"I saw the two lines, and I put out my cigarette before even taking a second test to be sure." Camille is 29, a smoker since she was 16, about 10 cigarettes a day. She'd never managed to quit before, despite several attempts. The day she found out she was pregnant, she says the decision happened without any real effort of will, almost by reflex.
The weight of guilt, before day one even started
"My first thought wasn't joy, it was panic: how much harm have I already done to the baby before even knowing I was pregnant?" That guilt, very common, isn't necessarily justified: quitting smoking remains beneficial at any point in pregnancy, as Tabac Info Service points out, even if quitting happens weeks into an unknowing pregnancy. It's never too late for quitting to benefit both baby and mother.
A different motivation, an equally hard withdrawal
Contrary to a common assumption, the extremely strong motivation to protect her baby didn't make the physical withdrawal any easier. "The first three days were just as hard as my previous attempts, the craving was just as intense. The only difference is that I never once considered caving, because it wasn't just about me anymore." To get through those craving spikes, she relied on concrete techniques that take just a few minutes: walking, drinking ice-cold water, changing rooms.
Reassuring medical support
Camille booked an appointment with a midwife specialized in tobacco cessation as soon as her pregnancy was confirmed. "She explained that nicotine replacement, patches and oral forms, is allowed during pregnancy, because it's clean nicotine, without the thousands of other toxic substances in smoke. That took a huge weight off me: I thought I had to face all of it without any help." Getting support from a trained professional remains the safest option for quitting during pregnancy, especially with strong dependence.
What she takes away from it, months later
Now just a few weeks from her due date, Camille hasn't relapsed. "What helped me was remembering that a craving spike lasts a few minutes, while my decision has to last nine months. Compared to that, a few minutes of discomfort is manageable." She adds a message for expecting mothers who are still hesitating: "You don't have to feel guilty about the delay. The only moment that matters is now."
