An unplanned pregnancy is never easy to deal with, but that is especially true when it comes to teen pregnancy.
Here you are going about your every day, normal life studying for tests, hanging out with friends and working a part-time job when WHAM! you realize that your period is a month late. Should you take a pregnancy test, do you really want to know the results? Eventually, that answer is going to be yes. You need to know. Your parents need to know. Your boyfriend needs to know.
If the result comes back positive, you are going to have many choices ahead of you, but most of them start with letting the people in your life know that you are pregnant. The baby’s father should be the first to know. He helped create this life and he should find out the news from you instead of hearing it secondhand from someone else.
So what’s the best way to share your unexpected news?
Find out for sure. Before bringing your boyfriend on board, take a home pregnancy test or visit a local clinic.
Put your thoughts together first. Don’t take the pregnancy test to him immediately and shove it in his face while you’re still freaking out. Take time to calm down, formulate a plan and figure out what you’re going to say. If you are both in a frenzied panic, that’s not going to help either of you.
Plan a time to get together. You don’t want to blurt the news out and surprise him at a bad time. Ask him to meet you at a place you both love or at a quiet park where you can both be alone.
Be honest. Don’t beat around the bush. Your boyfriend might be happy, but he also might be sad or even angry. This affects both of your lives, so don’t be afraid to share your feelings either. He shouldn’t assume that you are OK with everything and willing to take on such a huge responsibility when in reality you are frightened and want someone to reassure you that everything will be alright.
Be prepared for his response. You’ve had some time to think about the pregnancy; he is learning about it for the first time. Remember, you probably weren’t thrilled at first, either – and even if you were, you were likely still stunned by the results.
Talk it out. After you deliver your news, talk calmly about the baby and your future. Ask him how he is feeling and tell him about your emotions. Let him know if you are thinking about an abortion, adoption or keeping the baby. Share with him why you think this is the best decision for everyone involved. Talk about how you plan to tell both sets of parents.
Remember, a teen pregnancy can turn out to be a blessing. It’s not the end of the world although it might seem like it at first.
Connect with one of our Options Counselors today through the chat button, email info@openarmsadoptionagency.com or call (206) 492-4196 and ask to learn about your options for you and your baby at any stage.
