Quit Smoking and Breathe Easy

Tracie Allen,* a 31-year-old, stay-at-home mom from Plano, TX, felt it imperative to quit smoking when she discovered that she was pregnant with her second child. She quit smoking after her first pregnancy, but took up the habit again as a secret smoker only after her child was in bed for the night. “I would only smoke when Maia [her daughter] was asleep or at school because I didn’t want her to know that I was smoking,” Tracie says. When she found out she was pregnant again, she had trouble quitting because she hadn’t planned for it. Fortunately, she did find help and was able to do something. “I had no idea that we had programs in my city to help people quit smoking until my nurse practitioner mentioned it to me at a prenatal visit,” she says. That help, combined with hypnotherapy, has kept Tracie smoke-free.

“I couldn’t believe I’d gotten myself hooked on smoking again, after I’d already worked so hard to give it up once before,” Tracie says. “I knew that I wanted to make the healthiest choice for my new baby, so I was committed to doing everything I could to quit again.” You may have experienced a situation similar to Tracie in the past. Planning for your own success this time will make the next steps of quitting smoking that much easier.

Ways to Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. Thankfully, there are numerous techniques to help you kick the smoking habit. And, often times you will need to use more than one to find success.

“Because nicotine addiction is two-pronged, both physical and psychological, combining methods can offer a lot of assistance,” says Heather LaChance, Ph.D., an expert with National Jewish Medical Center and a developer of the Colorado Quit Line program.

Many people avoid nicotine-replacement therapy such as gum, lozenges or the patch due to a perception that the therapy is a form of cheating. But, this treatment option is safer than smoking and can help you get through the first weeks of quitting smoking. Newer medications, such as Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion), also help to reduce some of the dependency on smoking. While these medications can be helpful, they may not be appropriate for everyone. A qualified physician can help you decide what therapies and treatment options you can combine for your best chance at quitting smoking successfully.