Smoking - Melrose,MA

No matter what quitting smoking is hard.
When you ask most doctors they will tell you to completely stop while pregnant. There are also some doctors that believe that while pregnant, if you quit completely you're body will go through withdraw. Which can also be harmful to the baby.
I had a VERY hard time quitting while pregnant. So to be honest I didn't TOTALLY quit.
I cut down to 1 - 2 a day.
What I would do is go out and smoke a few drags. put it out and save the rest for later.
Also some women that smoke actually totally dislike doing it while pregnant.
I have two kids now and didn't have any complications because I smoked.
Tell her to take it one day at a time. And try to cut back as much as she can.

Here is what my doctor told me: don't try to quit, it's too much stress on the fetus. Cut back if you can.

End of story.

Both of my girls were 8 pounders. Support her, don't judge her.

quitting is so hard! My first pregnancy I ended up cutting back, but still smoked all the way through. I actually smoked a cigarette on the way to the hospital to deliver (horrible I know). My son was just shy of eight pounds and very healthy. But, he did suffer from nicotine withdrawal and we had a hard first 2 days because of it. With my seconds baby I was finally able to completely stop in my third month, and have not smoked since, that was almost 6 years ago. Was it the best thing that I smoked while pregnant? NO, of course not. Did it do any damage to my children? No, not at all. They were normal size, and are very healthy and very smart. Maybe I got lucky, maybe my Grandmas also just got lucky, all 7 times, who knows. But just because one is pregnant does not all of a sudden make the addiction go away, or magically make it easy to stop. Sometimes stopping can be so stressful on your body that the doctors will even encourage you to keep smoking, cutting way back. I wish your sil the best of luck with her struggle, and congratulations on her new joy!

blessed be

Right now we have the hugest generation of old people (the baby boomers), their population is the biggest ever. They grew up with moms that smoked while pregnant, in the car with the windows up, in the house in every room, in the grocery store, in the restaurants and everywhere inbetween. If smoking is as bad as they are brainwashing us to believe then this entire generation of people should have croaked YEARS ago.
Smoking is annoying to those that dont. BUT before it became a huge media issue plenty of non smokers could care less about cig smoke. No one thought it was bad until BIG BROTHER started saying it was bad. This was spearheaded (Im sure) by someone that did not like or was allergic to the smoke and instead of just staying away from it that person decided to try to change the entire country, obviously successfully since it's happening. Since smoking is a stress reliever yet now something we are raising the children not to do, they seem to be drinking more alcohol and doing other drugs to relieve the stress that a simple (non mind bending) cigarette would have accomplished for them
Anyway, my entire family smoked, there were always beautiful new ash trays given as presents at Christmas ... they were usually a center piece on the livingroom coffee table. One of my jobs as a child was to make sure the ash trays were wiped out and clean and to be sure not to put any hot butts in the trash that might start a fire.
Times have SURE changed.
I still miss the old days, it was less stressful.
The non smokers vs smokers has practically destroyed some families.... putting a wall up inbetween them.
Everyone seems to be ME ME ME and there is little or no tolerance for each other and their "ways".
Sad.
Anyway, my mom smoked while pregnant with me. I dont have any health probs related to it that I know of. I quit while I was pregnant because the 80's was the decade that decided you shouldnt smoke while pg. I did sneak a few from time to time I'm sure, my hubby smoked and didnt quit while I was pregnant. Smoking just didnt feel good while pregnant, kind of like how I also didnt like bacon while pregnant either---- and I LOVE bacon.
Anyway, this is long, probably because I'm drinking coffee and baileys this morning instead of my green tea.. lol
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Interesting.

I am a smoker, but have quit while pregnant. I am VERY lucky however, since I did not suffer any problems with quitting. I quit cold turkey the day I found out. Guess what? My son was 5lbs 14oz at birth!! There is not always any rhyme or reason to what happens. Cutting back is what most docs will recommend doing. Doing what's best for baby and mom is what is most important. Years ago women were encouraged to start smoking to help with stress relief when prego. Of course that is archaic, but generations of people seem to be doing just fine! :)

I smoked with my first pregnancy and the one I am currently in. My doctors told me to cut back as much as possible. My daughter was 6lbs 10oz and they are saying that my son (c is scheduled for 1/13) is already 6lbs and some odd ounces. My daughter is fine and doesn't seem to have any problems with her lungs or anything. I am hoping the same for my son. Also, my mom smoked while preggers with and my older sister and we are both fine. I know there are a lot of people out there that judge, but it is really hard to quit smoking and sometimes can cause more harm then good. Just my opinion.

