Michelle's Story

Michelle is the proud mum to three children, the youngest just five months old. Throughout all her pregnancies, she has given up smoking to safeguard the development of her baby.

But having smoked since she was 15, it was a difficult habit to break and she always went back to it once her babies were born. Anyone who has had children will tell you that there are stressful times, and times when you just need a few minutes to yourself.

Michelle used smoking as a way to cope with this stress and as an opportunity to grab these few minutes of me-time.

This time was different, though. She had just suffered a miscarriage, but soon became pregnant again. She also realised that her cigarette breaks were actually taking her away from her family, and she wanted to maximise the time she spent with them.

The biggest risk to your loved ones from smoking is exposure to secondhand smoke, or “passive smoking”.

Michelle spoke to a specialist stop smoking midwife at the Jessop Hospital in Sheffield about the risks of smoking in pregnancy. The midwife put her in touch with Smokefree Sheffield for support with her latest quit attempt.

“The Service was really helpful. They talked to me about the different methods available to help me stop smoking, like patches and inhalators, and they also asked me about how often I would like to be contacted. I never felt like I was being forced into doing something that I didn’t want to do. I was always in control.

“Because I could use vouchers given to me by my advisor to get the inhalators, I was able to save a lot of money, on top of what I was saving by not buying cigarettes. The inhalators gave me the nicotine I needed to control my cravings, and I was able to use them while I was pregnant and around the kids.”

Eventually, Michelle stopped using the inhalators altogether, and this has given her fresh motivation to stay quit. “It’s the little things, like not having to disappear to find somewhere that I can smoke when we’re out with the kids. Instead, I can enjoy the full day with them.

“I don’t use the inhalators any more, but I know that they are there if I need them. This gives me the confidence to keep going.

Not only has Michelle seen an improvement in her physical health, but her mental health has improved too.

“My mental health is a lot better too. I have always suffered with anxiety, and thought that smoking helped me to cope with this, but having given up, I’ve found out that I am better off without the cigarettes.”

You’re three times more likely to stop smoking with specialist support.

 Advisors work with you to understand your triggers, manage any cravings and support you all the way. If you’re also looking for a specialist advisor that can help you change your life, get in touch today.