Advice on Quitting smoking PLEASE!

[Breeelizabeth]

I've cut down from roughly 50 of the highest strength smokes a day to roughly 10-15 of medium strength a day (So huge accomplishment for me!)
but I can't seem to shake those other 10-15. Pleeeease don't judge me, I'm really trying but would love some advice on how you quit or cut down!

 

[Taurus8484]

I just did. Stopped cold turkey once I found out I was pregnant. All those harmful chemicals go straight into the baby. Plus your baby will be born a nicotine addict and go through withdrawls after birth, not to mention the risk of stillborn, prem, defects.

That should make you want to stop. Just do it, its selfish not to really.

Good luck.

 

[MollyNorwood]

I agree. Good for you for cutting down, but I always found the cut-down method did not eventually lead me to quit. So I stopped cold turkey. I finished my last ever packet of ciggs 3 years ago and haven't had one since. You CAN do it, do not let the cravings for nicotine over ride your baby's craving for a healthy life.

 

[lovinglife28]

It's great that you have been able to cut down so much. It's not a small accomplishment so congrats. For me, I was able to quit but cutting way down to only a few a day for a week or so and I also used a e-cig which I had already been using off and on for a few months. What works for everyone can be different so if you need help consult your doctor who can give some resources like quit plans and such. Good luck

 

[MommyFirefly]

First of all, I wanna congratulate you on cutting back so much. You've done great so far! You obviously want to stop, but try telling that to an addiction. You need to cut yourself down further so you can quit. If you stay at the 10-15 range too long, you'll become accustomed to that amount. It doesn't just cut down on it's own. The difference between giving in to that craving and denying yourself the craving is a HUGE battle. Chewing gum helps. You can go on long walks when you crave a cigarette. I had an odd habit of going to brush my teeth every time I craved a cigarette. I must have brushed 7/8 times a day on some days lol At least I had extra fresh breath. You just need to find the thing that helps curb your craving.

Of course, the biggest thing of all if that baby growing inside of you! I'm not going to bombard you with a ton of information about the negative effects because I feel like you already know and it's just going to make you more anxious. The more anxious you feel, the more you want to smoke usually.

You can do it! I believe that you can do this. You and your baby deserve a healthy life. And trust me, you'll feel SO much better once you quit. And food tastes 100% better. Definitely a plus when you're indulging in those late night food cravings.

 

[sandilion]

I just did. Stopped cold turkey once I found out I was pregnant. All those harmful chemicals go straight into the baby. Plus your baby will be born a nicotine addict and go through withdrawls after birth, not to mention the risk of stillborn, prem, defects.

That should make you want to stop. Just do it, its selfish not to really.

Good luck.

Exactly how I did it as well ... Once i discovered i was preggo with DS i stopped that instant. It wasn't easy - but the benefits for DS out weighed my need for smoking. I was also a regular alcohol drinker, maybe even borderline alcoholic..... dropped that cold turkey as well.... it was tough but I look back now and i am so so bloody proud i did that for DS. And im going strong with this pregnancy too - never went back to smoking, but i did a little with red wine.

OP, the way i did it was once i decided i wasn't going to smoke anymore i just grabbed my packet of ciggs and threw them in the bin and that was the starting point of my successful quitting. I actually dunked them in a bowl of water and threw them out so i couldn't scrummage back for them LOL. It was quite empowering, and really set the head space for me to follow through as I have already made such a stance with it ya know. Just throw your pack away and focus on how much better your baby will be now that you wont be smoking anymore. It worked for me so you never know!

 

[FlatShoes]

Could you try the eshisha pens? They dont contain any nicotine and give you something to do with your hands!

 

[AP]

I quit while pregnant, cold turkey. It was hard, but what I did was leave a cigarette at the bottom of my bag. i never smoked it, but the knowledge it was there helped me mentally. I don't know why I had a preemie that time, so in my second pregnancy, it was enough to put me off even thinking about it.

i took it back up again after I had the kids, but i havent smoked for 27 days (not that im counting ) after taking up vaping. I was vaping for about 2 weeks, then dropped it all. It was much, much easier than any other method I tried.

