A positive pregnancy test is the point where many women decide to give up smoking weed, but is it as straightforward as simply making the decision? Quitting something can be a challenge, and it’s perfectly normal to experience both physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms when you stop, whether it’s sugar, cigarettes, alcohol or weed!
If you are pregnant and want to stop smoking marijuana here are some tips to help you achieve your goal with the least possible upset and disruption to your everyday life.
Fuel your motivation
As a grown up you have the right to choose what you put into your body, but once pregnant you quickly learn that everything you consume, whether it’s food, drinks or weed, is being shared with the baby inside you. Some of these things are welcome as they help the baby to thrive, others can poison it, causing defects and health problems. As the risks are highest in the first twelve weeks the sooner you feel the shock factor of what smoking weed could do to your child the easier it will be to find the motivation to stop.
It’s not nice to read up on the harm smoking weed could do to your unborn child, or the negative impacts it could have on its entire life, but it is a good way to find the determination and willpower needed to successfully stop smoking weed.
Prepare for withdrawal symptoms
Experts say it takes around a week for physical withdrawal symptoms to pass, and although not everyone feels too bad during this time it is good to learn about what could happen, and how to deal with it. Of course how often and how much weed you smoke will influence the length of time it takes to clear it all out of your system. You will probably need to create and stick to new habits like eating when not hungry, and maintaining a regular bedtime even when not tired.
The emotional withdrawal symptoms can be harder to manage, so creating new, healthier habits and taking time away from the people and places where you could be tempted will also help.
Don’t be shy about asking for help
Hopefully family and friends are around to support and encourage you through the quitting period, but you may still need medical advice too. It’s natural to avoid that route for fear of being reported to social services, or being labelled as a bad mother, but there are plenty of professionals and charitable organisations around who are completely non judgemental, and can help you find counselling or other appropriate support networks.
Be good to yourself
Plan to shift as much stress and responsibility from your daily life as possible, and use this time to indulge and care for yourself. Taking a week off work, catching up on TV programmes you like, and eating tasty snacks may help. If you’d like to read up more on how to quit weed while pregnant, then check out howtostopsmokingpot.org.
