I know you couldn't possibly understand (unless of course you used to smoke)...So please...No response needed. I am not posting this to become the target of the anti-smoking party. I would, however, like to hear how other women in early pregnancy have conquered this...Or perhaps haven't.

It's funny 'cause whenever I seen a pregnant women smoking before...I would shake my head in disbelief. I mean...How can you put your wants over your babies health...Right? I just never knew what a challenge this would be given all the mood swings i'm already having. I've been smoking a pack a day for 10 years. I know one thing for sure...There is no way in hell that dh and I will still be smoking when the baby comes. I'm even considering getting rid of my two cats (who I love sooo dearly) because I worry about the baby getting clawed (one of my cats does not know how to jump on your lap or even walk across your lap with out using her claws). If I get a bigger house...Then maybe I can keep them in one part or one floor so it wouldn't be a problem. But...My main concern is my baby. He or she has to come first. Anyway...Any feed back would be great. Maybe we can even start a post here to support all of us who are trying so hard to quit.

Thanks for listening! :)
all the best to everyone!

Replies(39)

acoles70

replied on February 21st, 2006

Experienced User

I also shake my head in disbelief at pregnant women smoking. I'm not much help, i'm a non-smoker. I think it is great that you want to quit for your baby. I wish all women understood how important quitting smoking is. Good luck.
Ashlee

rainy1279

replied on February 21st, 2006

Experienced User

I'm with ya.. As soon as I found out I quit... Its hard.. I really want one.. But I know its for the best... I will be here to support you :d

wannababy25

replied on February 21st, 2006

Experienced User

Thanks. I think at this point it's more a matter of will power. I know i'm strong enough to quit...I just need to stick by it. I'm just not gonna buy anymore! Besides...I look at it this way too. The less I spend on smokes...The more I can spend on my baby! I'm gonna save all the money that I would have used for smokes...And then use it to buy all the necessities! :)

lsipes

replied on February 21st, 2006

Experienced User

For me, there was nothing to really "conquer". I just quit. I found out I was pregnant and never smoked another cigarette.
I said in another thread, the thing that helped me the most was whenever I *thought* I wanted a cig (i never reeeaaally wanted one) I just pictured someone holding a cigarette up to my baby's umbilical cord. That did the trick for me. It disgusted me to think of my baby already suffering the affects of carcinogens without even knowing or choosing it. Best of luck to you.

Jolie_3110

replied on February 21st, 2006

Extremely eHealthy

Hey I know how hard it is!
With baby no1 I gave up smoking when I was 4mths pregnant and started smoking again straight after he was born.

Baby no2 was lot harder I cut down but didnt give up completely, problem is my partner has a asthma, which can be passed down to baby, doesnt look like smoking helped either, my son is now 21mths and has a very weak chest, everytime he gets a cold he gets a chest infection straight after. It is horrible and I only have myself to blame - which I do on a regular basis!

Now ttc for another baby and I told myself i've gotta give up this time, also my 4yr old son tells me he hates mummmy smoking which again, makes me feel guilty!

But lucky for me 2 weeks ago I got flu and was really unwell, I felt so terrible the thought of smoking made me feel so sick. I havent had a cigarette for 2 weeks tomorrow and am really pleased! Even though I reallly miss it I know its for the best!

It is very hard to give up and the slightest thing can set you off, dont be too harsh on yourself because this never helps, if you slip up and make a mistake never mind just try again the next day!

Wishing you the best with the smoking and the pregnancy! And sending some will power your way too! :)

SamanthaM

replied on February 21st, 2006

Supporter

Well, I quit smoking about 4 months ago when I was about 3 months pregnant. But, I used nicotine patches to quit. I know everyone will probably say that is just as bad, but it's not. I got the nicotine without all the nasty chemicals. Which helps with withdrawl symptoms. I only used them for about a month and 1/2 or 2 months. I asked my doctor about it and she said it would be better than smoking cigarettes as long as I didn't smoke while wearing then. I am so much happier not smoking...It is a waste of time and money. You should ask your doctor if he/she thinks it would be alright to use them. I felt the same way about quitting before I used them. Well, good luck.

