I can not quit smoking during pregnancy - what to do? Consequences, recommendations of doctors

There are now fewer women smoking than men. And this does not greatly concern society. But much more unpleasant to see when a pregnant woman smokes. It harms not only itself, but also the unborn child. Often a woman in a position says the following: “I can’t quit smoking during pregnancy, my hands reach for a cigarette, what should I do?” In this article we will tell you what harm the fetus causes when smoking and how to overcome addiction.

Smoking and pregnancy

Often women start to smoke not from a good life. And after learning about the onset of pregnancy, they immediately throw a bad habit. Of course, then the girl wonders what threatens the child that she did not know that she was pregnant, drank and smoked. More about this later in the article.

Usually, a woman learns about pregnancy when she is already 4-5 weeks old. At this time, tobacco smoke could already harm the child. Therefore, having registered, the expectant mother must tell the doctor about her addiction. Necessary vitamins, vegetables, fruits and a healthy lifestyle (evening walks will be especially useful) will help to improve the condition of the fetus.

The most dangerous thing that can happen if a woman does not yet know about her interesting situation and smokes is a fading pregnancy or a miscarriage. In this case, the situation cannot be corrected. Although the placenta formed in the fetus is still strong and at that time it is still able to protect the embryo from the negative influence of harmful products. Therefore, an unplanned pregnancy in a smoking woman with the correct subsequent behavior can end safely.

How nicotine affects a child

But if a woman does not quit smoking, then the placenta will become thinner over time and will no longer cope with its mission. A baby may experience oxygen starvation, which means that he will begin to lag behind in his development. Organs may not develop properly. In addition, smoking women can not deliver the baby to the term, and the premature baby (who was hatched under such conditions) often dies. But even if the child survives, the mother will not be able to give the baby normal normal milk to strengthen the body.

Severe consequences of smoking a pregnant woman:

1. Miscarriage. It can threaten throughout pregnancy if a woman smokes. This may occur due to thinning of the placenta and lack of oxygen. Deviations in development may occur that are incompatible with life, then the body itself will begin to reject the fetus. This can occur even in a non-smoking woman, but if she is often in a smoky room.
2. Smoking during pregnancy in the early stages is a common cause of fetal freezing. That is, nicotine gets to the fetus, the child stops in its development, and then dies. Blame oxygen starvation and impaired development of the child. And it may turn out so that the child lives to birth and is born into the world safely. But due to the abnormal formation of organs, especially the lungs, it dies during the first week.
3. The worst thing that can happen is that the child may simply fall asleep and not wake up (this may happen before the baby is one year old). In a dream, respiratory arrest simply occurs. This is another consequence of nicotine.
4. Delayed fetal development in the womb. Lack of nutrients and the right amount of oxygen, which is responsible for the proper functioning of all organs, especially the brain, affects the overall development of the child. At first, the fetus may lag slightly behind in height, weight and development. But over time, the difference will progress. It will be impossible to restore 100% the health of such a child.
5. The placenta, which is very important for the fetus, can settle low or begin to exfoliate. Thus again, a lack of oxygen and nutrients. And that means a lag in development. Placental abruption can be stopped and try to maintain pregnancy. In this case, perhaps the mother will have to be bedridden before delivery. Although most often it ends in a miscarriage.
6. Amniotic fluid effusion ahead of time. Without them, the child inside the mother dies. Therefore, if time permits, an emergency cesarean section is done to save the baby's life.
7. In women who smoke, children are born with a lack of weight, and also gain it poorly. To quickly gain mass and improve health, you need full-fledged mother's milk, which a smoking woman cannot give to her baby. And the child is unlikely to take breasts with “harmful” milk, since it is bitter. But even if the baby tastes good, then milk will continue to harm. Some may believe that after birth, nicotine no longer enters the baby. These are misconceptions. Nicotine is able to pass into breast milk. At the same time, it destroys all its useful properties. In addition, such milk reduces the level of iron in the blood of a child. It is best to abandon breastfeeding and switch to a mixture.
8. Children from smoking mothers often have lung problems (underdevelopment), bronchial asthma develops. After birth, babies are usually given artificial respiration.
9. Smoking during pregnancy in the early stages provokes the development of heart defects.
10. Due to a lack of oxygen, children are lagging behind in development from peers mentally. They may have an unbalanced psyche. Often the child shows aggressive behavior. At school, they are behind in performance. It is difficult to assimilate new information in childhood.
11. In a woman who smokes, children are often born with congenital malformations, such as cleft lip, cleft palate, squint and Down syndrome.
12. In addition to all of the above, children of smokers are characterized by low immunity and a predisposition to any infection. There are also problems with the development of the musculoskeletal system, kids begin to walk late.

