It can help to know that you're not the only mum who's started their quit smoking journey while pregnant. You can read their stories here.
Everyone around me smokes so I didn’t think I would be able to quit. I had tried to quit before and lit up a fag after 5mins. But being pregnant and knowing the harm smoking does to baby motivated me to try and quit.
The nicotine supplements helped me with my quit and the incentives gave me the encouragement to quit smoking too.
Before finding out I was pregnant, I didn’t want to stop smoking, I never really wanted to and never had the need to. Honestly I never had anything making me stop.
Now, being pregnant I have a reason. Stopping smoking has definitely helped me health wise. I am not as breathless as I was and my sense of smell has come back again. When my hubby goes outside for a cig, I can go out with my vape and we can still be together and talk as much as before. Otherwise, I would just be sitting on my own.
The financial incentives has given me a push too because I think I am going to get something out of it, I am not doing it for nothing. I know that sounds really selfish but it is what it feels like, I am getting a reward. I know baby is a reward but the incentives is a quicker motive.
I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it (become smokefree) because I was always looking for the next cig. I wouldn’t be able to succeed due to the amount I smoked and because I used smoking for peace and quiet. I thought I would lose out on this if I was to quit. But now I feel like I have a lot more free time. It is not centred around getting my next cigarette.
I have definitely benefited from stopping smoking. Particularly smell wise, everything smells better the house and my clothes. My health has benefited and time wise too, I have more time through the day.
My journey to becoming smokefree was definitely easier than I thought it would be. Having the (support) calls in place and working on different techniques to use when you feel you want a cigarette helped.
The incentives didn’t help me quit as I was working towards being a non-smoker and not working towards getting the incentives. But it was a bonus. I will use them to get things for my baby, like nappies.
Quit Your Way Pregnancy Service NHSGGC