Jolie_3110

replied on February 21st, 2006

Extremely eHealthy

I heard patches aren't great if your pregnant, but they are better than smoking so I would get some advice about them if I was you too! They could help.

SamanthaM

replied on February 21st, 2006

Supporter

jolie_3110 wrote:

i heard patches aren't great if your pregnant, but they are better than smoking so I would get some advice abot them if I was you too! They could help.

yeah, I wasn't sure about using them until my doc said it was okay. Even then I was still a little worried. In my opinion using the patches and finally quitting is better then smoking through the whole thing. Hopefully I won't take it up again after he's born. I don't think my husband would let me, he always hated it.

yellow ribbon

replied on February 21st, 2006

Especially eHealthy

Jsut wondering why you dont get your cats declawed

SamanthaM

replied on February 21st, 2006

Supporter

macysmama wrote:

jsut wondering why you dont get your cats declawed

they only take out the front claws when you get them declawed. Then they just use their back claws... Or maybe that is only my cats...They are evil! Luckily they live with my mom...Lol.

diamondsz

replied on February 21st, 2006

Extremely eHealthy

I never quit completly I would stop for a few days get stressed out and start back up, im still smoking and I smoked through both pregnancys fortunatly their is nothing wrong with either of my children. Im planning on quitting but im going to be going on zyban I have heard awesome things about it so you may want to check it out...

Good luck
btw call public health info line they can give u awesome info on smoking/pregnancy and help after baby is born I love it!! 613-580-6744 (i noticed ur thing saying ur near ottawa )

jess

wannababy25

replied on February 21st, 2006

Experienced User

Thanks everyone for all the support and advice. I have only a few smokes left and I keep going longer and longer before lighting up another one. I probably wont have any by tomorrow (dh is trying to quit too and is sharing these last smokes with me). So...We'll see what tomorrow brings. I just have to put them out of my mind and keep busy with other things.

As for the cats...Yeah...I personally don't feel that it's fair to my cats to put them through the pain and discomfort of declawing them. My one cat is almost 8 years old (an old lady by cat standards). My cats have been my 'babies' for so long...I just couldn't bare putting them in pain when there was no life or death reason for it. I have been told by someone on another forum about soft paws. They're soft covers that you glue onto your cats nails that last up to 6 weeks. This way...You save yourself and furniture. I'm definitely gonna try those out.

So...I will let you guys know how things go. I'm sure it will be tough...But fiancee and I will battle through it together (maybe even literally. Lol!!). He's got great will power...I think he probably would have stuck to it today if I hadn't bought a pack. Kinda ticks me off though...He kept going on about how great it was that he didn't even want one...Meanwhile I felt like screaming! Poor guy...He's been taking the brunt of all my mood swings...And he far from deserves it. Anyway...I'll keep in touch...And again...Thanks for all the great responses and support. If anyone else has more tips or input...Keep 'em comin'! :)

i figured i'd share a link to my 8 yr old cat on 'the eroticat homepage'. It's a funny site for cat lovers to post pics of their cat in an effort to win sexiest cat on the net award! There's quite a few pictures of my oldest cat and her story.

Lalee

replied on February 22nd, 2006

Active User, very eHealthy

I didn't find out I was pregnant until I was 2 months in, but as soon as I did, I quit. Also, for the record, I wasn't ttc, so there was to "baby" reason for me to quit before that.

Anyway, it wasn't too hard for me, as I wasn't a heavy smoker to begin with. I pretty much just decided to quit, and that was it. It helps that my boyfriend is there in case I think I want one to convince me otherwise. (unfortunately, sometimes I want one because he's driving me crazy! Lol)

bf is also a smoker, but he's doing really, really well. He was a heavy smoker... Had been for a really, really long time. He now no longer smokes in the house or anywhere around me (even if we go on long road trips, he doesn't smoke in the car!) and he is quitting when the baby comes. That's a deal we made a long time ago when we discussed having children.

yellow ribbon

replied on February 22nd, 2006

Especially eHealthy

Well I didnt read all the info on your kitty (im lazy yes) but she is a gorgeous cat(seriously even tho I like cats some just arent attractive) I forgot about that glue and you could always trim them my aunt is a pet sitter and she just uses regular nail clippers and trims the sharp parts down look at me talking about cats on a pregnancy forum what a dork

Tess B

replied on February 22nd, 2006

Experienced User

As soon as my pregnancy was confirmed I knew I had to give up smoking but to be honest it wasn't that hard for me becuase for some reason everytime I went to have one I felt really really sick at the thought and at the smell of anyone else smoking so that made me stop!

