Smoking During Pregnancy (cont.)

There are many smoking cessation programs available to help you quit smoking. Ask your health care provider for more information about these programs.

Here are some tips that may help you kick the habit:

• Hide your matches, lighters, and ashtrays.
• Designate your home a non-smoking area.
• Ask people who smoke not to smoke around you.
• Drink fewer caffeinated beverages; caffeine may stimulate your urge to smoke. Also avoid alcohol, as it may also increase your urge to smoke and can be harmful to your baby.
• Change your habits connected with smoking. If you smoked while driving or when feeling stressed, try other activities to replace smoking.
• Keep mints or gum (preferably sugarless) on hand for those times when you get the urge to smoke.
• Stay active to keep your mind off smoking and help relieve tension: take a walk, exercise, read a book, or try a new a hobby.
• Look for support from others. Join a support group or smoking cessation program.
• Do not go places where many people are smoking such as bars or clubs, and smoking sections of restaurants.

Nicotine gum and patches release nicotine into the bloodstream of the smoker who is trying to quit. Although these products can reduce withdrawal symptoms and decrease cravings in smokers who are trying to quit, the safety of these products hasn't been adequately evaluated in pregnant women.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommend that nicotine gum and patches be considered in pregnant women only after other non-drug treatments, like counseling, have failed and if the increased likelihood of quitting smoking, with its potential benefits, outweighs the unknown risk of nicotine replacement and potential smoking.

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Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/smoking_during_pregnancy/article.htm