I will not say you are selfish. Addiction is a physical and mental thing and it is madness to think about how controlled I was by it. You are working towards getting away from it - so put your money in a jar, get an app to show your progress, and that tip about soaking them is good too. Take back the control.

 

[private26]

I gave up cold turkey as soon as I found out and I visualised the smoke as poison and that if I breathed it in it would be poison going to straight to my baby and thought made me not crave it at all which before I wouldn't have thought possible and I haven't gneiss back to smoking and my daughter is almost 17 months old. I also think of the money I have saved. Try hypnotherapy x

 

[katherinegrey]

Whilst cutting down when you were such a heavy smoker is a good thing, I'd still say up to 15 cigarettes a day is a lot, and when pregnant it's definitely excessive. I quit cold turkey when I found out I was pregnant, and what helped me was putting the money in a pot. Every penny. And I'd refuse to dip into it until the end of the month. The difference is amazing. I use that money to buy treats for the baby and myself. I make sure that I get myself a treat as an incentive and I make sure I buy baby something so baby benefits both financially and health wise from me not being a smoker. Good luck.

 

[nickyb]

I quit 6 years ago when I found out I was pregnant I just stopped instantly there was no way by baby was gonna smoke that love for my baby made it an easy decision
Have u tried vaping my friend does that good luck

 

[Hoping4Four]

Definitely try e-cigs. My husband used to smoke about 20 a day, sometimes more. Earlier this year, after 15 years of smoking, he decided to try an e-cig and was able to give up the real cigarettes straight away without any problems, and about 2 weeks later he was able to quit altogether. He hasn't had nicotine for 3 months now and he's happier and healthier than ever!

You CAN do it. You've cut down so much already, you can cut the rest out too! Believe in yourself!

 

[Selaphyna]

I would suggest talking to your doctor. And keep track of what makes you want to smoke. Is it stress? Is it just out of habit? Are you hungry? Just need something to do with your hands? Is it boredom?

Mine was stress related for the most part. I just quit very shortly after finding out I was pregnant. I have about 7 cigs left in my pack, and finished those out in the week that I found out. It got to the point that towards the last one, it was making me feel sick. I was also pretty sick during first tri. There are days I still want one, especially with OH still smoking. But then I think about how it would make me feel.

There are gums, lozenges, e cigs, vapor. Best thing to do is try it. Personally quiting cold turkey was best for me. I can't have gum due to tmj, hated the taste of the lozenges, ecigs just didn't have the same effect as real cigs did for me, and I never got a chance to try vapor.

 

[Gnomer]

We'll done on cutting down so much! Just a last little push to go!

I stopped smoking with my first, started again last year during a tough time. I'd have panic attacks and as odd as it sounds, smoking helped me regulate my breathing pattern again and keep a panic attack at bay. When I found out I was pregnant I 'quit'. Kind of. At first I was still having my anxiety and I'd notice my breathing getting faster, so I'd have a cig. More so at night than during the day. That lasted about a week after I found out I was expecting. Eventually I learnt to control my breathing by counting, though I will admit I have robbed a cig off my mum during a particularly stressful moment.

I still keep a 'just in case' one in my bag. Knowing it's close makes me less likely to have it, more likely to save it for when I really really need, and talk myself out of having it.

 

[Selaphyna]

We'll done on cutting down so much! Just a last little push to go!

I stopped smoking with my first, started again last year during a tough time. I'd have panic attacks and as odd as it sounds, smoking helped me regulate my breathing pattern again and keep a panic attack at bay. When I found out I was pregnant I 'quit'. Kind of. At first I was still having my anxiety and I'd notice my breathing getting faster, so I'd have a cig. More so at night than during the day. That lasted about a week after I found out I was expecting. Eventually I learnt to control my breathing by counting, though I will admit I have robbed a cig off my mum during a particularly stressful moment.

