Pregnancy (question)
 

I'm going to ask something I've always been very curious about: I have never birthed any children of my own, but I often wonder how I would make it through the 9 months without drinking partaking in all of the substances I'm addicted to (cigarettes, caffeine, and of course alcohol). Have any of you ever gone through being pregnant? Did you stop your substances throughout the pregnancy? Did you pick right back up where you left off, if so?

I'm always curious about women who smoke, have a baby, do not smoke over the course of the nine months, and then pick up smoking again. I assume going through withdrawal for everything on TOP of being pregnant would be horrible.

And to be clear, I am not thinking of having a child or anything soon I'm just a nosy nancy.

=)

Are you ready to start knocking off that addiction list?

Are you ready to stop drinking today?

I was 8 weeks sober when I found out I was pregnant. I was shocked but delighted. Emotionally it's been draining but I've not drank for over 9 months (baby due 4th may) and I plan on taking my sobriety forward after the baby is here. I attend AA meetings and will continue working on my recovery. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me and my life is where I always wanted it now I'm sober.

I plan on giving my baby a sober present mum.

I can't wait.

Foolsgold that is so cool to hear, congratulations! It's great that it worked out that you were already getting sober when you found out about your pregnancy.

biminiblue- I am not ready to tackle ALL of my addictions, but I am on Day 1 of sobriety, so to say. The cigarettes and caffeine will have to come at a later date, I am not ready to give up those vices yet, unfortunately.

Congratulations on day 1, rednails! That's wonderful!

I had two sober pregnancies and got through just fine. I thank God that my kids never had to see me drink (yet).

yes, way to go on day one, rednails!
i, too, was sober during my two pregnancies. it was easy, and looking back i think that's because i knew i could and would drink again after the births. it wasn't quitting, then, as such, but just postponing.
and possibly the hormonal changes influence things in ways we don't quite understand yet. i was listening to an allergist on our national broadcaster today who said it's not uncommon for pregnant women's allergies to simply disappear and then re-appear once the baby is born.

Most women I know still drink coffee during pregnancy so I'd scratch that one off and worry about the smoking and drinking. Big no-no's.

honestly, when you are pregnant... with me anyway... alcohol and cigarettes made me sick. believe me, your body and hormones take care of you... I believe you have natural hormones that relax you in pregnancy. this is what happened to me... and I was quite the alcoholic. I quit everything as soon as I knew I was pregnant. even cigarettes.

My allergy has certainly not disappeared during my pregnancy, my addiction is very much present and daily. I have had many moments of "bugger it, I'm getting a drink" but using the tools Ive learned have been fundamental in my recovery.

It really gets to me when my being pregnant is deemed as easier because of this. I still struggle, I'm still an alcoholic....Im just pregnant.

Picture holding your baby. Would you give her a bottle filled with vodka? I know it's extreme but in effect, that's what you're doing if you drink during pregnancy. Would you blow smoke on him? Of course not.

Maybe that visual will help when you decide to have children.

Congrats on day 1 rednails

Congrats on day one. We all have that in common. Day one, and it is a good day. It can be the beginning of a new life. Welcome aboard.

wasn't suggesting that it's easier in general, Foolsgold. i was sharing my experience that it was easy for me when pregnant. something shifted for that duration.
and i was saying it seems not uncommon for that to happen.
my kids are 36 and 38, and i quit drinking 8 years ago. tells you part of the story right there.
you're doing a grand thing, and i wish you all the best for baby and ongoing sobriety.

A close friend of mine is an OB nurse and also works in the NICU. Look up what substance abuse does to those new babies and it will put the brakes on any temptation.

Good for you for your commitment, you can do this, one day at a time!

All I wanted was ice!!!!!!
I ate ice lolly pops, icy drinks, ice cubes.
I was obsessed with the stuff!!

I felt too ill to drink most of the time! In fact all of the time.

I was happy with my ice!

Reading, researching, learning about
addiction and it's affects on our bodies,
unborn, people around us is very important.

Knowledge is an AWESOME gift to give
ourselves so that we can learn healthy,
happy, effective ways to take care of
ourselves and those little ones we wish
to bring into the world. They are special
little ones who deserve to have a good
start in todays world. :)

Everyday in the news we read about
little ones born to parents or couple
with addiction. Babies, so special,
such a beautiful gift and never have
a chance to live a healthy life.

Read, look at the picture of these little
gifts and how sad it is too see them
hooked up to tubes and wires, born
premature.

I had 2 beautiful babies both born
in the 80's before I entered recovery
in 1990. I did sustain from drinking
heavy with the exception of a few
glasses or wine. I didn't smoke. During
my pregnancies I was worried that
they would be born with some defects
because alcoholism does run in the
family.

Once they came into the world and
both were healthy, I was ecstatic and
filled with joy. However, my addiction
which I wasn't aware was that out of
hand, did catch up with me, and family
stepped in with an intervention getting
me help I needed at that time in my
life.

Both my kids were little when I entered
recovery and with me living a sober life
in recovery, gave my little ones a good
chance to live healthy, happy, prosperous
lives in which they did.

Where else could my babies learn first
hand what life in recovery was and is
than right here with me sharing my own
experiences, strengths and hopes of what
my life was and is like before, during and
after alcohol.

A responsible mom living in recovery. :)

I get that fini, apologies if that seemed like I was annoyed at your comment. In all honesty it's an issue I have at the moment with being pregnant and sober. Im worrying a lot about drinking in the future so it maybe touched a nerve.
Thanks

In my first pregnancy I quit everything except for a very occasional beer and I smoked around 5 cigarettes a day. I had been regularly using drugs when I found out I was pregnant but just stopped after I missed my first period. When I met my baby and feel in love I felt terrible about smoking at all so when I got pregnant the second time I quit smoking too. I had stayed off drugs after my first child and wasn't drinking much anyways so it was easy to stay sober for my second. I did still have an occasional beer with my second pregnancy though. But never more than one and like maybe 4 through the whole 9 months. I started smoking right away after giving birth like a fool! I have since quit though.

My thoughts about pregnancy is that you only get one shot at growing a healthy baby and they will have to live with the consequences of your decisions for the rest of their lives.

foolsgold,
we're good; thanks.

it amazed me that after the birth i went back to drinking. mind you, i was young, too, and "young" in my drinking. i knew i had a problem, but i didn't see the extent of it. and being able to stop drinking so easily while pregnant led me to believe that i could always easily quit.
this was confirmed to my AV and me by quitting again in my second pregnancy.
after that...thirty more years of drinking.
but you're here, getting support, being aware of the nature of your 'problem'.
i didn't even realize any of that at the time.
and i couldn't quit smoking, much as i tried.
so i still don't really "get it".


there are things you can do about not going back to drinking. lots of things.
being here is one of them.

one day shortly after i quit drinking, my then 28-year old asked me straight out: "Mom, did you drink when you were pregnant with me?"
i cannot tell you the relief there was in honestly being able to just say no, no i didn't.

keep going.
you're doing it.

I've hurt my children in a horrible way but I can honestly say that the only "drugs" I had when I was pregnant with them was nicotine in the first month with DD1 and caffeine with both (in limited amounts-for headaches as soda and coffee made me ill). I did have an epidural with DD1 and some cocktail of medications with DD2 (no epidurals in that hospital unless you were having a C-Sec).

One of the biggest things I can say is that when I found myself struggling with mental health issues I took steps to keep from having more children. I love children, I love my children but for some reason my brain short circuited and I didn't want to put any other children through that. Things definitely got worse before they started to get better.

I have also started to realize that taking care of my mental health is thing one, and that no matter what else I think I want, I need to make sure my head is on straight.