As a parent, one of your worst
nightmares is probably the prospect of your teen telling you that she's
pregnant, or worse, finding out that your teen daughter is pregnant and she
didn't tell you. Before you do anything, take a deep breath and know that
you're not alone. Your teen didn't get pregnant because you're a bad parent.
She got pregnant by making poor decisions.
Get Support
If you recently found out that your
daughter is pregnant, you might be experiencing emotions ranging from
hopelessness to anger to sadness. You'll need support through this time period,
so reach out to family members or consider going to individual therapy. Also,
your daughter will need support. A good option is to encourage your daughter to
go to therapy to discuss her emotions, choices and future, and attend family
therapy together. Look into local support groups for pregnant teens, so your
daughter can get support from other young women going through the same thing.
Discuss Options
You have three main options to
consider, according to the Mayo Clinic. Your teen could keep the baby
, look into adoption or end the
pregnancy. It's important to have a dialogue around the options, talking about
the pros and cons and consider the best option for your daughter and family.
Listen to what your daughter feels is the best option, and try to support her
even if you don't believe it's the right choice. You should definitely give her
guidance, but she may not take the path that you think she should. Consider
including the baby's father in these discussions.
, look into adoption or end the
pregnancy. It's important to have a dialogue around the options, talking about
the pros and cons and consider the best option for your daughter and family.
Listen to what your daughter feels is the best option, and try to support her
even if you don't believe it's the right choice. You should definitely give her
guidance, but she may not take the path that you think she should. Consider
including the baby's father in these discussions.Get Medical Treatment
No matter what, you should get your
teen medical treatment as soon as possible. Pick up prenatal vitamins and
schedule an appointment with a gynecologist or OBGYN. The doctor
will be able to discuss your
daughter's options further and give your recommendations for adoption agencies,
prenatal classes and therapists depending on the choice your daughter makes.
will be able to discuss your
daughter's options further and give your recommendations for adoption agencies,
prenatal classes and therapists depending on the choice your daughter makes.Discuss Lifestyle Changes
Your teen might not know what
lifestyle changes she needs to make to have a healthy baby. Teens Health
reports that you should talk to her about some of the things she'll need to do
such as quitting smoking, drinking
and using drugs if applicable;
avoiding caffeine; getting plenty of sleep; eating healthfully; and avoiding
unsafe sex in which she could contract sexually transmitted diseases.
and using drugs if applicable;
avoiding caffeine; getting plenty of sleep; eating healthfully; and avoiding
unsafe sex in which she could contract sexually transmitted diseases.Prenatal Classes
Depending on your daughter's choice, you should consider
enrolling her in prenatal classes. In these classes, she'll learn what to
expect during delivery and practical skills such as changing a baby's diaper
and feeding a baby.
Prepare for the Baby
You'll have to make a lot of decisions as a family if your teen intends on keeping the baby. For example, you'll have to decide if your teen will return to high school or go to college as well as who'll watch the baby during these times and what role each family member will play in the baby's life.
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