It is important not to forget that passive smoking can also harm the child’s health. This is one of the reasons why pregnancy freezes, it would seem, in a healthy woman. This should be remembered by the close relatives of the girl in position. And if the husband smokes, then for the period of pregnancy and while the baby is very small, he should smoke on the street. Since indoor smoke will harm the health of the child. In this case, the harm is comparable to if the pregnant woman smoked.

Also, future mothers should refuse to smoke hookahs. Mixtures of herbs can carry the same danger, and sometimes worse than a cigarette. If a woman dreams of a healthy baby, then during pregnancy and lactation it is necessary to abandon bad habits. It is also scientifically proven that women who smoke (even with second-hand smoke) are more likely to give birth to girls. Therefore, if spouses dream of an heir, then you should think about the need to abandon addiction.

When to quit smoking?

Quite often, women complain that they cannot quit smoking during pregnancy, that the strength of the habit is higher than them.

When is it better to quit smoking? Ideally, a woman should prepare in advance for conception. And if pregnancy is planned, then it is better to quit smoking for at least six months, so that the body has time to clear itself of toxins. If an unplanned pregnancy has arisen, then it is better to quit smoking as soon as the "interesting" position of the woman becomes clear. Then the chance that the baby will be born healthy increases by 75%. In the second trimester, nicotine will greatly affect the development and formation of organs, the child will begin to lag behind in development by this time. Since not everyone can immediately quit smoking, you should at least refuse to smoke strong cigarettes. In general, it’s not too late to drop out even in the third trimester. Then the child will have at least a little intrauterine time for normal weight gain and restoration of health. After birth, he will need strength to develop immunity and adapt to new conditions outside the womb.

Is it possible to throw sharply?

It is recommended to immediately get rid of nicotine addiction as soon as a woman finds out about her pregnancy. In connection with conception, the girl’s body experiences severe stress and changes. In some cases, a sharp rejection of tobacco can lead to even more stress, which can turn into a miscarriage. It is usually recommended that a woman who is highly attached to a cigarette quit smoking gradually. Reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day by one piece, every three days. Smoke a cigarette is not up to the end, you can a little more than half. Be sure to provide vitamins and minerals at this time. If you can’t cope on your own, you can consult a psychologist so that parting with addiction does no more harm than the cigarette itself. That is why it is recommended to part with a cigarette before conceiving a child.

Some say: "I can’t quit smoking during pregnancy. Can I stop smoking, but only reduce the number of cigarettes per day?"

Reducing the received nicotine per day, of course, will positively affect the development of the fetus, but still it will continue to harm the unborn baby. Therefore, it is recommended to completely get rid of the habit, since even one cigarette per week can provoke a serious pathology. For example, it will affect the development of important organs such as the heart or lungs. During pregnancy, one should already think not about oneself, but about a child who suffers from a bad habit of the mother.

How to quit?

How to quit smoking during pregnancy? Upon learning of their situation, women often experience severe emotional stress. They are overwhelmed with positive emotions, and possibly fear of the fact that it is necessary to change the already existing way of life. Therefore, girls spontaneously begin to reach for a cigarette. What to do if you really want to smoke? Then the following is recommended:

• In order to reduce cravings, which will be especially amplified at the time of unrest (and a pregnant woman has a lot of them due to hormonal changes), you can get light sedatives. They will help to more easily respond to stresses, including the rejection of cigarettes.
• If a woman cannot immediately quit smoking, then it is worth forgetting about strong cigarettes. You can reduce the number of cigarettes per day gradually, possibly replacing them with lollipops or eating apples, strawberries, and so on.
• Find distracting activities. This can perfectly replace the desire to take up a cigarette. It is distracting to look at children's clothes, you can pre-plan the redevelopment of a children's room or just pick a name for a future baby, read about the stages of development at each term and so on. This will push the woman to begin to lead the right lifestyle.
• It is not recommended to switch to electronic cigarettes. Although they do not contain nicotine, they also have other, no less harmful resins and substances. Switching to an analogue of ordinary cigarettes, you can fall into another, no less dangerous dependence.
• How to replace smoking? There are various means in pharmacies that help quit smoking: plasters, chewing gum, and so on. They can also harm the fetus. If the influence of cigarettes on the development of the fetus is practically studied, then the effect of other means on the unborn child has not been studied at all. Therefore, they are not advised to switch to them either. Especially on their own.
• A good way to quit smoking a pregnant woman is to give up tobacco with her husband. In the absence of the smell of tobacco smoke, craving for a cigarette will begin to weaken every day. Moreover, a pregnant spouse who smokes is unlikely to delight her husband's eye. If you see the achievements achieved jointly, the possible return to cigarettes is reduced to 50%.
• You can give up cigarettes when reading books about the dangers of nicotine and how to quit smoking properly. The main thing is that the most pregnant woman needs to want to start a new life without the smell of tobacco smoke. Do not think constantly about cigarettes. The forbidden fruit is sweet, and such thoughts will only increase the desire to reach for a new dose of nicotine.
• Another option is to turn to a psychologist. It is important for a woman to understand that during the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding with her smoking, she harms the baby more. And after giving birth, a woman can then reproach herself all her life and run to hospitals, trying to restore her lost health through her fault.

