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When you are facing an unplanned pregnancy, it may feel like no one cares about your well-being. You may feel alone, scared and unsure of how to proceed with the care of yourself and your child. In fact, figuring out how to care for your child while feeling alone can make it all the more difficult.
The good news is that people do want to help you! Perhaps, at this moment, that list of people doesn’t include your parents but, trust me, even they might come around sooner than you think. Grandchildren have a way of doing things like that to grandparents. So, who is willing to help you right now?
Well, with articles like the one I read out of Cleveland this morning in which a group wants to help provide prenatal vitamins to those experiencing unplanned pregnancies, my heart gets kind of warm and fuzzy. Due to the economy, they’re aware of the need to help provide such a thing to keep babies healthy. They can’t afford to offer it for an entire pregnancy (which begs the question: why are prenatal vitamins not covered by health insurances most of the time? Mine weren’t, all three times!) but they are offering them from the time that you have your positive result until your first prenatal appointment. (Another note: doctor’s offices may be able to provide you with samples of prenatal vitamins as well if you find that you’re not able to afford them.)
There are groups out there that can help you in similar ways. Knowing how to navigate the waters of such groups, however, can be a bit tricky.
As an example, some pregnancy centers can be very helpful to mothers experiencing unplanned pregnancies. The trick, however, is that some shove religion down the throats of those who walk in the door, causing the mother to feel judged and just walk right back out the door. The good news is that they aren’t all like that. As an example, we have an independent center in our town that simply helps mothers find resources, provide clothing and other gently-used gear and help them contact mentors, other mothers who have been where they once were.
For those who aren’t opposed to religious teachings, your place of worship can also provide some much needed help. They can help you get on your feet, find a safe place to live and arrange for transportation to appointments. My church also provided meals after the boys were born which was a blessing that I can’t even begin to describe.
While there are many problems within our current welfare system, there are still some kind-hearted social workers within the mix of overworked, less-sympathetic ones. There is hope that you will be assigned to someone who cares, who will be able to answer your questions and point you in the right direction. Red tape still exists (because others do try and succeed at defrauding the system) and things can take longer than you would like but, again, there is hope that someone will care about your well-being and the well-being of your child.
Other places exist to find help as a mother experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Where did you turn to find real help?
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