Smoking...=[

[RainbowDrop_x]

I know I know I Know.. I should have done this a long time ago.. But today is the day I'm going to give up smoking.. I haven't told anyone at home as I just feel like they look at me thinking "Yeah right you can't do it"... So I need a bit of support (and advice)!!!!

The problem I have isn't not smoking if you know what I mean .. I can go hours without a fag... The problem I have is when I'm thinking "Mmmm I fancy a cigarette" and I just can't get that thought out of my head.. Do any of you lovely ladies have any ideas on what I can do in that few minutes to distract myself from the want of a fag???... My MW told me that I shouldn't stop all at once as the stress isn't good for the baby and I have tried cutting down but just knowing that the cigarettes are their is a temptation in its self so I just thought it would be best to bite the bullet and go for it.. Wish me luck.. And remember... If any of you have any idea on how to get through the 2 minutes of craving that feels like a week. PLEASE.. Share your ideas with me.. THANK YOU

 

[kermie219]

I quit when I found out I was pregnant and it was HARD at first....just try and relax thru it or chew on stuff (it helped me) but I promise it gets easier everyday. After a week you get boosted up and should feel a bit better and after a month you willl feel amazing and know that you are doing a great thing for your little baby And at first you think about it a lot but the cravings will go away. It's been about 17 weeks since I quit and I haven't had a craving for a long time.

I really think you can do it! You just have to concentrate on it, and know that the cravings is only a few minutes and it will go away....but it is something you have to work at every day for a while! You Can DO IT!!!

well done for giving up

 

[shamrockerjo]

I stopped smoking the day we found out I'm pregnant (the husband and I weren't trying to conceive, otherwise I would have stopped beforehand) and haven't had a cigarette since. Now baby comes first and those cravings can just kiss my ass, hahah. Sure it's hard, but the way I see it my baby is the priority now and I can't afford to be selfish at the expense of her health. Willpower and knowing that I'm doing the right thing were enough to stop me from going back, and when the cravings kick in I just force myself to think of something else. And really, it gets so much easier very quickly..

Maybe if you were to stop buying cigarettes/tobacco and there just weren't any in the house full stop, it'd be easier? Coz like you said, just knowing that the cigarettes are there is a temptation alone.. well remove that temptation? Good luck.

 

[CocoaOne]

Suck a sugar free lollipop? Sugar free chewing gum? Busy yourself with something - especially if it involves using your hands.

Good luck - it also might be worth getting that Alan Carr book, apparently it's really good. I stopped a few years ago by using patches for a couple of weeks and my Dr did a weird motivational talk thing with me. Hard to explain - but if you keep imagining yourself as a non-smoker it will be easier to do. Works because your body has to believe what your brain tells it, so if you repeatedly think you don't smoke, you don't want to smoke and imagine yourself in the future as a non-smoker - your body will respond by not wanting to smoke. Does that make sense? It's why positive mental attitude can do wonderous things!

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

I stopped smoking the day we found out I'm pregnant (the husband and I weren't trying to conceive, otherwise I would have stopped beforehand) and haven't had a cigarette since. Now baby comes first and those cravings can just kiss my ass, hahah. Sure it's hard, but the way I see it my baby is the priority now and I can't afford to be selfish at the expense of her health. Willpower and knowing that I'm doing the right thing were enough to stop me from going back, and when the cravings kick in I just force myself to think of something else. And really, it gets so much easier very quickly..

Maybe if you were to stop buying cigarettes/tobacco and there just weren't any in the house full stop, it'd be easier? Coz like you said, just knowing that the cigarettes are there is a temptation alone.. well remove that temptation? Good luck.

Yeah the temptation has been removed.. That's what I was saying lol. I don't mean to be rude but that comment sounded really arsey.. I'm sorry I couldn't give up straight away the way you did.. But please don't judge me for it

 

[littlepne]

My DH is the person lecturing me the most, and he smokes more than me! I've cut down lots and told him he should quit as well, his response was, "Yeah but I'm not pregnant, you are." In case I'd forgotton?! lol

I've been trying to put it off, for 15-30 minutes at a time. I tell myself that I'll have one in half an hour, and keep doing that. I'm smoking a lot less anyway but I tend to smoke more when I'm bored.

Good luck anyway, and the fact we've cut down is a great start

 

[Rozie_1985]

I went cold turkey and to be honest i was like you, i panicked at how hard it was going to be when i craved a fag but i was suprised about how i got over it, just thinking of bubs made the craving dissapear, i do have moments where i would love a fag but i think i am over it now, its been nearly 18 weeks so im there i think. Good luck hunny and stay strong. YOU CAN DO IT CHICK XXX

 

[BabyJayne]

I posted on this in first tri forum...I was exactly the same as you. I could go hours without a cigarette, sometimes a day or too, but I kept sneaking back and having one or two.
All I did was stop buying them. My DH doesn't smoke so there are none in the house. Before when I got that thought..."ooh I could do with a fag" I would immediately think of the packet I had, and knowing I could have one meant I would have one. Now, because there are none there, I barely think about it, and when I do I just think well, I have none, and the feeling passes.
It sounds simple, but it really worked for me. It has been about 7 or 8 weeks now.
Another thing I have put in my head is that I am not giving up, just postponing smoking until after the baby is here. It just makes it easier to not have a cigarette, as I think well, it's not forever...it's only for the next 6 months. Of course, I hope that when that time comes I don't want to smoke, but I find it just puts less pressure on me for now and it is working so far. x