Sorry i'm not of much help because I found it easy but good luck and 'm sure you'll do great!

hotty

replied on February 22nd, 2006

Experienced User

Hi. My name is mary, I was a smoker too, but it was differant with me, I wish all mothers had the same exsperinace, I didnt know that I was pregant, im 34 years old, my daughter is 4 half years old, I was 29 years old when she was born, I was a smoker since I was 16 years of age, my oldest is 12 going on 13 in september, I was smoking then but I didnt know that I was pregnant at the time, I remember having the urge to smoke but it was a strange sometimes, I took a ciggeratte out of my pack ,and I lit it, and I took a puff, and I had this nasty taste in my mouth, it was not the same, but I didnt think once I could have been preg, this happened about 2 weeks later , when this taste occured. I took a preg test and sure enough I was, but the funny thing about it was I couldnt smoke another ciggeratte because it just literally made me nausious, and I never went back to smoking again, I nicked the habit in the bud you could say,, ive gained some weight but at least I know that I can live a healthy lifestyle, and ive changed my eating habits as well, I excecise too. And ive even lost some weight, and I dont have to worry about even stinking like ciggerattes anymore, and it can happen for you. But I know its really hard, and at times it can be really hard . And also the doctors told that cats can cause bad allergies, and sometime cause asmha. I wish you the best for you and your child, and congradulations on your new arrival. God bless you. From mary.

Sarah1978

replied on February 22nd, 2006

Experienced User

I was determined to give up when I found out I was pregnant but just couldn't stop completely like some people can (i was a heavy smoker) so I spent a month or so cutting back and changing my habits. I wouldn't have a ciggie when I had a coffee and i'd wait a hour after eating I also didn't have a ciggie first thing in the morning i'd wait till 10 ish or even lunch time. By the time I was 9wks pg I had gotten down to 5-6 ciggies a day then I quit for good. It made it much easier for me and it was less stressful. You kinda become stubborn after a few days and think well I got this far I ain't giving in now, and the first three days are the worst after that it gets a bit easier and you get a bit cocky. Another good thing is to tell everyone you know that you are giving up then it makes it hard to back out as you don't want to admit you failed.
Good luck with the quiting and the rest of your pregnancy!

wannababy25

replied on February 22nd, 2006

Experienced User

Update

:( for update on my pregnancy...See post titled "neg test. Still preggo??"
unfortunately...In my emotional turmoil...I have bought another pack. Urgh!! I just feel like crying today. :(

hotty

replied on February 22nd, 2006

Experienced User

Hello Again

Yes I do know it can be really hard, is this your first child? I know you dont know the severity of smoking with a child, but youve got to remember if your early in pregnancy it can cause a bad misscarriage too, my doctor has told me that also, but you really need to try harder because when you take that puff it makes your baby jump, because whatever you take in like the smoke its taking a puff to, I knw that I smoked I didnt want to quit eaither but I knew if I kept on smoking even though it made me sick sometimes I was harming my unborn child, it can also cause learning disabilities like when the child starts school. I hope all the best for you really and remember if you need a smoke find something that take the place of smoking, you really can do it if you want it too. Take care of yourself, and have a wonderful day ok, from mary.

12 >>

Learn About Us

Get Help

Join In

Do More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health
information:
verify here.

The site is not a replacement for professional medical opinion, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. Do not delay seeking or disregard medical advice based on information written by any author on this site. No health questions and information on eHealth Forum is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor. Posts made to these forums express the views and opinions of the author, and not the administrators, moderators, or editorial staff and hence eHealth Forum and its principals will accept no liabilities or responsibilities for the statements made. Schizophrenia health sitemap.
This page was last updated on January 1, 2009.
© 2008 eForums, Inc