Crazy Pregnancy Stories & Advice for Pregnant Mums

After that night, did you ever think you’d wind up here…pregnant and alone? Perhaps you believed him when he said he would always be there for you, but now he’s gone and you’re left with the hardest decision you may ever have to make.

Maybe you’re still with him, but you don’t know how he would react to this news. You’re scared to tell him you’re pregnant because you don’t know whether or not he will support you through the pregnancy.

Or possibly both of you are excited that you might be pregnant, but you’re scared to tell your family. You don’t think they’re going to react well so you want some advice as to what your next step should be.

Whatever your situation is, we know that it may be leaving you overwhelmed and scared. And while you might feel like you’re alone in this, you’re not. With six locations in South Central Indiana, Pregnancy Care Center is here waiting to come along side you and help you through this time. (You can find us in Columbus, Seymour, Shelbyville, Greensburg, North Vernon and Nashville, Indiana.)

So what can Pregnancy Care Center do to help you? First off, be a listening ear. For more than 20 years we’ve supported women struggling with unplanned pregnancies. One of the most helpful services they say we have is that we listen to their hearts and don’t judge them based on their situations. When you come to the Pregnancy Care Center, we will let you talk and express your feelings, fears and concerns. Then together we will sort through your feelings and answer any questions you may have regarding the pregnancy. Our goal is to help you clearly see all your options (Parenting, Abortion and Adoption) concerning this pregnancy so you can make the most informed decision possible.

Here are just a few comments our clients have said about the support they have received at the Pregnancy Care Center:

• I felt very comfortable and respected in this situation. I never felt judged or worried that my situation would be not confidential.

• My peer counselor helped me sort my feelings. She was very helpful and I feel a lot better after talking with her.

• I like the fact that she took the time to listen to me about my life.

• What I like best is that no one here judges you by who you are or what your circumstances may be.

• I felt very supported. Everything said was helpful in any decision I may make in the future.

• I like the fact that the people treat you as equal instead of something else. I also like the fact that they see your perspective of things and how you feel instead of telling you how you feel.

In addition to our peer counseling services, we also provide pregnancy tests and first trimester ultrasound to verify that you are indeed pregnant and determine how far along you are in the pregnancy. And all services provided by the Pregnancy Care Center are available at no cost.

We know you’re probably feeling overwhelmed with the weight of this decision; especially if there is no one in your life you can talk to about it. Remember that we’re here for you, waiting to help. Just pick up the phone and call us at 812-378-4730.

It really is possible to survive a full-length labor without drugs, even when there is pain involved. To my husband and me, the benefits were worth it, especially in retrospect.

From the time we knew we were expecting, we also knew that we didn’t want to have our baby born in a hospital. Of all the reasons, the most notable was that I kept reading about relaxing helping labor along, and I knew I’d never be able to relax in a hospital, and I’m not much of a fan of pain. After a few months of searching and researching, we found a birth center in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with close ties to high-quality emergency medical facilities. From the first visit to their website, we were pretty confident that this is where we would to birth our baby.

With our decision to plan to have our baby born in a birth center, we were, in that decision, choosing to plan a natural delivery, with no drugs or “preventive” procedures that can be done only in a hospital. Since this was our first baby, we didn’t really know, entirely, what we had coming, but now that we’re on the other side, we wouldn’t do it any other way.

Right from the start, my only sensation of labor was lower back pain that alerted me to contractions. The baby was born with the cord around her neck, and the midwife believes that she (the baby) had her head cocked into my spine througout the entire laboring process, with triggered the back pain as contractions pressed her harder into my spine. Poor kid…it seems a rough way to get started!

There were definitely moments when I wanted to just be done and/or give it all up. Funny thing, though, when you’re in the middle of labor and giving birth, it’s too late to change your mind. Thankfully, I had my wonderful husband with me throughout, and God strengthened him as much as He did me. From the jacuzzi to the shower to the floor to the bed, we experimented with many things that we had read, but for the most part, we just had to breathe through it all, and there was always a break right when I “couldn’t take it any more.”

I remember, all too clearly, that when it was all done, and our healthy baby girl was on my belly, then in my arms, that I was sure nothing would ever hurt again. After twenty-two hours of repetitive pain in my lower back, I was confident that I could take any discomfort and it would be nothing, in comparison. Less than nine months later, the least little paper cut hurts like crazy. So they were all right–the memories do soften over time.

After the fact, when our little girl had been born healthy, it was wonderful to be able to hold her right away. Since I had no drugs, I was very alert (until I crashed, a few hours later) and fully able to enjoy our daughter. She, too, was quite alert, and we had a great time getting to know her, right away. It was wonderful to be able to go home, since all systems were functional, and we were thrilled to have our first night altogether in our own home–what a great start! This was all possible, since I’d had no preventive procedures or medications. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gifts!

Where can you go to find out for sure if you’re pregnant? My friend recommended Women’s Center-Kettering (Ohio) and I’m so glad she did. I didn’t know there was such a place that would listen to me and my issues and not judge me. I couldn’t believe they did not push me into a decision or try to tell me what to do. As a matter of fact, the nurse that talked to me did more listening than talking. I felt so respected and understood. I think it’s great that people like to help other people who may be facing the same problems they faced when they were younger. It’s a really cool way to give back. If anyone needs pregnancy help near Dayton, Ohio, I would suggest Women’s Center-Kettering.

When my pregnancy test came back positive, it took a little while for the news to sink in and the nurse was so patient. How could I be pregnant? I told her that I had my whole life ahead of me and that I was not that serious with the man involved. Right away I knew that abortion was what I would choose. But then I wasn’t so sure. The nurse offered to check via ultrasound if my pregnancy was “viable” meaning if it would continue or not, if left alone. She found the little “sack” where the baby should have been, but there was no heartbeat. All of the sudden, I felt so sad to know that on the same day I found out for sure that I was pregnant, the baby would not survive.

I really can’t express the emotions that I felt. First I was upset that I was pregnant, and then I was sad that I was not. Through my emotional roller-coaster, the Nurse-Consultant at the Women’s Center-Kettering was so kind. She explained that one out of four pregnancies end in miscarriage. She told me that many women schedule an abortion before they find out if the pregnancy will even continue on it’s own or not. She told me about the different methods of abortion. She explained how my cycle works and how a pregnancy occurs. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I didn’t know you could only get pregnant a few fertile days of the month. The way she talked about what a precious gift fertility is and how many women would give anything to be fertile and achieve pregnancy, it really made me think about things in a way I have never even considered.

She let me talk about my feelings and hopes and dreams and I got a new appreciation about being a woman. I’ve always dreaded pregnancy like it’s a disease or something. Now I think I’d like to save sex for a man who I’d like to raise a child with. I don’t know where the relationship with the man I’m dating now will lead, but one thing’s for sure; I’m not going to be having sex with him again unless we’re ready to have a child together (like after we’re married). At the Women’s Center-Kettering, they treated me with such respect as a woman, that I want to treat myself more respectfully from now on. My fertility is an awesome gift—I can’t wait to share it with my husband someday down the road.

For more information or to find out if you’re really pregnant, go to the Women’s Center-Kettering’s website at: www.womenscenterohio.com or call 937-643-4673. Tell them Jennell sent you.