I am a twenty-four year old, soon to be single mother: Valerie’s Story

My name is Valerie and I am a twenty-four year old, soon to be single mother. I remember finding out I was pregnant like it was yesterday. I was very confident I was indeed not pregnant, but took multiple tests that said I was.

After searching Google, I found Birthright St. Charles. I called to see if I could speak to someone about the at-home tests I took. I was overwhelmed, scared, happy – so many mixed emotions. I walked in with my friend who came to support me and was greeted with the most pleasant energy that truly did help calm me. I was told the test results were positive and was paired with a professional counselor.

I wanted to be smart about my decision because at the time of finding out, I was in what felt like the lowest I had been in my life. The way life was going, I had no idea how I would be a mother, let alone a single mother. Knowing I had been lied to by my partner at the time and honestly my mental health being at a complete depletion of happiness, I just needed someone to listen to me judgment-free to dissect my life.

Birthright did just that. They knew this was not a simple black and white decision to make. They held my hand every step of the way to make sure I was making the right decisions for my life and my child’s life. My talks with my counselor were some of the only moments I got to genuinely express my fears and concerns and go over every single possible option a woman could make..

Birthright is still giving me words of encouragement, continuous counseling, resources for pediatricians, diapers, clothes for the baby, gas, food help and so much more.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE!

If you are struggling with the decision of how to handle your unplanned pregnancy or just need some compassionate support, do not hesitate to reach out to our counselors for help. For information on our counseling services and to request a free, confidential counseling session, visit our counseling services page here. If you are in need of pregnancy and parenting resources, visit our Support Services and Referrals page here.

No matter how you choose to contact us, a member of our team is standing by to help. Call or text us at (636)-724-1200, or email us at [email protected].

To request a free counseling session, fill out the required fields HERE.