To those who have quit smoking in pregnancy

[Tillytots]

How is everyone doing/feeling?

I know there was quite a few of us who quit smoking and I was was wondering how everyone is feeling and what your thoughts are now on smoking and smokers.

I smoked for I think 12 years, like 20 a day and prob 40 a night on weekends...the 'Ultimate Fag Hag' I stoppped something 4 days after my BFP and havent looked back since I did it completely cold turkey and I have to say apart from making my baby its the best achievment in my life, I know I shouldnt have started in the first place...that was my dumbest move I ever made

I still have the odd dream where I'm smoking and sometimes wake up in a panic thinking Oh my God what have I done.. Before I quit I often wondered what Id do with all that time I used to spend smoking and now I dont know how I managed to fit smoking in really LOL!!

Anyway, I find myself now scowling at smokers, my lips curl and nose turns up at how much smokers stink Im such a cow! I cant help it though its bloody repulsive! Im worried about what happens when bubs is here as there is absolutely NO WAY on this earth anyone whos been smoking is getting near my bambino, breathing their shit breath over him my MIL smokes and Im unsure how to tackle it. Maybe its something I shouldnt even be worried about right now and just see what happens. I just feel so strongly about it, I stopped smoking for my Son and I'l be damned if anyone else is going to come along and be faggy all over him!

OH has been living with his Mum for a while now and he is really pee'd off that she has started smoking indoors again as he now stinks of fags. She had stoppped smoking indoors since she had the house all redecorated....after his Dad died of Lung Cancer last year but now has started again. OH quit smoking with me for baby and also because of his Dad so I think he is finding it a bit crap to deal with too

How is everyone else coping?

 

[xkikix]

I've never smoked and its always replused me. Hubby quit 3 yrs ago and i'm so proud of him for quiting!

Well done you tho... Stress of pregnancy and quitting cannot be easy.

My SIL is 12 weeks pregnant and she's still puffing away on 20 a day and drinks wine everynight. I feel so bad for her baby!! But then maybe my choccie cravings are just as bad!

 

[Lou]

I'm was the same as you but I gave up just before I found out I was expecting. I loved smoking but woke up one morning and decided I didn't want to smoke anymore, I went cold turkey too and it was hard but I really didn't want to smoke anymore. I still dream smoke and every now and again, especially after a meal a little trigger in my brain thinks "I'll have a fag in a minute" then I remember I don't smoke anymore

I had a really hard time with my family when I had Isaac because they all smoke but now when we visit they smoke outside and when Isaac was newborn they weren't allowed near him at least an hour after they had a fag because I rang the NHS smoking helpline and they said when you smoke you breathe out toxic fumes for an hour after putting the fag out. It caused alot of tension in my family but Isaac come's first so tough!

 

[poppy160]

I quit smoking just before my BFP too because I was worried about the effects it was having on my health. When I found out I was pregnant that was it..I quit cold turkey aswell and being a pessimist (sp?) always expected myself to fail miserably but my baby became my number 1 as soon as I knew she existed and knew I was never going to smoke again. I feel sorry for my OH - I never knew how bad smokers smelled until I quit, and I used to come in from having a fag, try and snog him and get offended if he pulled away! Poor thing..Well done for quitting, Tilly

 

[bhe101]

It was a real struggle for me to give up the first time I was pregnant. I knew I was being really selfish but the cravings were too strong.
I was also going through a really hard time with OH and was struggling with anxiety and depression. I had to get a scan at 8 weeks as I had a heavy bleed and seeing little bean jumping about gave me a good kick up the arse and I stopped straight away.
I started smoking quite soon after having her though, she was early and in hospital for a month. I was so down and anxious all the time I fell into an old pattern.
I went outside to have one and changed my top after. I felt so guilty and that would just make me feel even more depressed. I started thinking about trying for another baby last summer but OH said I had to stop smoking first. I knew it wasnt fair on any of us so I stopped last september and was pregnant buy october. I dont miss it at all, the smell of smoke makes me want to vomit and it is really unattractive!!

 

[Lou]

Yeah I must have smelt like an ash tray I smoked tons. On a Friday night after work down the pub with a lock in till 3-4am I could smoke a disgusting amount of fags. Probably about 40-60

I hate smoking now and when I see people smoking I feel sorry for them because they don't understand whats happening to them. Its all about educating yourself I think, I read up about the effects of smoking and the only reason people think it makes them relaxed is because when you toke on a fag it reduces the amount of oxygen getting to your brain which makes you feel light headed and mistakenly 'relaxed', when in fact your body is physically more stressed because it is fighting to increase your oxygen levels and is fighting all the toxic chemicals entering your blood stream.

I could talk about this all day lol The NHS Smoking helpline interviewed me when I rang them because they were impressed that I had been such a huge smoker who had turned so anti-smoking

 

[abcd1234]

my dad used to smoke, and gave up when they found out they were expecting me, i think it was a mixture of not wanting me around it and the fact they knew it was a needless expense.
Now he hates smoking, if any of my friends smell of fags he points it out (not harshly hes jsut sensitve to the smell i guess) and shows his disapproval, he used to smell my hands sometimes if i came home smelling a bit of fags.
and i know its part of the reason he doesnt like baby daddy, though he doesnt smoke around me, i cant help feel he too should have given up for his child

 

[Lou]

I grew up in a family full of smokers, things were different years ago. I think theres no excuse nowadays, we all know that smoking is bad for your health and the health of people around you including babies and young children. It is a cause of cot death and premature birth so people who are pregnant or have a newborn and continue to smoke should really be listening to their conscience

