I have several friends who are expecting babies in the next six months or so. They’re excited about their growing baby bumps, the week-by-week “watch my belly get bigger” pictures, and cute maternity clothes. They’re also excited about the holidays and using Thanksgiving or Christmas to make baby announcements or to surprise their families with a gender reveal.
As these friends gather with their families for Thanksgiving next week, they’ll be sharing how thankful they are for the new life growing within them and for the support of their family and friends as they enter this new chapter of life.
But What if You’re Not Thankful?
But what if this joyful response to pregnancy isn’t the case for you? What if you’re actually dreading the upcoming week or even looking for an excuse to not go home to family because you know you’ll have to share the news? What if you’re unsure of how your family will respond? What if you’re not ready for the growing bump and every piece of responsibility that comes with it?
What if you’re just not sure you want this?
Maybe your heart is filled with anxiety rather than joy this holiday season because of the huge decisions looming before you. You wonder what there is to be thankful for in the midst of such a crisis.
If this is you, you are most definitely not alone. Four out of every ten pregnancies are actually unplanned. That means that 40% of women who hold a positive pregnancy test are in no way prepared for the bump, for the announcement, or for the life change.
I say these things not to reduce your situation to a number or statistic, but to offer a sense of hope. Loneliness is the worst kind of isolation. It can often make us feel trapped or cornered, as if we have no choices in the midst of a crisis.
There’s Always a Choice
Oh friend, if you’re dreading this holiday season and agonizing over the life growing inside of you, I ask that you not keep this burden to yourself. You’re not meant to walk this road alone.
Sometimes the prospect of reaching out for guidance or counsel can seem more intimidating than keeping it all to yourself, but I can promise you that you will find so much mental and emotional rest by sharing your burdens with others who care about you deeply.
We at Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center would be honored to share those burdens with you. Not only can we offer health services (pregnancy tests, a free ultrasound, or an STD test), but we can also help you with the other difficult issues: financial assistance, material resources, advocacy, information about your options, help with sharing your news with family members, and of course we can offer a listening ear.
You have options before you and we want to walk with you throughout this journey.
Yes, this may be an unplanned pregnancy. And yes, you may be anxious and uncertain about the future.
But you do not have to do it alone. There are people who want to be here for you if you let them.
And that is something to be thankful for.
Mary Holloman is the Communications Assistant at GPCC. When she’s not at the Care Center she’s probably chasing her 20 month old, spending time with her handsome hubby, writing, or serving at Lawndale Baptist Church. You can follow her on her personal blog at www.AllMySpringsBlog.com.