The secret to effective smoking cessation for pregnant mothers

Tobacco is harmful to health, especially for pregnant women. So, what do pregnant mothers do to effectively quit smoking? Please refer to the following article for more!

If she intends to become pregnant, women need to quit smoking as soon as possible, until they know they have the baby. Even after giving birth, you should not smoke again to protect the health of both you and your baby.

Why should you quit smoking?

Quitting smoking is not an easy task. However, during pregnancy, quitting smoking is more important than ever. Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of:

Miscarriage;

Premature birth ;

The baby was born at a low weight;

Stillbirth;

Haemorrhage.

If in the past you could not quit smoking effectively, think about the baby in your womb with more determination. In fact, up to 40% of pregnant women who smoke cigarettes have successfully quit. Think about how you want to quit.

How to overcome the temptation of tobacco?

Make a plan before you start the process of quitting. Quitting smoking isn't just about smoking the last of your cigarette and then throwing the pack away.

When your cravings arise, try chewing gum, inhale peppermint essential oil or go for a brisk walk, absolutely avoiding smoking again. The cravings last for only 2–5 minutes, on average. So find something to distract and help you resist the temptation to smoke, don't just sit there and wait for the cravings to pass.

Help from friends and family

You don't have to quit smoking on your own, and the support from friends and family increases your chances of success. So tell your friends, family, and co-workers you will quit smoking to give you more motivation. Since you are pregnant, you only have a short amount of time to quit. Unlike smokers who are not pregnant, they are more likely to struggle for many years to quit.

Ask the people closest to you for help, especially if they're a smoker. You can call them for help when your cravings arise. If a friend or family member smokes, ask them not to smoke in front of you. If your husband smokes, encourage him to quit the habit.

Medical help

Your healthcare providers will have complete information about local smoking cessation programs as well as helpful advice and encouragement for you.

Tell your doctor if you still smoke at your next visit. Honesty is best for you and your baby. The doctor or medical staff is always happy to help without any aversion to you. You are definitely not the only mother who struggles to quit smoking.

Once you can quit smoking effectively, share this good news with your healthcare providers. They will be more than happy with your spiritual gift.

How to stay motivated to quit smoking effectively

Be clear about why you need to quit smoking. Stopping smoking can make you feel distressed for a short time. So, if you don't feel motivated enough, it will be very hard to fight the urge to smoke.

The motivation to quit smoking must be big enough and you have to be really determined. In other words, you need to understand why you have to get through these little uncomfortable and difficult things. The best reason to quit smoking is to protect yourself and your baby's health. Remind yourself of the benefits of stopping smoking whenever you want to quit!

What if you smoke again?

Don't punish yourself or abandon your goals. Many people have to quit smoking several times before they can completely quit. So don't assume you are a failure if you smoke again.

If you tolerate a week of non-smoking, it is a week where you and your baby are not exposed to tobacco-borne poisons. If you learn from the experience of each attempt you will be better prepared to effectively quit smoking.

Always keep in mind the reasons and motivations for you to quit. Your husband, doctors, health care workers, friends and family are always with you. Therefore, people are always supporting you to resist the temptation of those cigarettes. Don't give in because you will have to work repeating the whole process from the beginning.

Keep in mind that within a few weeks, symptoms will start to go away and your appetite will decrease. Once you quit smoking successfully, reward yourself with something like going shopping or a  facial massage  because you deserve it!

Hope this article has provided you with lots of useful information. Wishing pregnant moms to quit smoking successfully!