Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of growth, personal reflection, and bodily and emotional changes. Pregnancy is an exciting time for some. For others, it's filled with the fear of the unknown and confusion. No matter how you feel about your pregnancy, your body will go through a lot of changes and progressions. The same may be said for the emotional and mental changes and progressions you'll experience, too.
No matter if your pregnancy was planned or unplanned, you'll have to make many difficult decisions in the coming days, weeks, and months. Sometimes the hardest part is to start on your journey. But we're here to help. In this section, you'll find many resources to help you with your journey, and they're organized into categories and subcategories.
You can expect to see some of the following topics in this section:
- Deciding between terminating of your pregnancy, parenting, and adoption
- Telling the father, family, and friends about your pregnancy
- Pregnancy basics
- Making a placement or birth plan
- How to find help during your pregnancy
- What to expect while you're at the hospital
- Labor and Delivery
If your pregnancy was planned, then you've likely given a lot of thought to the steps you'll be taking over the next few months and you've already made plans for your future that include your newest family-member-to-be. However, if your pregnancy was unplanned, you've got a little more research to do. Some of the questions you'll consider may include, but aren't limited to, the following:
- Will you continue the pregnancy?
- Are you prepared to have a baby right now?
- Can you financially and emotionally support a child?
- Will you parent alone or co-parent with the child's father?
- Will you place your child for adoption?
- Do you have support?
Planned or unplanned, you've got some decisions to make. If you've decided that you're going to continue the pregnancy, the next decision you have to make is finding a medical professional you're comfortable with. Whether you've decided that a hospital birth or a more holistic birth is right for you, finding a supportive medical professional that makes you comfortable and is respectful of your birthing plans is important, which is beneficial whether you ultimately decide to parent or place.
Ask your friends and family members for support. If they're unable or unwilling to offer their support through this stressful time, seek support elsewhere. You could join an unplanned pregnancy support group or you could visit with a counselor or therapist.
Parenting may not be the right path for you. Everyone will come to a different decision, and there are no right and wrong choices as a whole. The point is to find the right choice for your specific situation and needs, which will differ for each person. So, it's important to allow yourself the time you need to make that decision, and don't compare yourself with others and the choices they make. This is the time to be independent and confident.
Unplanned Pregnancy Blogs
The Love that Lets Love GoUnplanned Pregnancy Forums
What I wish I could say to people about being a firstmom
for all of your adoption needs including:
Note: Our authors are dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent, and open conversation about adoption. The opinions expressed here may not reflect the views of Adoption.com.