Having your teenage daughter face an unplanned pregnancy can be overwhelming. It’s not uncommon for both of you to experience feelings of shock, excitement, fear, and anger. But where do you go from here? Maybe you’re not sure how to best help your daughter navigate the road ahead. That’s okay, you’re certainly not alone in that.

The best thing you can do at the beginning of an unplanned pregnancy is simply support your daughter. Listen to her. Truly listen to her. You may be frustrated and/or disappointed about the unplanned pregnancy, but right now your daughter needs you to be there for her, judgment-free. Listening to her, being patient and respectful towards her, will go a long way in keeping the lines of communication open between the two of you. You need to show her that you are a safe space, someone with whom she can discuss her fears and whom she can trust.

After both you and your daughter have had some time to really talk over the unplanned pregnancy, you should begin to help her find some pregnancy resources in your area. If she does not already have an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), help her to find a doctor with whom she feels comfortable. Doing this is very important, as getting good prenatal care early and throughout the pregnancy will help ensure a healthy baby.

In addition to getting medical resources in place, you should also consider researching counseling, parenting classes, and support groups. If you’re unsure of where to look or what she may need during this time, the Law Office of Maddona Finney would be happy to help connect you with these types of resources, with no obligation or cost. You do not have to make an adoption plan for us to give you referrals to services.

Once you’ve established a good amount of trust and communication with your daughter, and you’ve addressed her current medical needs, it’s time to begin helping her explore her pregnancy options.

Parenting: Many young mothers successfully parent their babies, while also achieving their educational and professional goals. If your daughter chooses to parent her baby, you should begin helping her to plan how she will do so, while also staying on track to reach her own potential in other areas of her life.

Adoption: If your daughter doesn’t feel ready to become a parent, placing her baby for adoption is always an option. If your daughter chooses adoption, she can make arrangements to stay in touch with the baby and adoptive family throughout the child’s life, either through letters and emails or staying in the child’s life with an ongoing relationship. She may also wish to explore a closed adoption wherein she can select the baby’s adoptive family, if she wishes, but not meet them or have any sort of relationship with them.

Abortion: Is another option you can explore with your daughter.

If your daughter needs help understanding her pregnancy options, including abortion, the best resource would be a pregnancy counselor. They would be able to walk your daughter through ALL of her options, so that she can explore the many opportunities for herself and her baby’s future. The Law Office of Madonna Finney has a pregnancy counselor on staff, a licensed professional, who would be happy to speak with you and your daughter. There’s no cost and no obligation when meeting with our counselor.

And finally, once your daughter has made her decision about which direction she’d like to take this pregnancy, all you can do is give her your ongoing love and support. Facing a pregnancy, planned or unplanned, is never easy at any age, let alone a young age. You may be frustrated with the situation, but your daughter really needs you right now. Knowing that she has you in her corner, to support her and advocate for her, will go a long way in having a happy and healthy pregnancy and beyond.

If you or your daughter would like to explore the option of adoption, The Law Office of Madonna Finney would be happy to help. We employ an all-female staff of caring, professional social workers, and Madonna is the panhandle’s only Board Certified Florida Adoption Attorney. We combine the best services that any Florida adoption agency would typically offer you, and pair that with our unmatched legal expertise. You can contact us at any time, regardless of where you’re at in your pregnancy and even after you’ve given birth.

Call or text us 24/7 at (850) 308-1836. Your call is confidential and we welcome the opportunity to answer your questions.