I still keep a 'just in case' one in my bag. Knowing it's close makes me less likely to have it, more likely to save it for when I really really need, and talk myself out of having it.

Smoking helped with my panic attacks as well, so I know where you are coming from on this. I'm hoping to not pick smoking back up after this lo is born, but who knows how my stress level will go.

 

[Mintastic]

Not exactly a tip but maybe some motivation - back in the 70s my mother had read somewhere that it was safe to smoke when pregnant as long as it was 10 or less a day so when pregnant with me she smoked only 8 a day thinking that was even better. Well I was an extremely sick child - in and out of the hospital, lots of health problems, learning delays, weakened immune system, asthma and every doctor said it was likely from my mother's smoking. I still have a lot of health issues to this day.
Please don't feel guilty about what you've done so far - it is great that you have cut down so much but I hope this can be the extra push you need to quit completely. Good luck to you!

 

[minties]

Im not sure what else could motivate someone to stop, if not the love and health of their child.

My mum smoked like a chimney with me and my brother and we were both small for dates, 35-36 week size at 40 weeks. Sickly as kids also.

She just gave up smoking a few weeks ago, finally, 31 years after I was born. I'm really proud of her. Your LO will be so proud of you also, when you tell them how you gave up for them.

You can do it!

 

[Gnomer]

We'll done on cutting down so much! Just a last little push to go!

I stopped smoking with my first, started again last year during a tough time. I'd have panic attacks and as odd as it sounds, smoking helped me regulate my breathing pattern again and keep a panic attack at bay. When I found out I was pregnant I 'quit'. Kind of. At first I was still having my anxiety and I'd notice my breathing getting faster, so I'd have a cig. More so at night than during the day. That lasted about a week after I found out I was expecting. Eventually I learnt to control my breathing by counting, though I will admit I have robbed a cig off my mum during a particularly stressful moment.

I still keep a 'just in case' one in my bag. Knowing it's close makes me less likely to have it, more likely to save it for when I really really need, and talk myself out of having it.

Smoking helped with my panic attacks as well, so I know where you are coming from on this. I'm hoping to not pick smoking back up after this lo is born, but who knows how my stress level will go.

Ah I'm not the only one! I thought I was odd using cigs to help me breath properly haha. I think it was more comfort. Smoking was comforting, it forced me to take slow deep breaths, and the familiarity of it helped me get a grip of myself. I'm hoping I won't return to it either. That this inability to smoke will give me chance to work on some less harmful breathing techniques. Good luck dealing with the panic attacks lovely! They are horrendous, truly.

 

[lj2245]

Different people have different ways of tackling addictions and you have to find one that works for you. I don't like that you've been called selfish or accused of not caring about your child's welfare in this thread. You want to stop and you are trying, well done for that. It must have taken a lot for you to post this knowing you may be attacked.

I have given up smoking several times in my life. With my first pregnancy I stopped cold turkey. I wasn't a heavy smoker and that worked for me. The pregnancy was ectopic and I immediately started again. With my 2nd pregnancy I again stopped cold turkey and didn't smoke again until my son was 6 months old, when I went out for a wee alcoholic drink for the first time and couldn't resist the urge! This was a few months before smoking became banned in public places in Scotland. I then stopped smoking again when I became pregnant for a 3rd time and when I found out that my baby had died at my 12 week scan, I started again straight away. This continued for a number of years. I had never smoked in front of my child and I only smoked when he was asleep at night. When the urge to smoke during the day started I decided to quit. I found it difficult to go cold turkey so I enrolled on a stop smoking program and was given a number of different Nicotine Replacement Therapy products to choose from. I chose the gum and it worked for me. I knew my MIL had become addicted to the gum so I started off with the plan to only use it for a short while, which is what I did.

It has now been 5 years and I am definitely a non smoker. The smell makes me sick and I can't believe I used to put that poison into my body.

Speak to your GP about Nicotine Replacement Therapy and find something that works for you. It's all very well people telling you that you should stop cold turkey but they aren't you.

Good luck