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Battling Feelings of Shame About My Unexpected Pregnancy

Trying to move beyond negative feelings can make it hard to think about your next steps and create a plan for the future. When you learned that you were pregnant, you might have found yourself struggling with shame. You may be weighed down with thoughts that this situation is somehow all your fault. This can be especially challenging when it comes to trying to make the best decision for yourself. Before setting a plan in place, are there ways you can move past your feelings of shame so you can make a decision from a positive frame of mind?

Are you trying to cope with feelings of shame after discovering that you’re pregnant? Avenue Women’s Center understands the unique circumstances women face. Our centers provide a nonjudgmental environment to discuss your choices. When you meet with our expert staff, we’ll guide you through your options of abortion, adoption, and parenting. We’ll help ensure you feel confident in your pregnancy plan. During this challenging period, you can find answers to your valid questions and information about available resources.

Contact us today for a private consultation at no cost!

Who Can I Talk to About My Next Steps?

It’s normal for women to experience a wide range of emotions when they find out they’re pregnant. Perhaps you were hit with an overwhelming sense of panic and fear when you first discovered the news. When facing a challenging situation, negative feelings can arise if we confine ourselves to our headspace for too long. Discouraging voices can become quite loud if we provide them with a megaphone. And it can become easy to believe the lies we tell ourselves.

Once the reality of the pregnancy set in, you might have begun to hear the corrosive voice of shame. There may be a sense of embarrassment about being in this position. And that can open the door to destructive feelings. Shame can wear us down and eat away at our sense of self-worth. This can make it difficult to accurately put your needs into perspective when you’re considering your options.

If you’re feeling cut down by intense emotions, that can lead to thoughts like “This is what I deserve” when thinking about what choice to make. Before you decide how to move forward with an unexpected pregnancy, finding a healthy way to construct a barrier against these feelings can be helpful.

Discovering Available Support During a Pregnancy Decision

Understandably, there may be hesitation to talk with someone about what you’re going through. You may feel as if you need to keep it to yourself. But this can create an obstruction when it comes to being able to express your emotions.

If you were to hold your breath, the tension inside of you would build up and demand release. Suppressed feelings tend to be very similar. The longer we hold them in, just like the air we hold inside of us, the more they may look for an escape.

To overcome shame in a productive manner, you may want to reach out to a professional resource. Friends and family members may be able to offer you support during this time. But a counselor or a pregnancy consultant is trained to help you sort through complex emotions. Within a nonjudgmental environment, you can articulate your thoughts out loud and discover a pattern to these negative feelings that may lead you toward their source.

Talking about what you may be feeling can cultivate awareness about what may be happening inwardly. And acknowledging what may be bothering you can bring you closer to being able to cope with it.

Planning for the Future

Once you sense that you have moved past the initial stage of shame to a more positive mindset, then you may want to start thinking about your options. This often requires careful planning and self-reflection. That’s why it’s often recommended that you ensure you’re in a frame of mind where you feel confident that you can assess your needs and weigh the pros and cons behind each choice.

You do not have to complete this step alone. The same resources who helped you find peace from your negative thoughts can often offer guidance. There’s a lot of information out there about what to do after learning that you’re pregnant. By connecting yourself to support, those feelings of doubt can be traded with confidence as you gather answers to your questions.

Schedule an Appointment

It’s normal to feel lost when confronted with a life-changing circumstance that may have caught you off guard. Avenue Women’s Center provides women with private consultations and resources to help them find their way through the decision-making process. We understand there may be a lot of confusion during this time about what steps to take. That’s why our caring staff is here to listen to your concerns while answering your unique questions. At each of our six locations in DuPage County, we’re equipped to supply you with limited medical services and referrals, all at no cost.

Reach out today for confidential services and assistance during your pregnancy!

The information provided here is general in nature.  It is not a substitute for a consultation with a medical professional. Before any medical procedure, it is imperative that you discuss your personal medical history, risks, and concerns with your doctor. If you have questions during or after a procedure, your doctor should be immediately contacted. Avenue Women’s Center is not an emergency center.  If you are experiencing severe symptoms, such as bleeding and/or pain, seek immediate medical attention.  Contact your physician, go to an emergency room, or call 911.