My name is Zhou Han.
I’m 34 years old and a mother to a five-year-old daughter.
I first took up smoking because my friends were doing it.
It became a way to connect with them socially, and manage the stress from work.
Later, I switched from smoking to vaping.
When I switched from smoking to vaping, I thought I could quit vaping whenever I wanted.
But when I decided to have a child, I tried to stop vaping, only to realise I had become addicted to it.
After several unsuccessful attempts to quit, I felt frustrated.
To support my decision to quit, I started avoiding social situations where smoking or vaping might tempt me.
The reason I strengthened my will to give up vaping for good is because I struggled to get pregnant.
After I decided to quit, whenever stress would build up,
I chose to exercise instead.
I also focused on eating healthier.
After a while, I noticed positive changes in my body and soon after I became pregnant.
Despite this, I still worried about the impact from my past smoking and vaping might have on my child’s health.
After I become a mother, I feel quitting was absolutely the correct decision to make for the sake of my health and my daughter's.
Living with Alta is my greatest motivation to stay quit.
When I look at her, I wonder how my choices might impact her future.
Every mother wants their child to grow up in a healthy environment, but quitting isn’t easy and often requires multiple attempts.
Still, it’s worth trying for the people you love.
I know there are quit websites available, and you can find Chinese resources from there [health.gov.au/giveupforgood/translated] which could be helpful to you.
Or you can call the Quitline, or download the quit (My QuitBuddy) app.