 

[lisa9999]

I found it really hard myself.
Before I found out I was preg I was smoking about 10 a day, and when I found out I gradually cut it down to one or 2, but I was on those one or 2 for ages and couldnt give them up.
I was like you, as soon as I got it in my head, it was like a little voice chanting 'i want a fag' and I couldnt stop it.
Not entirely sure how I did it in the end, but if you think to yourself that its just habit and not an actual physical craving that helps.
Just take it one day at a time, think of just getting to the end of today and dont think about the day after, I found that helps, as thinking of it too long term was too overwhelming for me.
Then tomorrow think well i did it yesterday so I can do it today too, etc etc.
Oh, and buy some sweets to pick at lol

Good luck hon.

 

[Mrs RC]

I found sucking on boiled sweets or lollipops helps me! I quit the day i found out about MiniR but would still dearly love a roll-up at least once a day....but the thought of the little life in me helps and I refuse to give in (even if my teeth fall out from all the boiled sweets!!)

 

[Buds]

When I stopped I had to completely stop buying them. For me it was a big part of the psychyological addiction. I replaced smoking with chewing gum for a while, and when I had a major craving I did some deep breathing and counted to 10, and tried to think of something else, like a good time in my life. Also I think the thought of harming my baby was a quite strong deterent too. It's true that it does get easier, you just have to get through those moments. good luck. I really hope you manage it.

 

[LogansMama]

It was only hard for me the first few days... after a week it was easy because the smell started to make me nauseas. Hopefully, once you are off them for a bit too, the smell will do the same to you! It really is REPULSIVE once you no longer smoke!

 

[Torz]

hello, i've come over from 1st tri, i saw this & thought i might be able to help.

I quit smoking just over 2 years ago.

I couldnt have quit without the help of an american site called whyquit.com that i found while searching for support. It is a site pro cold turkey & dosent advicate the use of quitting aids but if you read the site you will realise why.

What I liked about the site is that it explains why people smoke & the law of addiction. If you can understand about addiction you are already half way to quitting. There is a lot to read on the site but I found that helped because it kept me busy. There is a section on pregnancy & breastfeeding but I have never read it, it may well help you.

I hope you can quit, you just have to be strong & positive. Like CocoaOne said above, you do have to think positive, the more you think positive about quitting & yourself the easier it will be. I told myself as often as I could that I was/am a strong person & that I can quit. Once you get past the first few days all the nicotine is out of your system & the cravings are psycological rahter than physical. I kept telling myself that the craving was all in my head. Another thing that helped me to quit was that I asked myself why I smoked & what I got out of it, its not like you get a buzz from smoking like drinking or recrational drugs. When I craved I would ask myself what would I get out of having a fag? Would I actually feel any different afterwards? Would I be happy that I had smoked? Would it have solved my problems?

I wrote down a list of reasons why I wanted to quit & the benifits of quitting, I also made a list of reasons of why i wanted to smoke & the benifits of smoking. I kept this list with me all the time & if i had a particually bad day with the cravings I would read my list.

There is a quit smoking tip sheet on there, even if you dont want to read the rest of the site the list is a partually good to help get you started.

Good luck xx

 

[koko4bunny]

i quit when i found out at 5 weeks, i was easy for me as soon as i knew i had a little life inside me my head told me NO! thats discusting dont contaminate him/her its just not fair.

also the facts that smoking can bring on premature labour or make u have a small baby also put me off. try and think of these things when u want a ciggy!?

ANNDD think of the money! every pack of cigarettes u buy could be buying your gorgeous little baby some clothes or a toy

hope this helps hun
xxxx

 

[lanaross]

sweetie I know how you feel I've been on and off cigarettes and have been trying to quit and then going back for a while. It's really a struggle. I quit when I found out and then started again after I lost my job. Then quit again, then started etc.. What I found working is keeping yourself busy and distracted. Turn off the computer and go outside the house where you didn't think of smoking - that should be your first day. Best thing if somebody stays with you for three days to keep you away from it. After three days all nicotine is out of your system. Make a list of things you love and have to do. During holidays, don't have any alcohol and be *always* with somebody. That will distract you and just make you happy without much efforts. If you are still working, ask for extra tasks/extra work. The main point is to distract yourself which is super hard, but if you have a list of things to do and keep yourself busy, you won't be thinking about it. After three days, it really is all in your head and boredom does make us obsessing about cigarettes. Good luck xxxx

 

[Sam9kids]

The very best of luck xx

 

[Jadeyydoe]

I had to do the same thing at 10 weeks, I just stopped one day.
I cut down by going down to 2 a day for a week then 1 day and then just stopped completely.
I still have one now and then when I'm super stressed but I can never finish it.
It really helped that the smell of cigs used to make me feel sick in the beginning now but now I know its wrong, I am really scared of cot death and they say smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of it so thats a big put off for me