Motherhood's Messages

I started smoking when I was 15 quit when I was 40. When I first found out I was pregnant I managed to quit with my husband, but as soon as I had the baby, I started up again. I've tried to quit lots of times and just felt I was weak and never had the willpower to quit. I have two boys who are fortunately healthy. I did quit through each pregancy, but would start up again. When they were about 4 and 5 they would complain about the smoke. I smoked outside because of my kids, so the only time they were around the smoke was in the car. I would have the window open, but obviously, some of the smoke would get to them and being that both boys were old enough to comunicate, they would complain.

I hated smoking and the simple fact that I needed to smoke almost constantly throughout the day. I hated being a slave to cigarettes. Constanly feeling like a failure because of the concerns that it might have on the kidst. A lot of the time my excuse for not quitting was "Hey, I'll probably die from cancer anyway". Selfish heh? Finally I said, "God, if you granted me 10 more years to live, would that be reason enough for me to quit, would 10 more years of life with my kids mean enough for me to quit now, today. My answer was obvious, "Yes". Heck, if I was on my death bed and God said, I'll give you one more week if you quit now, I'd take it, I believe anyone would.

I looked up your site 4 years ago, and the stories made the addiction and quitting very real to me. It definately help me stay strong in the desire to quit this horrible addiction. I can proudly say that I have not smoked now for approximately four years and recently when I had my well check my good chloresterol was up and my bad chloresterol way down. Thank you WhyQuit.com.

Dinah Hurst

My name is Dawn. I am 36 years old. I hate cigarettes, smoke and smokeless tobacco! My mother smoked during her pregnancies and until I was 17. I was born with a benign tumor on my right eye and began having asthma attacks as an infant (as did my older sister). After 2 major eye surgeries (at ages 3 and 6), hundreds of doctor visits, regular allergy shots and asthma meds, I continue to suffer from these ailments.

I do not blame my mom. She was pregnant in the 60's and 70's and everyone smoked while they were pregnant, even Jackie O.! (I once saw a photo of the former first lady smoking with an unmistakably pregnant tummy.) I blame the cigarettes and their makers who add the nicotine that is so addictive!

My maternal grandfather died, when my mom was only 17, from complications after having his second heart attack. He was a smoker. My paternal grandfather died when he was in his early 70's. He had suffered his third heart attack. He was a lifetime smoker. My aunt died when she was in her early 50's. In her last days, she weighed about 78 lbs. and she was 5'6"! She had endured 10 years of lung cancer and chemo treatments. She was a smoker. My uncle died in Dec. of 2002. He had lung cancer that spread to his brain. It was a miserable and long dying process. A few years before his passing, he and his wife had to have open heart surgeries. They were both heavy smokers.

My aunt quit smoking after her heart surgery. She is still alive and is now physically well! All 3 of their [adult] children smoke. The addiction often gets handed down like a plagued heirloom. My mother-in-law had her second heart attack in 2003 and had to have triple bypass surgery. She was in the hospital for a grueling 3 weeks. She started smoking, again, 8 weeks after her surgery. She is constantly bothered by sinus headaches, serious digestive problems and pain in her hip from osteoarthritis. The culprit of all of these aches and pains is none other than cigarettes.

My mom quit smoking when I was 17. Thank the Lord! However, she continued to be addicted to the nicotine and used Nicorette gum to keep her from smoking. She had experienced serious stomach problems since she was a young adult and never knew why. She smoked cigarettes for 30 years and then ingested nicotine straight into her digestive system, from the gum, for about six more years. In July of 2001, my mom suffered an acute attack of hemorrhagic pancreatitis (bleeding pancreas) after a biopsy of a mass on the organ.

The stomach aches that had put her in the hospital for so many years paled in comparison to the level of pain and distress at that time. We almost lost her. She fell into a 5% survival rate. People all over the nation and internationally were praying for her while WE lived in the hospital for a month. She had to have an IV feeding tube, in her arm, for five months after that. No food for 6 months! She is no longer able to work. She is better, but she has days when she can hardly get out of bed. She has a very restricted diet and if she strays, she pays. We ALL pay!

