2014年2月出版
艾米Jaral, 阿拉米达一位35岁的母亲, 加州, had been smoking a pack of cigarettes a day since age 15. When she became pregnant with her son, 猎人, she found the motivation to quit – but quickly discovered she needed help.
Quitting Smoking After 20 Years, While Pregnant
After researching several smoking cessation programs, Jaral found the 丰塔纳烟草治疗中心 在加州大学旧金山分校医学中心, which offers classes and consultations with doctors and nurses trained in treating tobacco addiction. Jaral says it was her phone conversation with 苏珊娜哈里斯, a nurse and certified tobacco treatment specialist at the center, that convinced her to enroll in the program.
"Suzanne was super warm and welcoming," remembers Jaral. "She didn't judge me at all for being [a smoker and] pregnant. She just wanted to support me as best as she could."
Had you tried to quit before on your own?
是的，我在24岁的时候试过戒烟. 我成功了一个月. I quit cold turkey and was completely uneducated about nicotine replacement therapy.
Being pregnant was your motivation for quitting, but did 怀孕 also make it especially hard to quit?
Yes, my anxiety level was so high during my first trimester that quitting smoking seemed impossible.
Why did you choose the UCSF smoking cessation program?
I called several programs before choosing UCSF. UCSF was convenient and cost-effective. 这个程序只需要55美元. And most important, Suzanne – she was nonjudgmental and super caring. I finally had found someone who truly understood my plight and wanted to help me.
What was the most effective aspect of the program?
Nicotine replacement therapy combined with the support I received from other classmates. The support from other members was instrumental in helping me quit and stay smoke-free.
你戒烟花了多长时间? 你用过什么药物吗?
It took me one month to quit and I used the patch as well as the gum. I'm now considering getting the nicotine inhaler.
有时候我很想抽根烟. But my commitment to my son far outweighs the urges I have for nicotine.
What was the hardest part of quitting?
Giving up my morning cup of coffee with a smoke and enjoying those few minutes of alone time was the hardest part.
我仍然怀念抽烟. There are days when I crave a smoke. But my commitment to my son far outweighs the urges I have for nicotine. I don't ever want my son to know me as a smoking mother. I don't ever want him to be waiting for me to finish my smoke so that I can be with him. Every time I look at him, I'm grateful that I don't smoke.
Research shows that half of women who quit smoking during 怀孕 relapse within six months of delivery. You started smoking again when your son was a few months old. 你觉得为什么会这样?
I quit smoking for the baby I was carrying and not for myself. The stress of caring for a newborn combined with not using nicotine replacement therapy led to me starting again when my son was a few months old. This was a very difficult time for me. The stigma of being a smoking mother weighed heavily.
How did the program help you quit a second time?
The class educated me about using the patch, 一次又一次, the support I received from Suzanne and the other class members was monumental in helping me succeed.
I also started bike riding as a way to reduce stress and that has really helped me stay smoke-free.
Now that you're tobacco-free, how has your emotional and physical life changed?
我生活中的一切都变得更好了. The time I would have spent smoking is spent on my 3-year-old son. I am so grateful that he doesn't know me as a smoking mother. My partner is delighted that I quit and reminds me of that every day. My whole world is so much better because I'm no longer a slave to nicotine.
What advice would you give other mothers-to-be who are trying to quit?
不要对自己太苛刻. Quitting smoking is already such a milestone, but quitting while pregnant is especially challenging. It's important to know you're doing the best you can.
