Quitting cigarettes is still a distant topic for many people and an extremely difficult challenge to implement. It has been proven that smoking during pregnancy, especially after the fourth month of pregnancy, is dangerous for the baby. It is cigarettes that cause about 120 miscarriages a year and 5 deaths of children before the age of one. This is a great risk of complications during pregnancy. It is believed that about 15% of premature births of children are due to smoking by expectant mothers. The most common and most threatening danger is low birth weight. So how to counteract it? How can an expectant mother effectively quit smoking?
A smoking mom-to-be locks her baby in a smoky womb, condemning it to smoke. The baby’s heart then beats faster, the baby chokes and, due to the lack of oxygen, is unable to grow and develop properly. Any time is good to break free from addiction. Studies have shown that mothers-to-be who quit smoking in the early months of pregnancy kept the risks to a minimum. The earlier you can achieve this, the better. Some mothers-to-be have no problem with it at the beginning of pregnancy, because they feel aversion to cigarettes, they are bothered by smoke and the smell of tobacco. This is how the warning system of a changing organism works. If you’re not so lucky, you’ll have to help yourself.
First of all, think about the reason why you smoke. Whether it is pleasure, eliminating stress or satisfying your appetite. Maybe you smoke out of habit, or maybe you do it mechanically without much thought about it. Once you identify why, it will be much easier for you to tackle the problem effectively. You don’t need to look for a special reason to quit smoking, you are pregnant and providing the best possible environment for your little one’s development is reason enough. Now you need to find the most optimal method for you to quit smoking. Specify whether you want to do it immediately or gradually – set yourself a goal with an exact date.
How to eliminate cigarette cravings?
Think about when you are most likely to smoke a cigarette. If you smoke to occupy your hands, always have a pencil, pen, write an e-mail, take care of your jewelry, if you like to paint, do it right now. Arrange a puzzle with your husband or partner, play Scrabble – any substitute method is good. If you are a fan of cigarettes, try to get nicotine gum, eat a carrot or apple, eat popcorn. Only avoid empty calories, so don’t trade cigarettes for sweets. If a cigarette helps you get away from stressful situations, replace this ritual with another. A good solution may be a walk for two or walking the dog, call your mum or friend. Eat healthy, make your meals rich in enough vitamins. Rest and don’t overwork yourself. In this way, you will avoid discouragement and weakness resulting from low blood sugar.
If cigarettes allowed you to relax, instead of inhaling smoke, listen to your favorite music, watch a movie, let your husband give you a relaxing massage. You can eliminate smoking out of habit by avoiding places and surroundings that made it easier for you. Go where smoking is prohibited. Now it’s not difficult. When you feel like a cigarette, take a few deep breaths and think about why you don’t smoke. Hold your last breath and light a match. As you exhale, extinguish it. Think it was a cigarette and throw it in the trash.
Even if you smoke a cigarette, don’t break down. Approach this challenge as something irrevocable. This is the best gift you can give your child.