Am I ready to parent my baby?
If you are pregnant and feeling alone, don’t. Unplanned pregnancy affects 1 in 2 women who conceive in this country, and they will each find a unique solution. At Legacy Adoption Services, our counselors will help you sort through your options to find the scenario that works best for you: adoption or parenting.
One of the questions you may ask after learning you have an unplanned pregnancy is whether you can take care of a baby. Some factors to consider:
- Am I ready to care for another human being at this time in my life?
- Do I have the financial and emotional resources I’ll need to provide for a baby?
- Is the father supportive? Will my family help?
- Can I put my educational or career plans on hold when the baby arrives?
These questions may cause you to feel anxious, confused or stressed. We can help you sort through the answers, offering respectful guidance and realistic plans. There is no judgment or pressure when you work with a Legacy Adoptions counselor, only caring support.
If you plan to get married and keep the baby …
Think about whether the father of the baby will also make a good husband. Getting married may seem like the obvious next step, but ask yourself whether this person shares your goals and values, and feels ready for a loving, committed relationship. Having someone to share the responsibility for raising a child will certainly help you make the choice to parent the baby, rather than pursue an adoption plan.
If you plan to stay single and keep the baby …
Ask yourself whether a close friend or family member can help support you through the exhausting newborn months. Identifying financial and emotional resources now, in the early stages of an unplanned pregnancy, will help you weigh your options.
While you make a plan, and sometimes even before you make the first call to an adoption counselor, it is very important that you take these three steps:
- See a doctor, and start taking a folic acid supplement (or eat fortified cereal for breakfast, with 100% recommended daily allowance of folic acid)
- Stop taking recreational drugs and drinking alcohol.
- Ask about a plan to quit smoking, and get help kicking the habit.
As you absorb the news of an unplanned pregnancy, the best advice we can offer is to seek help. Legacy Adoptions counselors firmly believe in the old saying: A problem shared is a problem halved.
Contact us 24/7 to talk with an adoption counselor. We provide free services to women experiencing unplanned pregnancies.