These types of illnesses affect entire families, not just the smokers! I could tell you countless more true stories, but I think that you get the point. The point is that cigarettes and smokeless tobacco are dangerous and lethal! Do you know why mosquitos do not bother you when you are smoking? It is because nicotine is a deadly pesticide and frankly, mosquitos must be wiser than smokers! You are not to blame unless you do nothing to stop this nasty addiction! If you never choose to quit, please, please, please do not smoke inside or around others (especially children) and please do not smoke while you are pregnant!!! Thank you and best of luck to you!!!

Dawn

I am very happy to say that I have been nicotine free for six months now. My kids have not missed any days of school this year. I was one of those mothers who quit when I was pregnant, but was lighting up soon after I was home from the hospital. Both my daughters were needing nebulizer treatments. They have both had pneumonia. The oldest one has been hospitalized. In the six months since I quit, we have not needed one nubulizer treatment. They are both doing so well!

I have started to workout three times a week. I feel better. Most people tell me I look a lot better. My house and car are cleaner. I am so glad that I quit. Your website really helped me get through the first month or so. I just wanted to let you know.

Jessica

I'm a Mother of two and my daughter is 11 months and I have such die hard dependency that I just can't shake. When I was pregnant with my first child I gave up smoking as soon as I found out. The same for the second pregnancy. My mistake is I started to smoke again but not heavily.

I have a cigarette after I feed my daughter to sleep for the night, then I put my toddler to sleep. After the kids are well sleeping I then go out to the backyard and I have one smoke each night. And it has never sat right with me. I'm afraid that I may hurt my child by having a smoke each night. She shows no signs of being ill and has a great appetite but I would never be able to live with myself if I was the cause to any of my children's medical problems.

So, I'm telling you and everyone who is reading that I'm stopping smoking today, even thought I'm about to wean my daughter. She's almost a year and I've been nursing her since birth. At least the last couple of months will be safe for her! Thanks,

Jan

I smoked very little during my first pregnancy. My child had good birth weight and was very healthy. Today she is still healthy, and very smart but has allergies and catches broncitis very easily. With my second child I quit smoking during pregnancy. My husband began smoking again and so did I, but I limited myself to four cigarettes (at the most a day). When I began breastfeeding after the birth it became another concern for me. Once again I was limited to four cigarettes a day. My baby is healthy and had a good birth weight, but I still worry.

I tell myself that its not hurting the baby, but in my mind it bothers me. Even though I'm not smoking alot the nicotine is still in my system. I would like to quit and all I can do is pray and ask God to help me. When your husband smokes it makes it harder to quit for good. Please remember me in your prayers. I thank God everyday for the good health of my children. He gives us that everyday, and its always a reason to praise him for the wonderful things he does for my family.

Lillian

I wanted to tell my story about what can happen when you smoke while pregnant. I did attempt to quit when I found out I was pregnant the first time, but after thinking about all the people I knew who smoked while pregnant and had "normal" kids I kept right on smoking.

About six weeks along, I started bleeding from a chorionic bleed. This is where the placenta starts to form and it tears away from the lining of the uterus. Luckily, I did not lose my child. My son was born full term at 7lbs 15oz. So much for low birth weight! At about six months old my son was diagnosed with a visual impairment that is usually hereditary. Only no one in mine or my husbands family had ever had it. Did smoking cause this? I didn't know and I guess I didn't care because I didn't even attempt to quit when I got pregnant with my second.

My second pregnancy was uncomplicated until delivery. After my second son was born weighing 8lbs 2oz, my placenta would not detach. This resulted in hemmoraging and emergency surgery. I also had to have a blood transfusion. The nurse said that this rarely occurs and is usually caused by multiple c-sections, (I've had none), abortions, (again, none) and cocaine use. Cocaine! I'm not a drug addict!!!! Then she nonchalantly said "Oh, we also see it in smoking mothers". I kept my mouth shut as I had lied to Dr. and the hospital about smoking.

So, now my second son is two and a half with developmental delays, and my four year old has Attention Hyperactivity Disorder. With extreme emphasis on the hyperactivity part. I know in my heart that I probably caused these problems but I keep finding other excuses.

My message is this..........Just because your child is born "normal" at a good weight, don't think that all is fine. There will be problems down the road.

Lee