# Did Anyone Struggle with Smoking While Pregnant? ***UPDATED w/ FRIEND'S COMMENTS***



## karina5 (Apr 15, 2006)

Mods, I'm asking here rather than the pregnancy board b/c I'm looking for people that may have already been through this and have words of wisdom.

It's not me (whew, I don't want to be pregnant!) but a dear friend of mine is thrilled to be 7 weeks pregnant and she confessed to me that she is really struggling w/ the cigarette addiction. I feel bad for her. She *knows* how awful it is for the baby, but she is one of the most addicted to cigs people I know.

She said it really sucks b/c everyone told her she would be grossed out by cigs when she got pg (I know I was), but she hasn't suffered any nausea and sickness so therefore she is still having strong cravings!

Also, she mentioned she switched to Ultra-lights, and I bit my tongue, but I don't think that that is any "healthier," is it???

Please help me with useful and non-preachy advice. I know a lot of us are very much bothered by pg women who smoke, and she knows that (she is very ashamed) and I want to be supportive and helpful to her and lay off the judgment. Thanks so much!

*******************

UPDATE: I told my friend about MDC, and gave her the link to this post. This is her response. Thank you to for your helpful words of wisdom and support!



_Quote:_

oh my gosh, karina, i can't thank you enough for sharing. if anything, it makes me know i'm not alone and gives me more confidence that i can and will stop. it's true i'm smoking less and making sure to eat well and drink lots of water (instead of tea!)....But I will take some of the suggestions and know that mental health is so important, too......at work it's easiest. home tough esp. on weekends. but that link wasn't nearly as judgemental as i feared. thanks a million.......I will continue my quest and keep at it!! great advice from all and in some ways good to hear others admitted to smoking or know others and baby was fine! still a chance my body will reject it, too....... You're a good friend!love, T


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## BellinghamCrunchie (Sep 7, 2005)

In a paradoxical way, if you can accept that she is smoking, reassure her that the baby is going to be fine, suggest that she listen to her body and smoke when her body tells her to, and try not to beat herself up about it, she might find the confidence to quit, or at least reduce the smoking.

It seems backwards, that if she gives up the thought, "I MUST stop smoking! OMG I HAVE to! I'm killing my baby" it will actually help her to quit. Anxiety increases smoking. Quitting needs to come from a place of confidence and security. Her body is going through so many changes, as are her emotions, that smoking might be a coping mechanism that, at least temporarily, she still needs.

Also studies have shown that women who smoke have significantly less nausea. It might be better for her to wait til the more comfortable second trimester to think about quitting.

Switching to Ultralights IS better than regular cigarettes.

Just support her where she is, and help her to find peace with whatever she is doing with the smoking. This will free her to make the best choice she can.


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## Learning_Mum (Jan 5, 2007)

I gave up before I got pregnant with DS though unfortunately I started again when he was about 9 months old. I didn't stop until about 8 weeks with this pregnancy as it was a surprise.

She can use patches, and chew nicotine gum. Also I just cut down from about 25 a day to around 8 I think and because of the slow reduction by the time I got to 8 I could quit without any problems because my system wasn't as used to so much nicotine.

Also mention that if she stops in the first trimester the baby will be born at a normal weight rather than smaller.

I kind of agree with PP. I went so far to look up risks of smoking during pregnancy and printing a list to stick on the fridge and it did nothing to help me stop. Yes I felt horribly guilty but I didn't stop smoking.

I would encourage her to either use some patches etc or cut down gradually until it becomes easy to go cold turkey.

Also, Ultralights would be better because there are less tar and nicotine in them.


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## Xoe (Oct 28, 2007)

Advise her to ask her doctor if he/she knows of anything that can help. She's not the first person who's had to deal with this....and she won't be the last.

best wishes.

xoe


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

I have and still am struggling with it. I was able to quit completely by about 20 weeks with my second child. I never quit with my first, and I don't know if I'll be able to quit this time with my 3rd. The best thing you can do is give her gentle encouragement, maybe you could even give up something you like along with her, like pop or chocolate, and promise not to eat those things as long as she doesn't smoke. That helps some people. She should cut back as much as possible, though. And no, light and ultra light smokes are not safer! Smoking does affect the baby and it affects the placenta too-nutrients are inhibited from reaching the baby, so she needs to be eating a VERY good diet and maybe even taking supplements or prenatal vitamins and making sure that she's getting everything she needs and then some. I did read in the Brewer Pregnancy Diet book that following their plan and getting adequate calories and protein during pregnancy can help "cancel out" the nutritional damage done by smoking. Obviously this isn't an excuse to continue smoking, but if she absolutely cannot stop it is something she needs to consider.


