Kaye was thinking about having an abortion even though she said she did not believe in it.  Her boyfriend lost his job and wanted to move in with her so she could support him. The last thing he wanted was the added expense of a baby, so he was pressuring Kaye to have an abortion. This was her first pregnancy and she was torn between her personal convictions and the stress of her current circumstances. She came to Fifth Ward Pregnancy Help Center to discuss whether she should continue her pregnancy. She came for help and hope like so many women each day.

 

Kaye said she was considering abortion if the pregnancy was not too far along.  The pressure was getting to her. After speaking with her counselor, and seeing the baby on ultrasound she decided she needed additional time to think about her decision. She struggled between the fear of raising her baby alone, if she chose to carry to term and the fear of regret, if she chose to terminate.

   

 To our surprise Kaye returned to the center after a few days.

 

After taking time to reflect on her options she decided to carry and parent her baby. She also decided to break things off with her baby’s father because in her words “I can not be responsible for his life”.  

 

Kaye had a good, steady job and her own apartment but unfortunately, paid maternity leave was not one of her employment benefits. She was concerned about how she would pay her bills while she was temporarily off of work after the birth of the baby. She also worried about how she would afford baby furniture and clothes for her newborn.

Through the Grace Closet at Fifth Ward and a baby shower provided by a volunteer peer counselor, Kaye received all of the baby supplies and clothes she needed. She also received community referrals and enough financial assistance to cover the two months of rent after her baby was born. 

 

Kaye loves her baby girl. She has repeatedly expressed gratitude for the support, materials assistance, and encouragement she received at Fifth Ward Pregnancy Help Center and has mentioned, she hates to think of what might have happened if she had not visited our center during her time of crisis.

 

 

 

•          Client name was changed to protect confidentiality. Client story was shared with permission.