My Daughter is Pregnant

There are an endless array of emotions you may be experiencing right now...

Anger
Sorrow
Shock
Panic
Frustration
Disappointment
Confusion
Grief

Any of those sound familiar??

It's normal. It's expected. It's what every other mother who has heard the words, "Mom, I'm pregnant," from her teen daughter has felt. You aren't alone.

Sometimes it's not your teen daughter. Sometimes it's your 20-something daughter who has been down this path before and has promised to "get ready" before having another child. Regardless of the circumstances, you are likely feeling as though she is far too young to have to be making the decisions that lay ahead.

More than anything, pregnant teens need a reality check. They need to not make quick decisions that are life-affecting. No matter which decision they choose with this pregnancy, it will affect them the rest of their lives. Let me repeat that for emphasis...

No matter which decision they make in regards to their pregnancy, it will affect them for the rest of their lives.

Oddly enough, the "quick fix" of abortion is one of the most devastating emotionally for young women (and men!). Studies have shown that symptoms such as sleep disturbances, intense feelings of regret, and severe anxiety disorders are not uncommon in abortion patients. Women who have had abortions seek psychiatric treatment at a higher rate throughout their entire lives. In fact, many abortion patients use repression as a means for coping with the ordeal, only to have these feelings resurface in a negative way much later in life, including an increased suicide risk.

Parenting at such a young age often results in, as you probably expect, you picking up a lot of the slack. Studies have shown that teens who choose to parent are less likely to finish high school, pursue college, or meet their own goals. Additionally, they are more likely to become estranged from their parents due to disagreements about behaviors, spending patterns, and discipline of the child.

Open adoption is the choice that is often not considered. The choices with open adoption are vast nowadays, with the entire family able to participate in the adoption planning and contact after the adoption is completed. It is truly gaining more people that will love this child.

Open adoption is viewed as the healthiest option for adoption currently, because the child will forever know where they came from, why adoption was the best choice for them, and that their own "story" is nothing to be afraid of. Best of all, adoption is certainly NOT goodbye forever, as it was in adoptions in the 50's and 60's.

Speak with your daughter about the choices she has. Give her a reality check for them all. Ask questions such as:

For Abortion...
Will you commit to pre- and post-abortion counseling?

For Parenting...
Will you make up a budget and a schedule, so that we all have a clear understanding of how life will be?

For Adoption...
Will you consider the choices you have available with open adoption, such as contact, choice of family, and more?

Sadly, even though it feels like our babies are not old enough to have babies of their own, they are, biologically speaking.

As mothers, it behoves us to ensure that the choices they make NOW are the ones that both they, and us, can live with for a Lifetime.

My 17-year-old just told me she is pregnant, due any day. She has hid it from us all this time. She wants to place the baby for adoption. I don't know how to do this.

You need to understand that you are trying to digest three things at once and there is nothing easy way to digest even one of those.

First, you are likely disappointed in your daughter because she didn't confide this in you and, in fact, blatently hid it from you. Perhaps you are even beating yourself up for not noticing.

Secondly, you are probably in shock that your baby is pregnant. This isn't what you imagined becoming a grandma would be like. You may feel like she isn't ready to have sex, get pregnant, or make these life-altering decisions.

Thirdly, you are grieving for the situation, especially grieving over the grandchild you may never know as you would like. Grieving over your daughter's difficult decisions.

It's a LOT to deal with in a short period of time.

The best advice I can give right now is to focus on being there for your daughter and savoring every single minute. The emotions can't change the situation and there will be time enough to process what you feel.

Put aside the daily demands that you can. Suspend volunteer work and optional things that can wait for when you have more time, energy, and emotion.

Understand that this will be a pivotal time in your relationship with your daughter. Be there for her, be supportive to her decisions, help make her plan happen.

Hang in there!

I can't believe this!?! She's only 13! I feel so guilty, like I let her down somehow. Help!

Your feelings are normal (as you will see reading on!). Mom-guilt is part of life, whether or not it is justified.

The best thing you can do now is to show her how to take a situation that is likely not the best, and handle it with grace and respect. Whatever her choice for her pregnancy, take the opportunity to teach her respect for the life that is growing in her.

This is not something that can be undone and will change both of your lives no matter the outcome. Choose to grow stronger from it and emerge at the end of this experience with a stronger bond between the two of you.

I'm angry - She didn't even tell me she was having sex!?! How do I get past this?

