An unplanned pregnancy may bring many uncertainties. It can be a scary experience for some women. If you are in this position, there are many things that might come to mind. Thinking about them might become the single most prevalent focal point of your life. If you are in this position now, here are some considerations for you to think about:
Your own stability
Most women don’t want to bring a child into an unstable future. Start to think about your housing, income and support. You and your baby will need a place to live and a way to purchase necessary items. Even if you only buy the absolute necessities for the baby, you are looking at considerable expenses during the first year.
If you think that your loved ones and friends are going to be supportive of your pregnancy and during the time after you have the baby, you might be able to manage raising the child. Remember, emotional support can be just as helpful as monetary support for some women.
You also have to think about your relationship with the child’s father. The thought of having a baby might be frightening if you are concerned about your relationship, so you need to think about this very carefully.
Explore your options
The two primary options you have when you have an unplanned pregnancy are to have the baby and raise it, or to place the baby for adoption. Before you make a decision either way, you need to think about how you will handle both options and how each will affect your child.
Choosing to raise the baby means that you are accepting the financial responsibility and everything else that comes along with this. You need to start creating your plan if you are going to do this. Figure out how you will pay for the baby’s needs and your own. Think about where you will live and who will watch the baby while you are earning a living.
Your other option is to place the baby for adoption. While you might not want to think about someone else raising your baby, it might give the baby the stability needed. Couples who adopt children do so out of love and will have the financial means to support a newborn. Unfortunately, many of these couples are unable to conceive on their own, so they need help to grow their family.
If you do want to place the baby for adoption, you must have an agreement with the birth father, if you know who he is, because he will have to sign the documents. If you don’t know who the father is, you can speak with an adoption specialist to find out your options.
When you choose adoption
Choosing adoption means that you might opt for an open adoption that enables you to choose the family for your child and get updates on how the baby is doing. The specific arrangements vary from one adoption to another, so there are a lot of possibilities with this choice.
The terms of an open adoption are set between you and the adoptive family. This might entail email-only communication where they provide you with pictures and updates. For some, the birth family takes a more hands-on approach and gets to spend time with the child. Always remember that the deal you have for communication might not be enforceable in court, so it is best to always keep a positive relationship with the adoptive family if you choose this option.
Set up a doctor visit
Once you find out you are pregnant, you need to see an obstetrician. If you don’t have
insurance, you might qualify for Medicaid or another program to help cover the visit.
Women who plan on placing the baby for adoption might be able to have medical expenses
covered as part of the adoption agreement. Inquiring about this when you contact an
agency can help you to plan what you are going to do.
Telling your loved ones
Letting your loved ones know you are pregnant might be just as scary as finding out that
you are expecting. You should speak to a trusted individual, such as a pastor or best friend,
first so that you have help telling the remainder of your loved ones. This person can help to
provide support for you when you are talking to them. You might be worried that they will
be disappointed or upset; however, your focus now has to be on making sure you are taking
care of yourself and your baby.
Your own future
When you are trying to formulate a plan for your pregnancy, you have to think about your
own future. This might be furthering your education or building a stronger career.
Remember, an unexpected pregnancy doesn’t have to stop you from doing these things.
You do have options, so you can make the choices that you feel are in your best interest and
are best for your unborn baby.
The consultants at Gulf Coast Adoptions are ready to help you with your unplanned
pregnancy. Contact our adoption team at 850-999-7977 to find out more!