Think of future generations!

How to stop smoking a woman forever? Relatives and friends should provide the future mother with all kinds of support, especially emotionally.

In addition, it is worth considering not only the health of the child in the womb, but also about future grandchildren, who may not be due to a bad habit. A cigarette negatively affects the reproductive organs of the fetus. A newborn girl may have problems conceiving, and a boy will suffer sperm motility. And grandchildren will not shine with health. All those diseases that could be received by the child during gestation can be received by his grandchildren.

Folk methods

There are popular methods of getting rid of cravings for cigarettes:

1. Before smoking, dip in milk and dry it. After that, smoke. The taste experienced at this time will permanently discourage any smoker from taking up a cigarette again and will not cause additional harm to the fetus, like plasters or chewing gum.
2. When craving for a cigarette, you can rinse your mouth with a solution of soda (make the solution as for use inside).
3. Pineapple perfectly fights cravings for cigarettes, you can eat a piece after the desire arises. It will not harm the figure, but it will benefit the child and mother.
4. Drink soothing drinks more often, refuse coffee and strong-brewed tea. And not to be where they smoke, so that the smell of nicotine does not cause a desire to light a cigarette.

Women say: "What if I can not quit smoking during pregnancy?" The answer is simple - ask for help from loved ones. Since now you are no longer alone, and your addiction harms the child more. It is necessary to avoid stresses that provoke a desire to smoke. If not contraindicated, then sedatives can be drunk (a doctor should appoint).

The reasons women argue that they continue to smoke

The most significant argument is that the woman communicated with those who smoked during pregnancy, and that nothing bad happened, the baby was born on time and healthy. Here you need to remember that every woman has a different health, which she passes through genes to her baby. Also, the experience of the smoker should be taken into account.

The next argument of pregnant smokers is: it is too late to quit smoking, since the period is long. Yes, the child has already been harmed. But even in the last week of pregnancy, you can and should give up cigarettes, and during this time the fetus can at least slightly move away from nicotine poisoning. Non-smoking mother's milk will help the child in development.

Another argument of those who do not want to quit smoking: a cigarette helps relieve stress better than any sedatives, and it is harmful for pregnant women to worry. However, in this case, it is not taken into account that each cigarette is harmful to the child. And she certainly does not reassure the baby, like mom. In addition, it is the cigarette at the time of stress that is the reason why the pregnancy freezes. Therefore, you should think about the dangers of nicotine before reaching for another cigarette.

It happens that a woman does not know how to replace smoking and believes that there will be no harm from one or two cigarettes per day. Some also claim that the air around is not so clean, and the exhaust from cars in the street can do more than just one cigarette. In this case, the woman does not take into account that nicotine penetrates much deeper into the lungs than air from the street.

The last excuse for smoking future mothers is the fear that after giving up a cigarette, she will begin to gain extra pounds, which are already provided during the gestation period. Here the error is that excess weight depends primarily on a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, getting in shape after giving birth is not so difficult. And getting rid of smoking, it will be much easier to return the figure.

Smoking pregnant. Doctor's advice on how to get rid of addiction

Before quitting smoking, the girl needs to ask herself what she smokes for: nothing to do, for relaxation, or just for company? By answering this question, it will be easier to find a way out of the situation. If smoking comes from boredom, you can find a hobby to your liking.If for relaxation, then you can use medicines or just take a walk with your family or watch an interesting movie together. Well, if a girl smokes for a company, then you just need not to go into a smoking room with friends, justifying your refusal with the birth of a new life. In this case, good friends themselves will support the future mother in her desire to quit smoking.

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Be sure to remove from a conspicuous place all objects that can remind you of a cigarette, such as an ashtray, a lighter, and so on. It is advisable to overdo smoked clothes so that even a slight tobacco smell does not attract to a cigarette. What to do if some actions remind you of a cigarette? For example, after lunch, the girl always smoked or loved going to the toilet with a cigarette. Now this can be replaced by reading useful literature about the child. Fresh air and replenishment of the body with vitamins will help to quickly get rid of craving for a cigarette.