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Learning_Mum* 

She can use patches, and chew nicotine gum. Also I just cut down from about 25 a day to around 8 I think and because of the slow reduction by the time I got to 8 I could quit without any problems because my system wasn't as used to so much nicotine.

I would encourage her to either use some patches etc or cut down gradually until it becomes easy to go cold turkey.



Unless she is an extremely heavy smoker, I would NOT recommend the patch! When you wear a nicotine patch, it sends a CONSTANT stream of nicotine into your system, and you actually get MORE nicotine through the patch than you do from a single cigarette. I tried using the patch a few times, but it always made me extremely ill because I am not a heavy smoker and it shocked my body with such a huge amount of nicotine.


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## FancyD (Apr 22, 2005)

My dr. couldn't rx me anything for quitting. She said it would be unethical.









I agree that guilty feelings will only make it harder for her, oddly enough. If she can start by cutting back, that's a great start and I would support her 100% in her struggles.


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## ktbug (Jul 8, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama Poot* 
Unless she is an extremely heavy smoker, I would NOT recommend the patch! When you wear a nicotine patch, it sends a CONSTANT stream of nicotine into your system, and you actually get MORE nicotine through the patch than you do from a single cigarette. I tried using the patch a few times, but it always made me extremely ill because I am not a heavy smoker and it shocked my body with such a huge amount of nicotine.

Yeah, that. The patches and gum are not recommended in pregnancy.

FWIW, this is not a popular opinion but I'm sharing it anyway ...
I struggled with smoking when I was pregnant. I was feeling a lot of anxiety and guilt over not being able to quit, and working myself up the way a pp was describing. After talking to my midwife about it, she told me that there is no demonstrable harm if you keep your smoking to less than five a day. Quitting can actually be a gigantic shock to the system and is stressful for baby, too.

Obviously, don't smoke inside, wash your hands, hair, and clothes frequently, etc etc. But ... less than five a day. And your friend doesn't have to beat herself up.

I'm not advocating smoking during pregnancy. What I'm saying is that if she absotively posilutely can't/won't quit ... less than five a day is way, way better for her and for baby than the patch or the gum.


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## FancyD (Apr 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ktbug* 
I*'m not advocating smoking during pregnancy.* What I'm saying is that if she absotively posilutely can't/won't quit ... less than five a day is way, way better for her and for baby than the patch or the gum.

Double yeah that to the bolded part, but cigarettes are the







to quit. I know.


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## sunflowers (Sep 24, 2006)

Her OB will have some good advice for her. With my last pregnancy, I quit smoking right away. But I told my OB that i was a smoker prior to me finding out I was expecting and he referred me to a support group. It was a phone support and online and it was managed through my insurance company. I never had to use it so I can't recall the name of it. Although my insurance company managed the group, there were many people involved that were not insured and there for support. It was free.

I agree with the gradual quitting. I did smoke through my pregnancy with ds many years ago and by the time he was born, I had quit. I was essentially forced to reduce the amount I smoked while pg with him since none of my friends or family would buy me cigarettes (Yeah! for them!!) I was too embaressed to go into a store visably pregnant and ask for a pack.

I wish your friend the best of luck. My dd was born very early and although I quit when I found out, I wonder if my smoking contributed to her early birth. I don't think so but it's always there, you know?


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## Iris' Mom (Aug 3, 2007)

Yes, I have. I tried to quit while TTC, but never could, not until the minute I got the positive test result. With dd, I relapsed after the end of morning sickness for several months. The only thing that helped me with her was that I moved, and I was able to set that up as deadline in my mind. With the first 2, I went back to smoking after I stopped nursing. I'm still smoke-free after ds2.

Anway, if she can't quit -- yes, Ultralights are safer; lights are not.

Try to get her to use her sense of shame positively -- spend a lot of time outdoors and with other moms with kids, etc. Once she starts to show, it might help her really cut down, if not quit altogether.

As an experienced quitter, the thing that helped me the most was lollipops -- it has that very similar hand to mouth action, unlike gum or lozenges.

I wish her luck.


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## woobysma (Apr 20, 2004)

I quit when I was pregant with no trouble thanks to very bad "morning" sickness, so I don't really have any good btdt advice.

