When you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy, you have a lot of emotions to deal with and decisions to make. Every pregnancy, though, is a personal journey that only you can make the right decisions toward. This is why it’s very important to listen to your heart, not other people, when facing an unplanned pregnancy.
No matter what you do in this life, people are going to have an opinion about it. In my personal experience though, people seem to think their opinion toward my unplanned pregnancy was important. They were sharing it loudly, often, and mostly unsolicited. I had doctors that weighed in on whether or not I should breastfeed or spend time with the baby after birth due to my adoption plan. People were talking about how I was “old enough” to have a baby, how my job was better than some, how I had this or that or some other thing that in their mind equated to the ability to parent a child well. I had to write off people’s opinions (something I have always struggled with) in order to make the best decision regarding my unplanned pregnancy.
When facing an unplanned pregnancy, you may or may not be considering an adoption plan. Almost worse than people’s unwanted general opinions are their opinions and stories pertaining to adoption. Although it has been done in the world for centuries, adoption can still be a taboo and misunderstood concept. After some people hear about your plans, they may offer up one of two things: a story about a friend or family member adopting and how that went for that person, or a horror story taken from the news or a movie they saw on television once. The stories they tell can be either hopeful or harrowing. People may think they are either preparing you for the best or the worst, but as mentioned previously, this is a very personal, individual journey, so take any stories told to you with a grain of salt.
It’s YOUR Decision
The most important reason to listen to your heart instead of other people when facing an unplanned pregnancy is that at the end of the day, you are the only person who can make the decision and have to live with the choice you make. If you decide to parent, you are the person who will be caring daily for the child. It is you who will need to secure safe necessities for the child. Your life will be affected by parenting the child. If you decide to place the child for adoption, you will have to deal with what that decision means for your life.
No matter the decisions you make when it comes to your unplanned pregnancy, remember that you are the only person who can truly know what is best for you and your child. Don’t let other people’s opinions or stories influence what you think you should do. If you feel you need someone to talk to, it is best to seek out someone non-biased, like a counselor, but if that option isn’t possible, take the person’s experience into account when applying it to your situation. Good luck!
Are you considering placing a child for adoption? Do you want more choices with your adoption plan? Do you want to regain more control in your life? Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98. We can help you put together an adoption plan that best meets your needs.
For more guidance with your crisis pregnancy, visit Adoption.com. You can join in on the discussion of unplanned pregnancies, adoption, and abortion through finding message boards and forums at Adoption.com/forums.