An unplanned pregnancy could bring up many questions and which you never thought you’d even have to deal with. How did this come to be? What do I do? Besides, your emotions will be all over – happiness mixed with anger and anxiety mixed with confusion. It is quite normal to feel such emotions when you’re dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.
Coping with an unwanted pregnancy could be a highly personal process. Although this piece won’t tell you how to accept the pregnancy in your specific circumstance, we have outlined steps you should take when facing an unplanned pregnancy in order to move forward with a decision you won’t regret. Let’s get started.
1. See a Clinic for Confirmation And More Info Regarding the Pregnancy
Although you probably know it, it is good to make an effort and confirm that you’re actually pregnant. Once your clinic confirms it through a pregnancy test, it is essential that you start taking care of yourself and the baby to your level best – even if you ultimately decide not to keep the baby. Although you’re still in the early stages of wondering how to cope with an unplanned pregnancy, taking good care of yourself could be a healthy way to get started with the entire coping process.
If you can, make a point of going to a place like this Charlotte NC clinic to see a health care provider for the first prenatal visit so as to be screened for potential issues that could bring about complications. If you use drugs, stay away from them since they could harm the baby. You want to start watching what you consume as well as taking prenatal vitamins. Besides, you want to have enough rest while maintaining a safe exercise regimen to help your body prepare for the upcoming journey.
2. Take Time To Accept and Realize You Have Time to Prepare
When it comes to an unwanted pregnancy, the chances are that you will have to deal with all the emotions that come with it. Although the process is different for everyone, the truth is that it will probably involve a gamut of emotions. If you are in shock, feel angry or depresses, try to take it normally.
Maybe, you’re just afraid of telling the baby’s dad or afraid of what others will think about you. Maybe you thought you were safe and are now confused how it all happened. In this case, it is important that you take time to acknowledge and process these feelings and thoughts. Once you take time to work through everything, you will realize that you are getting closer to accepting the unplanned pregnancy. And even if you’re confident about being a mom, it is still okay to be disturbed by the possibility of going through pregnancy and ultimately birth when you were not expecting it. These feelings could take a toll on you if you’re still not sure about becoming a parent. After all, there isn’t a right way when it comes to facing an unplanned pregnancy.
3. Build a Support System
Dealing with pregnancy, particularly when it’s unwanted or unplanned could feel lonely. During this emotional period, it is advisable that you have people you can lean on. A support system could comprise the child’s father, close family members or close friends. Basically, anyone who is going to support your decision moving forward and work towards assisting you in all ways could be a great person to have around when facing an unplanned pregnancy.
All the same, it is important to understand that no one else can offer exclusive advice on how to deal with your pregnancy or what choices you will make for yourself and the child. Understand that should anyone be unsupportive of what you wish – be it the baby’s father, a friend or parent – they should not be part of your decision-making process. You should know what’s right for the baby and yourself and everyone else should respect your right to handle the unplanned pregnancy as you feel fit.
4. Learn The Unplanned Pregnancy Options
After you’ve come to terms with the pregnancy and feel prepared to make a choice, it is important that you research and understand the options for moving forward with an unplanned pregnancy – parenting or an open or closed adoption. As you try to choose the right option, here are questions to ask yourself about each of them.
• Parenting: Am I ready for motherhood? Am I financially able to raise a child? Am I mentally ready to provide for my baby’s needs? Will there be help raising this child?
• Adoption: Will I be okay with another family bringing up my child? Will I ever see my baby again? There are ways you can have more control over the outcome of your child and your relationship with them.
At this stage, you may want to speak with doctors, counselors, and adoption professionals to understand more about every option and how to deal with the issue in the best way for yourself and the baby.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