I do agree with the pp's that stressing herself out and feeling incredibly guilty is not healthy for her or her babe, either. Stress and fear release hormones into her body, so trying to remain positive and feel proud of whatever small reductions she can make IS doing something beneficial for her baby.

Also, I think there's a lot more data supporting health detriments from second hand smoke for babies *after* birth than babies in utero. Maybe if she focused on cutting down to nothing by the time the baby is born, that would be a more realistic goal.

Or maybe she could come up with some non smoking-related goals, like this:

_every time I think about smoking I'm going to : go for a short walk, or meditate on my belly for 10 minutes, or do 25 Kegels, or whatever first. If I still *have* to have a cigarette, then at least I've done something beneficial as well._


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## Jasmyn's Mum (May 24, 2004)

I used to hide in alleyways to smoke when I was pg and bawl that I was doing it. I still cry when I think about it. I cannot express the shame I felt at the time and still feel even now that I have quit. I am NOT advocating smoking here. NOT AT ALL but I think that all the stress and guilt and anxiety a pg Mama would feel about smoking is worse than the smoking itself. JMHO.


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## LilyGrace (Jun 10, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *woobysma* 

_every time I think about smoking I'm going to : go for a short walk, or meditate on my belly for 10 minutes, or do 25 Kegels, or whatever first. If I still *have* to have a cigarette, then at least I've done something beneficial as well._


I like this. May I add another suggestion? I took up knitting and crochet when I was pregnant and it was very calming and relaxing. Maybe balancing her cravings with a project for the baby would help.


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## karina5 (Apr 15, 2006)

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will be talking to her soon (she lives far away which sucks b/c I wish I were closer so I could be more supportive in general) and I will pass along these tips.

I really appreciate it! I'm sure she will,too. She's such a great woman and will be a great mom (she's scared to death).


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## cutekid (Aug 5, 2004)

I smoked until 15 weeks into my pregnancy. First, I made a deal with my DP wouldn't buy anymore cigarettes. He could buy ciggy's and I would smoke them. Well he bought crappy ciggy's . Since I was a picky smoker...Same Brand, menthol only, it didn't take long. The cigs made me sick.
My OB told me not to be in a hurry to quit smoking. He told me it was bad, but to be stressed out might actually be worse. The important thing was I was reducing the amount I was smoking.


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

I had a friend who wasn't able to quit smoking during pregnancy, and she really did try, and I said IMO the less she smokes the better, so just do what she can and her child will almost certainly be fine. And she did keep going to fewer cigarettes throughout the pregnancy, her baby was fine, and she did not too long after the baby was born actually quit, so she was able to go through her second pregnancy without smoking at all.

So that's what I say to friends who smoke. Do what you can - whatever you can do will help.


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## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

I was addicted to cigarettes and pregnant.

The more I thought about quitting and the harm I was doing to my bay, the more I smoked AND the less I ate. I was a stressed out wreck.

Eventually I stopped thinking about having to quit RIGHT NOW!
I took it on as a project. I did research, I made a binder of info containing stuff like; the harm of smoking, what quitting is like, what I could do when I craved, what was going on with my body as I quit (day1, day3, day7, day14, day30) I journaled before, durning and after, I tried to figure out my mental blocks, I bought nicorette gum(which is healthier than smoking).

Then it became mind over matter for me. I even had a dream that I kicked smoking(and my abusive ex) out the door. The next day I felt so empowered. I said this is it! You have 3 days, then no more cigarettes. It worked! I stopped smoking, starting journaling. I ate really spicy candy whenever I craved, drank lots of water, chewed my gum, replaced that gum with regular gum, and I never looked back. When it got too bad I would dream I was smoking and I would wake up 'satisfied'.

I hope you friend can over-come her addiction. It's not easy, but it feels great. I was 5-6months when I quit.


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

Another post mentioned this I think- it will help tremendously if she only smokes outside. I made a promise that I would never smoke around my kids, and when I was pregnant with my first child I started smoking outside and ONLY outside. Almost 2.5 years later I still only smoke outside. this is a great way to cut back on how much you smoke, especially in the winter!!!







:


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## mamawanabe (Nov 12, 2002)

she should cut back as much as possible if she can't quit. Smoking while pregnant is associated with lower birth weight but it isn't the worst thing in the world. My friend was a pack a day smoker and cut back to 4 cigs a day when pregnant. He baby was huge and wonderful.

After birth is is important to smoke outside away from child since second hand smoke has all kinds of bad effects on kids, much worse, in fact, than smoking while pregnant.


