NRT - just had a positive test & I'm a heavy smoker. Hel

Hello everyone,

I just found out today that I'm pregnant. I had two faint positive lines yesterday and a clearblue digital positive test this morning. Now that the exciting news has sunk in, on with practicalities! I smoke 20 or more a day and now need to give up.

I have two older children. My first is 10 years old. When I found out I was pregnant with him, I gave up smoking for about 7 years (so didn't have to give up during my second pregnancy). Stupidly, I started smoking again about 3 years ago.

I gave up smoking last year for 3 months. I used nicotine patches and the inhalator (at the same time!) as well as hypnotherapy CDs and an online forum. It was tough for the first week, easier after that, but then I became complacent....

Now, I need to give up because I'm pregnant. I think it's easier in the sense that you know it's because your pregnant - you know your baby is in there, so when the craving hits you, you concentrate on that, but I just wonder if it's okay to use patches and other NRT when you're pregnant?

First time around, I went 'cold turkey' and it was very hard, but easier because my ex-husband gave up smoking along with me. I am pregnant this time with a new partner and can't imagine him ever giving up with me. That's the most difficult thing. When I'm trying to give up smoking, I need there to be no cigareetes in the house because, in a moment of weakness, I'll be too tempted.

I guess I'll just have to focus on the baby and not give in....but can I use patches to make it easier? Or will I have to go through the dreaded cold turkey again? I'm actually glad of this opportunity to give up smoking - it's disgusting and obscenely expensive. I spend as much on cigarettes as I do on my mortgage payments (shocking)!

Best wishes,
Wendy

 

[tuck]

I went cold turkey and I used to smoke 20+ a day. Dont think you can use patches when pregnant but not sure on that. yeah it's hard and i've had a couple of lapses where I've had a fag (no not 20 just 1) but on the whole I've done pretty well. cant you get your partner to try? or smoke outside or something ( ). I think it helped that I felt sick for a few weeks at the beginning so couldnt face a ciggie even if I wanted to.

I can actually go out now and be with other smokers and not want to snatch the packet of them!

try your best and you will do it!

 

[Redshoes]

Hello WendyWandy and well done on taking the first step, by deciding you'd like to quit smoking
I don't know about patches etc so I would suggest a GP or MW appointment to discuss your options, it may not be the best way, quitting with patches, but the end goal is to quit, so if it helps you achieve that, good luck
Mention 'Fresh Air Babies' at the surgery too, as its a group who'll come to your home, and really help out with lifestyle, practical advice, rather than just say quit for your baby's sake, when it's really not that easy for everyone unfortunately.

Very best wishes, let us know how you go

 

Thanks Tuck and redshoes - I'll just have to try the cold turkey - the patches helped that time I gave up for 3 months, but when I reached the 3 month mark (when you're supposed to be off the patches by then), I started smoking again, so I think they just delay the cravings for a while!

I'll keep you posted on how I get on.

 

[happy-chick]

When I was pregnant my doc put me on a low dose patch as they advised that it was better to have a low amount of nicotine going into blood stream than all the cack thats in fags.

Good luck you can do it.
Ive now done 8 weeks

 

Thanks for the advice, happy_chick. Well done you! Congratulations on your pregnancy and for giving up smoking. I'm still smoking. Need to set a stop date....like tomorrow!

 

[happy-chick]

Thanks for the advice, happy_chick. Well done you! Congratulations on your pregnancy and for giving up smoking. I'm still smoking. Need to set a stop date....like tomorrow!

I had some bad news im afraid and lost the baby a few weeks ago, Im still not smoking though!

 

[delmesgirl]

Hi Wendy.

When I found out I was pregnant I went to the doc to ask for patches, but he checked and said they weren't really advisable for mums to be.
He told me to try other methods first and only use the patches as a last resort.

You could always try hypnotherapy - I've never tried it - but some people I've spoken to have found it very helpful

Best of luck - keep is posted how you get on

 

Happy-chick, I'm sorry to hear that you lost your baby. My cousin went through the same thing last year. When she had her 12 week scan, they found the baby had stopped growing at 6 weeks and she miscarried soon after. She was absolutely distraught. She had told everyone as soon as she found out she was pregnant because she was so excited, then felt she couldn't face seeing anyone for weeks. It had taken her around 2 years to conceive that second time. Happily for her, she went away on holiday with her partner and their 6 year old and came back pregnant again (only a couple of months later). She is now due in March.

My cousin said that her miscarriage made her aware, through talking to other women, that miscarriage is much more common than she realised. Of course, with this pregnancy, she was really anxious for the first three months, but now she's really enjoying it. I have just found out I'm pregnant, but I'm not going to tell anyone until the first three months are over, just in case. That's why this site is so good.

I hope that you have some good news again soon. I think you must be so brave to be dealing with your loss, by being able to come on here and offer other people advice - you must be quite remarkable and should be very proud of yourself.

Best wishes,
Wendy

 

[smurf]

Hi Wendywandy I am not a smoker but wanted to wish you the very very best of luck in giving up - I don't know if this will help but I read an article about 2 years ago about giving up and they suggested constantly having a glass of water with a straw in it beside you and everytime you fancied a fag take a sip of water. Eventually your brain will reassociate the craving for a sip of water. I have no idea if it works but its definitely worth a try they reckon the straw is the important thing factor because you're dragging on it like you would a ciggi.

Anyway congratulations on your pregnancy hopefully that will help in the will power stakes too.

 

[happy-chick]

Happy-chick, I'm sorry to hear that you lost your baby. My cousin went through the same thing last year. When she had her 12 week scan, they found the baby had stopped growing at 6 weeks and she miscarried soon after. She was absolutely distraught. She had told everyone as soon as she found out she was pregnant because she was so excited, then felt she couldn't face seeing anyone for weeks. It had taken her around 2 years to conceive that second time. Happily for her, she went away on holiday with her partner and their 6 year old and came back pregnant again (only a couple of months later). She is now due in March.

My cousin said that her miscarriage made her aware, through talking to other women, that miscarriage is much more common than she realised. Of course, with this pregnancy, she was really anxious for the first three months, but now she's really enjoying it. I have just found out I'm pregnant, but I'm not going to tell anyone until the first three months are over, just in case. That's why this site is so good.

I hope that you have some good news again soon. I think you must be so brave to be dealing with your loss, by being able to come on here and offer other people advice - you must be quite remarkable and should be very proud of yourself.

Best wishes,
Wendy

Im glad your cousin has had some good luck, hope i do too!
Its a hard thing to deal with and im having good and bad days, I too realised how common miscarriages are now too and its something i never really thought about before i got preg.

Im hoping things go back to normal soon, i have a feeling i have an infection though so antibiotics are waiting at docs for me.

Good luck with quitting smoking, it is really hard to do but it is possible as so many people have proved. It takes time but every step you are taking to quitting you are one step closer!

Good luck wi pregnancy xxx

 

[Redshoes]

Sorry to hear your sad news happy_chick, just wanted to send some

 

[happy-chick]

Aww thanks everyone.

WendyWandy, how's the quitting going hun?