Are you accidentally pregnant and not sure what to do next? If you weren’t expecting to get a positive test, you might feel shocked, confused, and overwhelmed. These emotions are natural to feel in this situation, and it might be difficult to believe that this is really happening. If you find that you are accidentally pregnant, here are four things you can do to navigate through your circumstances with confidence.
Don’t Rush Into Anything
When you first find out that you are accidentally pregnant, you might feel overwhelmed, confused, and scared. There are a lot of emotions to sift through, and you might not know how you feel. Some women feel an urgency to decide what they are going to do next right away. This is a big decision, and it doesn’t have to be made in one day. Take a deep breath. Take another test to confirm the pregnancy. Consider how you are feeling and what kind of future you’d like your unborn child to have.
Talk to Someone You Trust
It’s important to find someone to share this news with who you feel safe around. For many women, that is not the birth father. If you don’t feel that you can trust the birth father with this information right now, think about a supportive friend or family member who would be willing to talk through this with you. This is big news, and it can feel intimidating to share this with another person. Even though it might feel scary, it’s important that you have support. If you can’t think of anyone safe to talk to, we would love to be a safe place for you to process this information. You can reach out to us here.
Understand Your Options
No matter what your specific circumstances look like, you do have options. It might be hard to see them at first, but there are multiple different paths you can take. Some women feel that they want to raise their child, and they know they will need to find the right support. Other women don’t feel equipped to raise a child at this time, and they aren’t sure if adoption is the right choice for them. It’s important to know that you won’t have to organize an adoption on your own, but you will have a care team walking you through every step of the process. This often comforts birth mothers and allows them to feel more comfortable with the process when they know they have support.
Learn About Resources
There are a lot of different resources available for birth mothers. Many women worry about the financial costs of making an adoption plan, but birth mothers often receive assistance with some pregnancy-related financial needs, including housing, utilities, medical care, maternity clothing, and groceries. At Shepherd Care, we also offer one-on-one counseling to work through the many different emotions that come with making an adoption plan. It’s important for you to feel supported in every aspect of this journey. If you’d like to learn more about making an adoption plan for your unborn child, call us at (954) 981-2060.
