“Congratulations!” the nurse said. “You can take a picture for your baby book!”
I couldn’t find the words, so I just smiled weakly and nodded. Almost mechanically, I fumbled to find my phone and snap a photo of the pregnancy test laying on the table. A positive pregnancy test.
She didn’t understand. This wasn’t good news. I felt like my head was spinning.
Moments later, another nurse came in to talk with me. She asked the usual questions, and then told me her own story. Years before, when she was a college student, she took a pregnancy test—it was positive. She took another test, and then another—all positive. She recalled that she went to her boyfriend’s fraternity house and slapped the tests down on his desk. He thought he had an easy answer; he would “take care of it” and make her an appointment for an abortion.
Instead, she decided to parent her baby. She finished school, still attending her classes while she was pregnant. She said now she has three children, and that they are her greatest joy. “Having a baby—it gave me focus.”
In that moment, I didn’t feel so alone.
I wish I could remember her name. I wish I could go back and thank her for the hope she gave me that day. I’d tell her that she was right, my daughter has given me focus on what’s really important in life. Being her and her sister’s mom is my greatest joy and honor. Today, my heart is so thankful.
I didn’t know it that day, but nearly 40% of all pregnancies are not planned. Four out of every ten pregnant women are wrestling with how they are going to share the news with their families this holiday season. Four out of every ten women aren’t sure how their partner will react to the news that a baby is on the way.
If you recently found out you are expecting, you may be anxious about what this new life will mean for your career. You may feel unsure how you’re going to provide for this baby financially. You may already have children, and fear how you’ll manage caring for another baby. You might feel like you’re on a treadmill of sleepless nights and diaper changes, and can’t imagine having children so close in age. Maybe you have older children, and you’re worried about parenting teenagers while one is in diapers.
Mama, we’re here for you. We understand your fears, and that’s why we are here to help. We can provide free medical resources (pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and STD tests). We can talk with you about your options, offer financial and budgeting assistance, free Pregnancy & Parenting Classes and material resources. Most importantly, we’re here with a listening ear. As one of our clients put it, we are here so you have “somebody in your corner.”
If you might be pregnant, please give us a call to set up an appointment. We would love to talk with you about the resources we can offer. The chance to be in our clients’ corner is something we are humbled by and truly thankful for.
You’re not alone; let’s walk through this together.
Kacey Minor
Kacey is the Communications Assistant at Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center.