 

[Manda&Thomas]

me and hubby both quit about a week after getting our bfp i had been smoking since i was 11 so about 10 years and a good 30 a day if i was stressed going down to 10 a day if i was busy doing things, hubby smoked 40 a day easy.
i have never felt better for it cant stand people smoking near me and feel sick if people in the street come near me with a fag in hand,
only problem is all my family apart from my mother smoke so when i go see them i wear dirty clothes so i can come stright home and wash them lol same as with hubby if he goes to see anyone who smokes dirty clothes has to be worn
have told everyone that they aint allowed to smoke near the baby and people can only smoke in my kitchen but when baby is here it will be outside only.
weldone everyone else who quit
manda xx

 

[xJuliex]

yeh i gave up straight away too. found it really easy actually but i wasn't a big smoker anyways really. mostly just when i went out drinking at weekends. it does make me feel reallly sick tho when i smell smoke now! and its an excuse to spend the money i would of spent on cigarettes on something else

 

[andreaaa]

Myself and JP quit smoking when we found out about baby. We both found it very very difficult but did it cold turkey

I quit when I was pg with Callum and Caitlin but ended up smoking again I never smoked in the house/car though or infront of them, always outside in the garden after they had gone to bed.

 

[heles7]

well done all of you that managed to quit; it's not like pregnancy isn't a stressful time in its own right!

I quite cold turkey about 5 years ago and I still have the odd dream where I'm smoking

My mum and sis smoke and I'm so worried about how to tackle the situation when baby arrives. I'd not heard that you breath toxic fumes for up to an hour after each cig though

 

[Tillytots]

I knew about the toxic fumes, thats what worried me so much. Like Lou says though babies come first so its tough! I know it will probably cause tension but Id rather it cause tension than anything bad to my baby's health.

I found it really easy going cold turkey, it was only the first 4 days I found stressful which I slept through most of After that I didnt crave really at all which was amazing after smoking so much for so long.

Welldone for everyone else who quit

 

[Lou]

well done all of you that managed to quit; it's not like pregnancy isn't a stressful time in its own right!

I quite cold turkey about 5 years ago and I still have the odd dream where I'm smoking

My mum and sis smoke and I'm so worried about how to tackle the situation when baby arrives. I'd not heard that you breath toxic fumes for up to an hour after each cig though

Yep thats what the NHS Stop smoking helpline told me. They were really helpful

 

[muppetmummy]

I'm ashamed to say I smoked through my pregnancy with James. My midwife actually told me not to worry about stopping because of the stress I was already under with my relationship breakup!
James was born weighing only 5lb 15oz which I'm sure smoking played a part in. He also had breathing problems as a newborn, he did have an infection which caused that but again my smoking probably made him more susceptible
I feel so awful about it now, I was young and selfish when I fell pregnant with him and it took him actually being born to give me a wakeup call.
I managed to quit once he was a couple months old (I only smoked outside once he was born) and really regret ever starting in the first place when I was 11.

I haven't smoked at all during this pregnancy and I have noticed a difference. Babys bigger and more active.

I'm always in two minds whether to post about this as it is so shameful but I hope that by owning up to it others who are smoking when pregnant and kidding themselves it;s ok will see that there are consequences.

 

[sazzylou]

i went cold turkey too.......then when i was about 12 weeks i gave in and had one.. but as soon as i finished i went and threw up everywhere!! That was it for me Pregnancy was the push id needed. I smoked for about 13 years and i actualy really enjoyed it but my baby comes first!! I stupidly started smoking again after id had Beth but theres nooooooooo way im starting again this time.

Luckily my OH and most of my friends are non smokers. My mum has even started at a no smoking clinic since i told her tha no one who smoked would be allowed near the baby for at least a couple of hours after theyd had a fag. Ive become extremely anti smoking now!! It absolutely stinks, and i cant believe my OH ever put up with me smoking (he's never smoked in his life) it must have been minging for him

Congrats to everyone whose managed to quit! I know how hard it is so well done

 

[charlie84]

I went cold turkey from when i found out about my BFP. I smoked probably bout 10-15 fags a day more if i was out on a night. It was really hard but i did it and i am so happy now that i am a non smoker. To think of how much i smelt and the damage i was doing to myself makes me feel

OH continued to smoke till just after christmas but since BFP he was banished to outside to have a fag. He would make me feel terribly sick when he came back in cus the smell was so bad.

I didnt force him to quit but explained that if he continued smoking when baby came along he would have limited access to her as he isnt holding her after a fag due to the fumes. So proud that both of us have quit now and doubt very much we will ever be tempted again as we both now find it disscusting.

 

[keli]

I quit about a month before i got my BPF went cold turkey found it quite easy and when i found out i was pregnant that was a definate full stop to the smoking. Have had alot of stress with OH splitting up etc when i did fancy a fag but never did, just could'nt, baby def comes first. Hate the smell now and cross the road when i see people outside pubs shops etc smoking. Just i won't go back to it. xx

 

[lfc_sarah]

Me and my OH used to smoke...

We both quit before we met each other though.
Went cold turkey too and i know how hard it is
Especially going out drinking with mates

I cant stand the smell of it now either.
Only one of mine or my OH mates smoke...

And he doesnt smoke in our house, he goes outside

Luckily none of mine or my OH family smoke so we wont have to worry about that

 

[muppetmummy]

I love the smoking ban in pubs. I used to find it so hard not to give in and smoke when I was on a night out with a couple drinks inside me.
It takes the temptation away when you haven't got people smoking around you when your defenses are down.