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## slymamato3 (Jan 16, 2008)

I have struggled with smoking on &off for almost 20years UGH!!! Pregnancy always helped cut down and even quit for parts, but I have always gone back. The shame involved is so deep, give that mama as much support as you can.
I have heard that people inhale lights or ultra lights more deeply which could cancel out the reason for choosing them over regs? Lots & lots of hugs to your friend, she isn't alone


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## karina5 (Apr 15, 2006)

Updated in OP


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## tm2840 (Feb 23, 2005)

This is from my quitnet journal. I don't know if the link is still valid for others to view or not, but if so the WHOLE thing is at http://www.quitnet.com/community/pro...tString=tm2840

Best of luck to her. I still miss smoking sometimes, but overall my life is so much better without it, in so many ways. Maybe the following will help your friend a bit.

Quote:

I'm putting this at the top because I hope many will read it and find it helpful. True profile follows. These are all my personal experiences. No medical endorsements (LOL) and no censure to anyone who has not been able to quit. It IS an addiction.

Thanks also to the LLL and CDC web pages for much of this information. See them at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_f...tobaccouse.htm and http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/smoking.html

*****REASONS NOT TO SMOKE WHILE PREGNANT OR WITH A SMALL CHILD*****

Currently a work in progress. Please Qmail me any comments and additions and forgive any poor choices in words or omissions. (11 Feb 2002)

My thanks to all who have contributed: Mamum, demirose, sscojoe, imquit, ab1, and Kellis1

* Increased risk conception delay and for primary and secondary infertility. May be a modest increase in risks for ectopic pregnancy. Increased risk of spontaneous abortion/miscarriage, increased risk for premature rupture of membranes, abruptio placentae, placenta previal and a modest increase in risk for preterm delivery. High blood pressure (pre-eclampsia) in mother. Increased risk of maternal blood clots and stroke. Low birth weight, poor lung development, doubled incidence of SIDS (whether one smokes near the baby or not), possible decrease in milk supply, increased occurance of ear infections, increased crankiness and colic in breastfed babies of smoking mothers.

But we know all these. I knew all these. I still could NOT quit smoking while pregnant (imagine I`ll get some hate mail for that one!). I was able to cut down to 4 or 5 cigarettes a day. I was lucky. My son was fine, and has remained so. But did you know your child has a 50% higher chance of cancer during it`s lifetime than that of a non-smoking pregant mother`s child.

In addition to the above, what about:

* The risk of fire. There`s a reason insurance is higher in homes with smokers.

* What about always wondering/feeling guilty/not knowing if your children smoked because you did, because you modeled it when they were young and impressionable?

* The image of your child with a cigarette in his mouth. I`ve seen my son become VERY interested in cig butts and watch his dad and I smoke with great interest. Not great modeling. And what if he picks up a butt and eats it and gets ill from nicotine poisoning? Lovely explaining that in the ER, hmm?

You also may not think of are all the logistical issues. It`s really NOT easier to continue smoking. How about these?

* The shame and humiliation of buying cigarettes when you are obviously pregnant.

* Hiding your smoking from the world. If not hidden, dealing with all the negative comments directed at you.

* The shame and guilt you feel at not stopping.

* Worrying about how you will get through labor and delivery without a cigarette. This one really got me; I obsessed about this for months prior to delivery.
OR
* Having to step 100 yards away from the hospital, in a hospital gown, WHILE IN LABOR to have a smoke.

* Are you going to have to check out of the hospital sooner than may be nice just so you can find a comfortable way to have a smoke?

* So you make it home with the baby. Everyone says to "rest when the baby rests." You can`t do that. As soon as the baby falls asleep you have to rush outside for the cigarette you`ve been craving while trying to put the baby asleep.

* It took a while to put the baby down because you were tense from wanting a cigarette. Babies sense tension so well.

* You finally get outside for that cigarette. I`m assuming you are smoking outside. PLEASE do this even if you can`t stop smoking. You have the baby monitor and the baby wakes up as soon as you have one drag. You are torn between your crying baby and your crying addiction. As a good mom, the baby wins. You put out the cigarette.

* You go inside and before you pick up the baby you have to remove your "smoking jacket." If you do smoke, studies have shown that even the particles of smoke on your clothing are dangerous irritants to your small baby. Take my word for it, it`s NOT fun wearing a terry cloth robe over your clothes in 90 some degree weather to have a smoke!

