Ten Advantages to an Unplanned Pregnancy

 Really fun and clever article from Jezebel.com.

It was excerpted from Oops! How to Rock the Mother of All Surprises: A Positive Guide to Your Unexpected Pregnancy, available at Amazon and B&N. Copyright © 2013 by Tracy Moore and published by F+W Media, Inc.

Take a look here!

 http://jezebel.com/ten-advantages-to-an-unplanned-pregnancy-1447919118-


If you're struggling with being in the same situation and would like help, come visit us!

To schedule your free pregnancy test and ultrasound:

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call  541.687.8651 
or  1-800-848-LOVE 

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

A Mother's Story

This testimonial is from one of 1st Way's clients who has been with us for a long time and we have helped her through the stages of her pregnancies and beyond. 

She now has two children, ages one and two, and she still regularly visits our office for help with diapers, baby clothes and other needs and concerns she is having. We were honored that she also shared her story at a recent 1st Way fundraiser, and she has given permission for us to publish parts of her handwritten story here:

"Life can be hard, but you helped me to keep my sanity! I want everyone to know that sometimes you could do everything in your power to provide, you might seek any and every good answer. Yet, sometimes, the answer is to seek help. And then you find understanding and gracious people there to offer you the help you need ever so much. I will have no better word to call such actions and people than, "Heavenly Miracles."

(from page 2)

"Thank you for keeping the babies warm and dry, thank you for keeping the smiles on their faces as well as mine. Thank you for making caring for babies more possible. Thank you for saving our lives. We love you."

To schedule your free pregnancy test and ultrasound:

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call  541.687.8651 
or  1-800-848-LOVE 

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

Too much dizziness lately! Is this a normal part of pregnancy?

Dizzy? Worried you might be pregnant? Pregnant? Worried pregnancy might not be normal?

Look no further!

"Dizziness or feeling faint is a normal symptom during pregnancy. It is more common in the first trimester, but it may also be prevalent throughout your pregnancy."
 American Pregnancy Association

Contact your healthcare provider immediately IF
... your dizziness is accompanied by vaginal bleeding and/or pain in your abdomen. This could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, a low-lying placenta, or placental abruption.
You should also contact your health care provider immediately if you have persistent dizziness or dizziness accompanied by blurred vision, headaches, or palpitations; this may be a symptom of severe anemia or some other illness that could have a negative effect on your pregnancy.

More Info About Dizziness- 
Don't stand up too fast. Lie on your back. Drink more water.  Stay cool. Manage stress and anxiety. 

Warning symptoms that you might pass out if you don't lie down immediately-
Besides light headedness, a feeling of warmth, paleness, sweating, nausea, yawning, and hyperventilation.

More details here:
 BabyCenter. com

If you are worried you might be pregnant and would like to talk, come visit us at our Pregnancy Resource Center on 1667 High Street in Eugene. Also, visit our website at 1st-way.org or call 541.687.8651. We offer free pregnancy tests and free ultrasounds. We'll be happy to help you!

Pregnant in College Survival Guide

When women become pregnant in college, they often feel alone and misunderstood. In today's world, women aren't shunned  the way they once were, but still many women wonder what they will do and how they will cope with such a major change in their lives. Many are worried they just can't do it- It's too much. These feelings are normal.

Collegecures.com has a couple of good articles about this very subject. The article below is about how to find resources at whatever school you're in, and how to think through common concerns, such as where will you live? What will you do about health care?

Pregnant in College? How to Attend College with a Baby Bump.

This  article (below) is more about what to do in those first moments of shock when you realize you're pregnant when you absolutely didn't plan to be. How do you talk to your parents, friends, the baby's father? How do you take care of yourself at a time like this?

Pregnant and in College Survival Guide

One last article, a realistic  story of a SF State student who balanced college and pregnancy. She describes her experience and what it was like. Good to read to get a sense of what might be in store.

Pregnancy SF Student's article

When you're pregnant in college when you didn't plan to be, the realization can turn your whole world upside-down. After all, you went to college to learn so you can develop a career. How would pregnancy affect that?  Take a look at the articles above. I hope you find some helpful answers to your questions!

If you live in Eugene, Oregon, come visit us at our Pregnancy Resource Center on 1667 High Street in Eugene. Also, visit our website at 1st-way.org or call 541.687.8651. We offer free pregnancy tests and free ultrasounds. We'll be happy to help you!

A Mom? Pregnant? Thinking of Attending Lane Community College?

Did you know that 46% of all college students attend community college?

Nearly half (48%) of community college students have either been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant.

15% of all community college students are single parents.

So, if you are a college student, it's likely that you go to community college and have some experience with pregnancy.

Around a quarter of young people do.
(Stats from-  http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/briefly-unplanned-pregnancy-and-community-colleges.pdf)

Because services for parents are so needed, community colleges need to offer a lot of services to help women who want to continue their education while also becoming moms. 

So, what goes on at Lane? 

