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If you have unexpectedly found that you are pregnant and are
concerned about the effects of smoking on your unborn child,
you are not alone. Many women suddenly want to quit once
they find out they are pregnant, but how?
The best time to quit smoking is before you conceive a child,
but this is not always possible, especially if your pregnancy
was unplanned. We all want to do what is best for our chil-
dren, but attempting to stop smoking cold turkey while you
are pregnant can actually be very traumatic for your baby.
Stopping is very hard, and to suddenly quit one day will cause
you some extreme stress.
There are so many reasons to stop smoking while you are
pregnant. If you smoke while you are pregnant, your baby
has in increased chance of having low birth weight, develop-
ing asthma, leukemia, as well as being intellectually delayed.
Smoking while pregnant also adds to your risk of premature
labor, and it is thought to put babies at an increase risk of
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
With smoking putting your baby at risk, you want to stop, but
this is much easier said than done. For one thing, you will not
be able to use some of the aids available for those who want
to stop smoking, such as the nicotine patch, or gum. The task
you will have ahead of you will not be easy, and you will need
lots of help.
The best thing that you can do is not stress yourself; as this is
also dangerous for the baby. Talk to your doctor and tell him
what it is you want to do. Ask if there are any stop smoking
products that you may use during pregnancy that will be safe
for your baby. Your health care provider will likely have a plan
that will help you stop smoking without putting your child
under too much stress.
Once your doctor approves a plan, let your family and friends
know what you are trying to do. Tell them how important
this is to you and that you will need all their help to do it. The
more moral support you have, the better your chances are
of succeeding. Your friends and family must understand that
bugging you about it is not what you need.
If you slip, don't give up, just keep trying. Don't think badly
of yourself, or let others make you feel bad. The important
thing is that you succeed and that you understand that it will
not be easy. It may not happen right away, but if you keep try-
ing it will happen.
are you
pregnant &
want to stop
smoking?