* You also have to wash your hands and get the smoke off. The baby`s cries are escalating.

* You finally get to baby and calm him down. He takes a while but goes back to sleep finally. The extra time it took you to get him gave him time to get more upset and therefore harder to calm down.

* You go outside to finish your cigarette. Boy are you tired. You really wish you could have just fallen asleep with the baby but you needed this smoke.

As your child gets older, it doesn`t get any easier.

* You hate the times you`re standing out in the heat or cold, staring in a window and hoping your baby/toddler isn`t getting into anything they shouldn`t.

* You hate the way they tug at you to spend time with them when you are dying for a cigarette.

* You hate the "separation anxiety" stage when you can`t leave the room without the baby crying. Puts a real damper on cigarette enjoyment.

* It`s not real pleasurable having that post-dinner cigarette outside while your husband ATTEMPTS to keep the baby away from the door. Husband fails, baby runs to door and pounds on glass screaming, "Mommy! Mommy!" and crying (yes, this really happened to us often!)

* You are shopping with the baby/child and want a cigarette. The baby/child hates his carseat and will not sit happily in it. You cannot smoke in the car WITH the baby/child. The baby/child is too small to wander the parking lot while you smoke. You hurry home dying for a cigarette. Unbuckle baby/child, bring inside. Ready to go outside for a cigarette, but the baby/child wants your attention first.

* You really, really wish that there weren`t so many times that your child and your nicotine addiction were pulling you in two different direction. You resent the cigarettes for their hold over you. You even resent your child sometimes, when his needs occur at the same time as your cigarette craving. You are very tired of this.

It would have just been easier to quit when you were pregnant.

It really would have. Life is SO much easier now that I don`t have the conflicting needs.

***********ONE FINAL COMMENT************
Please, if you are smoking with a baby, continue to breastfeed that child. Studied have shown that the benefits of nursing outweigh the dangers of nicotine in the child.


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## mamatoablessing (Oct 17, 2005)

I think the hardest part about quitting smoking when I was pregnant was that I didn't feel any different. One day I woke up took a test and boom, I'm not allowed to smoke. I felt the same, I looked the same; it was mentally hard to change my habits because while I knew I was pregnant, I didn't feel different. Does that make sense? So yes, I did end up sneaking a few cigs here and there. But that all changed when I started growing. When I could see the baby and feel the baby, it was different. I was like "oh, I actually do have this being growing inside of me, I shouldn't smoke anymore." Hopefully your friend will be able to cut down and eventually quit. It's such a struggle and even the smallest change in her habits (cutting down, smoking outside only, etc.) can make a difference. Good luck to her!


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## christyc (Mar 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *karina5* 
UPDATE: I told my friend about MDC, and gave her the link to this post. This is her response. Thank you to for your helpful words of wisdom and support!


I think MDC has some of the best and most understanding folks out there (most of the time)! Glad your friend checked out the thread.


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## myjulybabes (Jun 24, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tm2840* 
This is from my quitnet journal. I don't know if the link is still valid for others to view or not, but if so the WHOLE thing is at http://www.quitnet.com/community/pro...tString=tm2840

Best of luck to her. I still miss smoking sometimes, but overall my life is so much better without it, in so many ways. Maybe the following will help your friend a bit.

Excellent post. You've spied on my life, haven't you?









I HAVE had to take a kid to the ER because he ate cigarette butts out of a trashcan. It's utterly humiliating and a good motivation to quit! (he was fine, thank goodness.) Sometimes the practical considerations like that are easier to consider than the "what ifs" of more ear infections, low birth weight, etc.


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## snr (Apr 4, 2008)