Anger is normal and it may take some time for that strong emotion to dull. In fact, there are thousands of teenagers across the country who do not have to tell their parents they are sexually active until something bad happens.

Your daughter needs you now more than ever, so try to put the energy from the anger into caring for her. That may be one of the biggest challenges you ever have, but now is not the time for anger, catty remarks, or reminding her that she got herself into this mess.

Take this opportunity as a lesson for her. Show her that life can deal you a difficult situation but there is a miracle that can come from it. Teach her that life is a series of challenges that we must face and deal with, using the tools we have.

Do I have any rights in this situation?

In most states, only the actual parents (your daughter and the baby's father) have parental rights to make the decisions about this baby. This is why it is important to keep the lines of communication open.

What if the baby's father's family wants to raise this baby but we want something different?

Custody may still have to be determined through the courts. And while he might succeed in stopping an adoption, that typically does not mean he or his family automatically get custody. He is still going to be responsible for child support.

Talking openly and honestly about what is best for the baby is very important. There can be lots of issues when raising a grandchild of a minor child -- power struggles and defiance are two normal occurences.

You are not alone.
Thousands of Moms have been right where you are today. But somewhere between the shock and fear, reality sets in... This is MY Little Girl.

Let me tell you what I have told
hundreds of other mothers just like you...

Today, you are the best help your daughter has. And helping her make the best decision for her and her baby is what she needs most from you. But how do you know what is the best decision?

Here is a secret that no one else will tell you... Each pregnancy decision, whether it is abortion, parenting, or adoption involves gains and losses. The difference is the impact of each.

Abortion may seem like a quick fix, but the most recent studies on post-abortion patients are staggering -- increased depression, suicide, and even infertility later in life. Unlike adoption or parenting, there is no time frame for changing one's mind -- when it's done, it's done.

Parenting is a change in lifestyle and may require sacrificing educational goals and dreams, but your daughter is able to love and raise her child with the baby's father. She will need help and support, and you need to teach her to take responsibility, make a budget, and form a new plan.

Adoption can be an emotional journey, but it allows her the choice of adoptive family and to choose to have contact as the baby grows. She is able to walk away from this with pride about how she provided for the life she created, always knowing where her child is and how he or she is doing.

So Who's Decision Is it?

In this day and age, when schools can't give your child an aspirin without written consent, it would seem safe to say that you are the one who makes the call with a minor child, right? Think again! It's not that cut and dry.

As her mother, you obviously hold a lot of cards if you are providing her with a roof over her head and food in her belly. Yet you still need to know YOUR rights in the situation.

What if the two of you can't come to an agreement on the path to take? Who has the final say? Do you have any say at all? Even if you will ultimately be the one paying the bills?

It is questions like these that led me to interview an attorney. This is entitled My Child is Pregnant... What are My Rights? And it contains the answers that you as a parent need. It's part of My Daughter's Decision kit, designed for you and your daughter.

But how do you know what's the RIGHT decision?

You don't know the right decision until you learn about all of your options. And then, the right one is the one that brings you and your daughter the most peace in your hearts that you are making the best decision for the baby she has created.

Now is not the time for anger and speaking out about what she should have done differently. There is no choice but to look forward.

That's what the My Daughter's Decision kit is all about... looking forward.

Visit this website to order the new kit, My Daughter's Decision:

Pregnant-Daughter.com

This kit is unique and tailored to you and your daughter based on my more than 25 years of working with women like you both. I understand what you are feeling, I know that thoughts going your mind and that of your daughter. And I want to help you both. You are not alone.

Remember, the bonus reports are available to you instantly!

You have access to some of the best information immediately!

Most importantly, My Daughter's Decision kit will ship out right away. You will get the information quickly and in an unmarked, private envelope. Your order is completely confidential.

Visit this website to let me help you on this journey:
http://www.pregnant-daughter.com/

As an ADDITIONAL BONUS, and because I understand how important this information is, I want to upgrade your shipping to priority shipping free of charge. That's right, you pay for regular shipping and I will send it so you will have this vital information in your hands in only 2 to 3 days.

There was once a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

"Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today," so she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw she had only two hairs on her head.

"HMM," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today," and she did and she had a grand day.

The next morning she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw she had only one hair left on her head.

"Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and it was a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Remember you may not be able to control what someone says or does or some of the situations that life throws you, but you can sure control the way you react.

~Author Unknown~