Feeling like you don’t have it all together can be distressing when faced with an unexpected pregnancy. There are a variety of ways and reasons you might feel unprepared for this stage of your life. But perhaps you really don’t feel ready from a mental health standpoint. In today’s world, taking care of mental health can be difficult! So, what do you do when you find out you’re pregnant, but don’t feel mentally ready for pregnancy?
Avenue Women’s Center offers first-step pregnancy resources and consultations to help put your mind a little more at ease. Learn more about your pregnancy, including how far along you are, or early pregnancy risks. Be equipped with information regarding your options, so you can determine your next steps. Our caring consultants at any of our six DuPage County locations would love to sit with you and listen to your story.
Schedule a consultation with us today!
What Does it Look Like to be Ready For Pregnancy?
While it may seem like there is a magic formula for being ready for pregnancy, it may be reassuring for you to know that there isn’t. Everybody is in different situations and stages of life when faced with pregnancy, even if it’s unexpected. Sometimes we aren’t truly ready for something until it happens. And, other times, even if we don’t feel ready, we still have to go forward.
Dealing With Mental Illness While Pregnant
So, how do you cope with feeling unprepared from a mental standpoint? Perhaps you are struggling with a mental illness and you’re working hard to get better, but every day is difficult. Or maybe you are on medication for your mental health and you’re worried about how that medication could affect your pregnancy. Sometimes, when dealing with a chronic illness of any kind, it is hard to even take care of your own needs. Combining that with pregnancy can seem extremely overwhelming.
Having Struggles Doesn’t Make You Unfit for Pregnancy
However, it is so important to remember that just because you struggle with mental health, that doesn’t mean you are unfit for pregnancy. There are resources and support available to you for your mental health as well as your pregnancy so you don’t have to walk this alone.
How to Feel More Prepared Despite Mental Heath
Because of the current state of your mental health, you may find it helpful to meet with a licensed counselor or therapist who can talk with you and come up with a solid treatment plan. Also, gathering supportive and trustworthy friends and family is a great way to make sure you have people to help you through this time. Taking time to care for yourself and have good mental health is super important, just like making a healthy and informed pregnancy decision.
Avenue Women’s Center has walked with women through similar circumstances and unexpected pregnancies since 1981. It can be overwhelming to take care of your mental health and make a pregnancy decision, but you don’t have to be alone! Meeting with one of our nonjudgmental and supportive consultants can help you feel more prepared, informed, and ready to make a good decision about your pregnancy no matter your mental health.
Reach out today to make an appointment.
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.