I'm entering my third trimester and have gone from smoking a pack+ a day to smoking 2-3 cigarettes a day.
I vaccilate wildly between being proud of this accomplishment (also gave up drinking completely and although I wasn't "addicted" to drinking, I was a lady who liked her cocktails) and beating myself up for smoking at all.
I keep searching the internet for some rational conversation about this topic, but the overall message seems to be that I'm selfish and irresponsible and if I really cared about my baby I wouldn't let a cigarette pass my lips.
It kind of doesn't help that most of the people who "defend" the occasional smoke while pregnant out in the internet world seem also to have trouble spelling and laying off the caps lock key...
I have not given up on quitting completely and it is my husband's and my goal to be completely quit by the time the baby is born because it's not actually going to be any easier to smoke then, probably more difficult. As my husband puts it, do we really want to be handing off the baby to each other impatiently so that we can go out and smoke?
The thing is, I do care about my fetus's health. I have done nearly everything right, avoided all the things I should avoid, taken the vitamens, done the yoga. There is just this tiny part of me that can't quite give up that last couple of smokes. Sometimes I feel like the risk is so small and the anecdotal evidence (my mom smoked, we were fine, etc.) so reassuring, that I'm actually just giving in to pregnancy hysteria to beat myself up. Other times I feel like I'm just making excuses because I'm in the throes of a habit that I know is bad for me and my child and if something were to go wrong I would never forgive myself.
The one thing I guess I know I don't need to be told is that I'm selfish or unwilling to make sacrifices for me kid. That's patently false.
This has been a tremedous emotional and physical struggle and one of the reasons I would encourage women who plan their pregnancies (this one was a bit of a surprise) to quit smoking ahead of time is simply that the anxiety and guilt about this issue has made it challenging to be as uniformly enthusiastic about my pregnancy as I might have been.
I don't need to be defended or attacked, I guess is how I feel. I always assumed that once pregnant I would simply quit smoking the way I quit drinking -- immediately and completely. But, of course, I had only the barest idea of what this whole experience would feel like...
Anyway, thanks for a rational and reassuring thread.


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## thebarkingbird (Dec 2, 2005)

i smoked through my 2nd pregnancy. because of some insurance malarkey i ended up seeing a high risk OB for part of my pregnancy. i went to him with my concerns and he produced mounds of statistical data that supported his comfort in advising women to smoke no more than 5 cigs a day. certainly it's best not to clog your lungs up with all that tar and it would certainly be unpleasant and dangerous to have trouble breathing while in labor but the amount of nicotine and in that number of cigs did not rate as a concern for him. the problem with nicotine is that it constricts blood vessels which can lead to low birth weights. his medical advice to me was that i should make quitting my goal but the amount of nicotene in just a few a day would not constrict blood vessels to the point of hindering the baby's growth. i hope it didn't he weighed 9lbs!

i have known people who switched to lozenges while preggers and were able to quit that way. i mean it's really not all that different than smoking as far as the baby is concerned and for a long time smoker, trying to quit cold turky during a time of change and hormonal storms can be a real set up for failure.

life is all about risk management. we can't ever be totally safe. i'm not too keen on the whole moralizing buzz around smoking. just look at the statistical info that's out there (i have to admit i didn't keep the copies of studies the doctor gave me but they're there to be found and i promise they weren't done by philip morris) and decide which level of risk is right for you. that sounds a bit harsh but we do that kind of thing every day. am i going to eat this fatty burger? am i going to let my kids walk around the block by themselves? will i visit a foreign country? get in a car. put a swimming pool in the back yard?


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## Kiddoson (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FancyD* 
My dr. couldn't rx me anything for quitting. She said it would be unethical.










Word of caution, that pill they give will make you quit but it also makes you crazy.... I know several people that this happened to.

I weaned down to 2 cigs a day when I was pregnant. when he was born I was afraid to smoke cause I lost so much blood and was already dizzy. after a few weeks when I felt better I took 2 drags, was so grossed out I never had another. it's been 8 months and I finally crave them less. it's sooo hard, i swish her luck. Now if only DH would quit!


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## Pancakes (Jan 22, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jasmyn's Mum* 
I used to hide in alleyways to smoke when I was pg and bawl that I was doing it. I still cry when I think about it. I cannot express the shame I felt at the time and still feel even now that I have quit. I am NOT advocating smoking here. NOT AT ALL but I think that all the stress and guilt and anxiety a pg Mama would feel about smoking is worse than the smoking itself. JMHO.

Wow, I totally understand and can relate to this post.

I quit with the first positive test when I was pregnant with my first. It was actually rather easy considering I had 24/7 morning sickness for 9 months. However, I was never able to fully quit when i was pregnant with my son. The guilt and shame is horrible, and any well meaning comment from a friend never helped-it only made it worse and harder to quit.

My doc also said that cutting back to a few a day was a good idea. I probably smoked 10 a day, more than what was suggested here; but was what I could do at the time. By the way, my son was over 9 pounds when he was born, I don't get the low birth weight thing. Maybe I'm just the exception.

And I feel it's worth repeating......please smoke outside. For you, your kids, your pets, and your investment in your home.


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## dancingmama (Dec 18, 2001)

check this out:

http://www.alphalifestyleoceansprings.com/

i've sent many patients, and family members, and they have tremendous success. it's laser acupuncture.


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