You know it’s bad for you and your baby. But no matter how hard you try to resist it, you always end up lighting up. Your doctor has told you to quit as soon as possible because smoking does have serious effects to your health and to your baby’s. So what should you do to quit? How do you deal with the craving? Here are 5 tips for you:
1. Determine your smoking pattern.
Many people know they are ‘heavy smokers’. But ask them how many cigarettes they consume on a daily basis and they won’t be able to give an answer. Knowing your smoking pattern is essential to quitting. You have to know at what time of the day you begin to crave for cigarettes, what your smoking triggers are, and how many do you usually consume. This way, you can come up with better strategies to quit smoking.
2. Find out what works for you.
Not all quit smoking methods will work for you. It is important that you choose the strategy that you are most comfortable at. Seeking help from a smoking cessation specialist is likely to help you determine the method that will increase your chance of quitting for good.
3. Don’t suffer alone.
Why suffer alone when there are many people you can turn to for support such as your friends and family? The smoking cessation period can be difficult to deal with especially if you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. If you can’t get support from people close to you, consider joining an online community or a help group.
4. Be stronger than your cigarettes.
Never let cigarettes control you. You should be the one controlling things in your life. You are actually making yourself a slave of cigarette if you have an intense desire to quit but couldn’t! Never be afraid of the withdrawal symptoms as they are only temporary. Once you get through them, you can bust smoking from your life.
5. Think about your child.
If you are not so concerned about your health, think about the baby inside you. She definitely wants to live and experience the beauty of life. The effects of smoking to the child’s health can be very serious. In some instances, they don’t reflect right after birth but during adulthood. Children of moms who smoke while they were pregnant are at a higher risk of having poor immune system and developing mental problems.
If you are planning to get pregnant, it is necessary that you quit smoking months before you conceive. This is to ensure that you and your baby would not be affected by the harmful side effects of smoking. If you are already pregnant, then stop smoking now! You really don’t want to further hurt the baby in your womb. There are available treatments that can help you deal with the withdrawal symptoms. Nevertheless, make sure to consult your doctor to know the safest methods to use. Live well!
