I’m pregnant – how do I convince everyone I want to keep the baby?

Frequently, the go-to answer for an unplanned pregnancy is abortion. “You don’t have to keep it,” your friends say. “You know you have options,” they explain. Almost as if abortion is the assumed choice if the pregnancy wasn’t expected. But what if it’s not your go-to answer? What if you took a pregnancy test, felt the shock of being pregnant, and then decided you want to keep the baby?

How then do you convince everyone else to get on board?

It seems like an unreasonable problem, right? With all the, “Her body, her choice” language floating around, it looks like the right to choose not to have an abortion would also be an acceptable choice. And yet, here you are trying to figure out how to get everyone else to happily support you and your baby.

If you want to keep the baby, here are some steps that may help you get everyone on “Team Baby” with you:

First, as you talk about the pregnancy, don’t use the word, “it.” This is a baby – your baby. You’ve decided to help your child live. So, use words like “baby” when talking to your friends about your baby.

Language is powerful. You may not be able to control everyone else’s language, but you can control yours. And your words help others understand that you value the life you are carrying. Use clear language: you want to keep the baby, and you want them to support you in your decision.

Next, involve those closest to you in the process. Bring them to your ultrasound appointment so they can see the baby. Here at Alcove Health Women’s Clinic, we provide many women with their first ultrasound, and we allow every patient to bring someone with her. Seeing how the baby inside you is growing and moving makes a difference and helps everyone visualize that this is a baby growing inside you.