Good luck to your SIL!

This really is not an answer to your question, but I am in SHOCK that most of the answers say how it is OK to smoke while pregnant... or that "I know so and so and the baby was a healthy weight and just fine."
Yes, quitting is hard but having a baby is harder. Once you decide to have a baby, that baby comes first and that baby does not want to be a smoker.
Frankly I'm disgusted by the fact that people still think that smoking is ok during a pregnancy.

My midwives always told me the same thing, cut back as much as you can, under 5 cigs a day should be the goal. Quitting is stressful, and I was told that cutting back was better for *me* b/c the stress of quitting could actually cause the baby more harm.
I never smoked in public, or in the house. Most people I know thought I quit b/c I smoked so little and never in front of anyone. When I was nursing, I would keep to the <5 count, and always right AFTER nursing, so it had time to leave the breastmilk before the next nursing session. I had a coat I would wear when I stepped out for a smoke, and washed my hands and brushed my teeth right after so the baby wasn't exposed.
All my babies were big (over 7lbs, my last was 9lbs) and had no problems. I didn't drink any alcohol, and ate really well and always took my prenatals.

Well, my MIL told me she smoked through all three of her pregnancies and her children are all perfect--especially the one I married, lol =) Funny enough, none of them smoke now and even MIL quit years ago. One of my close friends smoked through her pregnancy a couple years back and her daughter was just fine. She was actually over 9 lbs and very healthy. I disagreed with her decision at the time and still do, but I did not feel it was my place to lecture her as she of course knew the risks. I was supportive of her like you are doing whatever her choice. She did cut back to just a couple cigs to a half a pack at most during the pregnancy--typically 2 a day. She was and is a great mom!

I quit smoking the minute I found out I was pregnant it was hard hard. You cant take any medication or anything for it while pregnant I know it sounds weird but I ate probably a thousand otter pops. I know how hard it is and how bad she feels and I could lie to you and tell you I didnt smoke after but as soon as I was done breastfeeding and went back to work started right up. I feel for her I do, find something that she can occupy her mind and hands every time I wanted a cigarette I ate an otter pop and took a lot of deep breaths. good luck

I worked with someone who loved smoking while pregnant "because it keeps the baby nice and small".
Low birth weight is not a desirable thing, but she made it sound like it was such a positive benefit. Of her 3 kids, not one of them was over 5 lbs at birth.
Some people drink alcohol while pregnant. Others smoke. And some kids turn out alright in spite of it. Others don't do so well.
It's her family. She's got to figure out what's important to her.
For some people, what ever they are addicted to is more important than anything else.

My mom smokes a ton of cigs daily while pregnant with me & I'm fine. I went from about a pack a day down to only 3 or 4 daily after talking about it with my OBGYN. He said it would cause more stress to me & the baby to try to quit altogether than the harm that would come from that small amount.

I have never smoked however I have none lots that have and those that have quit seemed to do best when they just quit cold turkey.

She just needs to decide to do it and be done with it. Throw them away. Don't buy more. Don't bum them from others. Can't smoke what you don't have.

I know that sounds like a non-smoker talking (it is) but it is what I have seen others do with the most success.

I know 3 people that were smokers until the day the found out they were pregnant. 3 of them gave up smoking cold turkey and had healthy babies my cousin on the other hand cared too much about herself and smoked every day even had a butt minutes after giving birth! Her baby died at 2 months old from SIDS. You need to break it down to your sister in law about whats more important smoking butts or having a beautiful healthy baby. My Sister and my two other cousins had no problem going cold turkey because of their unconditional love for their babies. I know its hard to quit but when you are going to be a parent you do what you have to do!

