Sweet is the melody, so hard to come by–
It’s so hard to make every note bend just right.
You lay down the hours and leave not one trace,
But a tune for the dancing is there in its place. -Iris DeMent
When you first find out that a new life is forming inside you, it feels disruptive and even intrusive. It feels like a jumble of notes that will never become a melody and certainly not a song you will know and want to sing. Everyone agrees that the early days of a pregnancy– especially those of an unplanned pregnancy–can feel uncertain. There’s much to figure out, and you might not know where to turn to get the support you need. Laying down tracks of support is essential so that once your baby arrives, you’ll feel supported and ready. Together, these tracks can become a beautiful song.
Emotional Support
Finding someone who can offer a listening ear, understanding, and empathy can be invaluable. This could be a close friend, family member, or a support group for single mothers.
Where to go for emotional support
Each of our hope rising centers has counselors to support you through the deep feelings that accompany an unexpected pregnancy. To help you gain confidence, we offer parenting classes (five-week and ten-week options available). We also offer one-on-one spiritual support to help you explore deep questions of faith.
Group support can also be helpful. One local option offered by Premier Health is Mothers Empowered. Pregnant women meet in groups of eight to twelve with other women whose due dates are close to their own. Each group member receives all the components of prenatal care, including a health assessment, education, and support while they benefit from sharing their experiences with women who may be facing many of the same social, personal, financial, and health challenges. Get connected at Mothers Empowered – Lifestages Centers for Women | Premier Health.
Another group support option for single moms, called Embrace Grace, offers meetings locally at three locations: Real Life Church in Franklin; Cassell Hills Church of Christ in Vandalia; and Urbancrest Church in Lebanon.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services could also be a helpful resource to explore as you begin thinking about becoming a parent. Triple P (which stands for Positive Parenting Program) provides a variety of free parenting resources to help with everything from academic issues to social struggles to emotional challenges. See what program may be helpful using this link to their site:
Medical Support
Seeking proper prenatal care is essential for the well-being of both the mother and the baby. An obstetrician specializing in prenatal care can offer medical guidance, monitor the pregnancy, and provide necessary medical interventions.
Before the baby arrives, you’ll also need to find a family medical practitioner or a pediatrician–a medical doctor who specializes in medical care for babies and children.
In the Dayton/Montgomery county area, Everyone Reach One is an organization that is committed to the health and safety of you and your baby. They can connect you to physicians that will provide medical care for you and your baby. Visit their site to learn more.
At Hope Rising, we offer medical support in the form of pregnancy tests and ultrasounds and can refer you to a doctor to care for you during your pregnancy.
At Hope Rising, we are here to help you feel less overwhelmed and to help you find the emotional and medical support you need to experience a healthy pregnancy, have a successful birth, and to sing a tune of parenting that feels right and might even make you want to dance.