Pregnant women who want to stop smoking weed don’t have the luxury of taking time to quit, as like everything else consumed, the drugs directly affect the unborn child as it develops. If you have decided to quit smoking weed due to pregnancy there are plenty of ways to make this a positive and successful experience, especially if you keep the reason for stopping firmly in mind. The motivation to give your baby the best chance possible in life is perhaps one of the most powerful ideas that anyone can have. Here are a few of the things you can do to help yourself successfully stop smoking weed during your pregnancy. If you are helping someone else then you may wish to check out our other support articles.

Educate yourself on the hard pregnancy facts

It’s not easy reading, but understanding more about the effect cannabis, (or in particular THC), has on your developing baby, including low birth weight, premature birth, brain damage or even death is a pretty powerful motivator to avoid weed. Check out our article on when you should stop smoking weed before giving birth to ensure that you are taking the correct course of action for your child.

Set up a strong support circle

It really helps if you can share your plans to quit smoking weed with supportive friends and family members, however, it’s best to only tell those who will encourage you and, if they smoke too, will not do it around you. If you believe this isn’t likely it may be better to simply avoid being around anyone who could threaten your success. If your family and friends don’t know you smoke you may find online or in-person support groups helpful, and don’t forget to ask your doctor or staff at a specialist clinic for help and advice if you need it. Your doctor can refer you to a counsellor, or you can pay for sessions yourself. Some people find hypnosis helps them to quit, too.

Discover other ways to enjoy the benefits weed gave you

Some people smoke weed to relax, others rely on it to reduce anxiety. Whatever your reasons it is important you have another way of getting what weed gave you. Take this opportunity to discover gentle exercise which provides relaxation – yoga and tai chi care good examples, try creative pursuits like painting, model making or knitting to keep your mind (and hands) busy, cook food you love and listen to music you enjoy.

Nurture yourself

Pregnancy is always a good time to take a look at your diet and make sure you are eating as well as possible. Aim to feast on fresh fruit, salad and vegetables, and drink plenty of water. Try fruit teas rather than coffee. Take vitamins, sleep well and treat yourself to something indulgent as often as you can. Treats like a soak in the bath, a pregnancy massage, or breakfast out for a change help boost your mood. The key to quitting weed for good is to have a reason to bother, which for many women pregnancy definitely provides. Add in a deliberate change to habits and routines, and a commitment to be kind to yourself and the chance of success will always be much higher.

Keeping on Track

It can be tough to do this on your own, I remember trying to quit weed myself and it took months before I found something that truly worked. What helped me the most was understanding the benefits for myself and keeping myself to a rigorous and repetitive structure. The course I joined in 2016 helped me keep track by providing me with the best ways to quit weed, along with a wide range of detox ideas to get the THC fully out of my system. I owe this course everything and it was a tremendous help when I was going through this tough time.