I smoked through all three pregnancies, babies were 8.1-8.10 lbs each, healthy. With the last pregnancy I was so stressed, and driving a lunch truck for work, i smoked alot. like up to 2 packs a day. I felt (and still do feel) guilty, but my kids are fine. One of my stops for lunch delivery, the old guy was telling me when his daughter was born in the 60's, everyone, even the doc, smoked IN THE DELIVERY ROOM! i know its not good, and there are associated risks, but there are risks with almost every move we make. Now we cant drink from plastic bottles because of bha or whatever it is being in the plastic. Do your best, and thats all you can do. Nobody is perfect.

My mom smoked the entire time she was pregnant with me and I'm ok.
Basically it just constricts your blood vessels and causes less circulation. I know lots of people that continued to smoke while pregnant.
I think its worse to smoke AFTERwards. How can you hold a baby and smoke and not end up burning your kid or dropping an ash eventually?

In 2007 the government estimated that 12 percent of pregnant women are nicotine addicted and smoke during pregnancy. That's more than one in ten women. It took me four months before I was able to completely quit smoking, after I found out that I was pregnant and believe me, I was trying.

I have low blood pressure, so my midwifes were not concerned with my stress or blood pressure sky rocketing with nicotine withdrawal. So, I was told to quit, no if, ands or buts. I know a few women who were told to keep smoking (in moderations), so that their blood pressure did not exceed healthy levels and for a few other reasons as well.

My Mom quit smoking with the help of acupuncture, when pregnant with my sister. Just a thought.

To quit, I did the following:
I switched to a brand of cigarettes that are additive free (American Spirit - still owned by J.R. Reynolds (who owns camel cigarettes and a few of the other giants)). They still are addictive, of course, and will put carbon monoxide, tar and nicotine in your body. But, they don't have the additional chemical cocktail that most cigarettes do, including ammonia, formaldehyde, acetone or arsenic. So, I felt a *little* better.

I cut down from a pack a day to 4-5 cigarettes and then 2-3 cigarettes a day and finally 1-2 cigarettes. I spread 'em out over the day. I kept my smoking to four or five drags at a time. Killed the nicotine craving, and I didn't go through a whole cigarette every time. Small steps.

I tried the gum and patch and neither helped. But Commit lozenges did help a little. Finally, after a few months and when I had a cold, I was able to put the pack down completely and for good (well, until my baby had weaned...here I am, smoking again now).

It's a tough one to quit.

i have never smoked, but i have had to quit something while pregnant. I dont mean to get down on anyone but i suffer from bulimia, and if i was able to stop binging and purging during my pregnancy how hard is it to quit smoking (i have a friend who smoked and had an ED and she said the ED is way harder to give up thats why they have hospitals for it.)

I cut back when pregnant.
A friend of mine is using the smokeless cigs to quit and she has had success.

I have never smoked more than a handful of cigarettes, but my husband was a pack-a-day smoker from high school until I got pregnant. He had tried quitting many times (like most smokers do), and finally realized he really had to succeed this time.

It sounds really hokey, but what finally did it for him was a book. He tried the patch, the pills, quitting cold turkey, cutting back gradually, you name it, nothing worked. But this one book did the trick! He read it, re-read some of it, and just stopped smoking. It was so strange, after watching him struggle so much with it, to see him just, not smoke anymore. Obviously he still gets cravings and everything but they don't seem to bother him all that much anymore. He's been without a cigarette for a full year now.

Here's the book: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Way-Stop-Smoking-Non-Smokers/d...

Hope this helps at least a little. Quitting smoking is incredibly difficult, especially with the stresses of pregnancy on top of it all! I wish your SIL the best!

I was a high risk mama, so my OB & nurse midwife gave me the okay to *try* to quit smoking under the condition that I come in every other day during the first 2 weeks.

After that they absolutely banned me from quitting. (2 near miscarriages).

I mostly tried to smoke in my car so that passersby couldn't see my stomach (because being hated on by strangers is just SO uplifting). Fortunately my family is all sciency types (docs, nurses, researchers, etc.) so they supported me in my *not* quitting, especially as I was all wracked with guilt.

No case study is EVER applicable to all (aka just because my son was x doesn't mean that anyone else's child will be)... but my son was 10lbs & 23.5 inches long.

Most doctors say not to smoke at all but if she is have trouble with that then some say to cut back as much as they can. Tell her to just try and ween herself off of them a little at a time, and cut back as much as she can.