Unplanned pregnancies can cause many mixed emotions, and it is important for friends to navigate this situation carefully. Abortion is a heavy topic and one that comes up quite often in these circumstances. But abortion is not the only option for your pregnant friend.
There are numerous ways you can support someone facing an unintended pregnancy without guiding her towards choosing abortion, five of which we address in this article.
5 Ways to Support a Friend Through an Unintended Pregnancy
1. Listen to her without judgment.
Your friend is likely afraid and unsure of what to do or who to turn to, so when she comes to you, it is important to respond to her pregnancy news positively and with an eagerness to listen. She trusts you enough to share this experience—and her worries and fears—with you, so be willing to listen to her without judgment. You may have differing opinions, but letting her voice her concerns lays the foundation for an open conversation about all of her pregnancy options.
2. Walk through pregnancy options with her.
Oftentimes, women experiencing unintended pregnancies feel paralyzed by a lack of support and judgment from others. This makes many women feel as though abortion is their only option.
If, however, she is met with compassion and open arms, she may be more willingto talk through pregnancy options. Be sure to use caution when addressing abortion. Rather than fixating on why you believe abortion is wrong, take time to share other pregnancy options like open adoption and parenting. When your pregnant friend sees that you care about both her wellbeing and her baby’s wellbeing, she may begin to feel she has the support she needs to make another choice.
3. Encourage her.
Many of the loudest voices within our culture are telling women they can’t parent, making abortion look like the only option. It is important to encourage your friend, let her know that you know she will make the best decision for her preborn baby and share examples with her of why you believe she would be a wonderful mother. Change the narrative that your friend hears by providing her with the encouragement she needs to choose an option that instills confidence in her and leads to life for her preborn baby.
4. Support her in practical ways.
Providing tangible help is one of the best things you can do for your pregnant friend. Rather than saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” reach out to your church community, friends, family, and others to build a solid support system for her. If your friend decides to keep her baby, help her set up an online baby registry and send it out to your church, friends, and family. Consider planning a baby shower to celebrate this new season of life and boost her confidence.
You can also organize a meal train for her after she has the baby to ensure she receives the nutrition—and rest—she needs after giving birth. She will feel significantly less stressed after having her baby if her support system is able to provide homecooked meals or even gift cards to restaurants and meal delivery services like Grubhub and DoorDash.
If she is considering adoption for her preborn baby, explore adoption options and look into reputable adoption agencies with her. Would she like an open adoption or closed adoption? Would she like to choose the family that adopts her newborn? Adoption is a big step, and many agencies will walk through the whole process with the mother to make sure she’s as comfortable as possible when deciding her child’s future.
5. Connect her to a local pregnancy resource center.
Pregnancy Resource Centers are available throughout the country to support people just like your pregnant friend, people facing unintended pregnancies and need to hear about all of their options and get support from a center that will share with them the love of Christ and help them in tangible ways as well. Contact Align Pregnancy Services today to schedule an appointment or look for a location closest you now.