Parent Services
Information and resources for parents
http://www.lanecc.edu/lfc/parent-services

Click on the last link in the orange block, "Lane County Resource Centers" for a comprehensive list of "support and activities for families including: parenting education, play groups, information and referrals to community resources, family fun nights, school and neighborhood connections, computer access, after school activities and volunteer opportunities. Many offer service in Spanish." 

What about in Lane County?

Head Start- Child care at no cost
http://www.hsolc.org/


Parenting Education
http://www.lanekids.org/home

If you are faced with an unplanned pregnancy, come and visit us at 1st Way in Eugene. We're located close to the colleges and we offer free pregnancy tests and free ultrasound. We can also help provide you with information about different options you have and help you think through what to do.

Call us at- 541.687.8651
Visit us on the web- http://www.1st-way.org/

Some of the Best College Scholarship Programs for Moms

Did you know that there are lots of college scholarship plans that young mothers may be eligible for?

(1) Soroptimist Award
"The Women’s Opportunity Awards program assists women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects.

Each year, more than $1.5 million in education grants are awarded to more than 1,000 women, many of whom have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, domestic violence and/or drug and alcohol abuse. Women’s Opportunity Award recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare, tuition and transportation.

(2) Scholarships for Moms
'This $10,000 scholarship is an initiative to help all moms who want to complete their education, but don't have the time, money or the support to meet their goal. Whether you're a new mom, single mom or working mother, our scholarship could help you get ahead."

(3) PEO International
 "The P.E.O. Sisterhood is passionate about its mission: promoting educational opportunities for women."

(4) Women's Independence Scholarship Program
"WISP is designed to help women obtain the money they need to attend college and earn a higher education degree. The program is suited for survivors of domestic abuse from an intimate partner such as a spouse or a boyfriend. The program prefers to award scholarship funds to those enrolled state community colleges, state colleges or universities, and technical or vocational schools. Those enrolled in other programs may also apply."

 (5) Lifetime Foundation 
A very unique scholarship fund- They offer educational scholarships in deep appreciation to birth mothers who have chosen adoption for their children. They have enabled others to experience the joy of becoming parents and created futures, not only for those families, but also for their children, for a lifetime.

(6) In Oregon, check out this website of resources for our state!

If you are unexpectedly pregnant and wondering if you will be able to go to or finish college, come by our office at 1st Way and we can tell you more about resources that can help you stay in school!

1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

Unplanned Pregnancies- Successful Moms

Wonderful stories to share today!

Watch or read this powerful interview with Ashlee Bush-
"I felt like I was in movie or a bad dream.  I started to pray, and I kept thinking to myself that this cannot be happening!"
 http://pregnantoncampus.studentsforlife.org/2013/02/12/you-are-not-alone-ashlees-story/

UK Magazine- Ask a Mum-
Real Life Experiences with Unplanned Pregnancies
http://www.askamum.co.uk/Pregnancy/Search-Results/Real-life-experiences/Unplanned-pregnancies-/

What to Expect- Forum for Unplanned Pregnancy
 http://www.whattoexpect.com/forums/young-moms/archives/22-yrs-old-unplanned-pregnancy-story.html

Improving Friendships During Pregnancy

I did a little research around the web today about how to be a better friend when one of you has an unplanned pregnancy.

What should you do if a good friend is suddenly and unexpectedly pregnant? Do you know how to help and support her? This video and article comes from the UK.

http://www.videojug.com/film/what-to-do-when-your-friend-gets-pregnant

What should you do if you become unexpectedly pregnant and your old friends start to avoid you?

http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/ask-heidi/week-29/friendships.aspx

How do friends often feel when they find out you're pregnant? (The author feels betrayed and abandoned and she has a hard time dealing with her feelings.)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/claire-bidwell-smith/pregnancy-friend-pregnant_b_1542191.html

Understanding what your friend is going through, whether you or she becomes pregnant, is a foundational step in keeping your friendships strong during the time you need them most- especially during the crisis of an unplanned pregnancy.

Great Web Resources for Young Moms

It's more trendy lately to wait until later in life to have children, in order to get a head start on a career or to build financial stability, but sometimes life has a whole new idea- You have an unplanned pregnancy while in college or in your early twenties.

Check out some great things that have been created by other young women, when life threw them a surprise. These are some impressive ladies!

Picture above is from tinybluelines.com

Early Mama

This website, "Early Mama" is for those women who choose to have their babies earlier. The website offers support and inspiration for mothers both married and single. The site is run by Michelle Horton, a 26-year-old mother, wife, and optimist.  she now spends her days as a work-from-home writer. She writes daily for Babble.com, Disney Baby, and mom.me, and she has a weekly column with Parenting Magazine.She's also been published at The Huffington Post, CNN.com,  SELF Magazine, Yahoo! Shine, The Stir, the Etsy blog, and several book anthologies. She was named a Cision Most Influential Mama in 2012, Café Mom named Early Mama one of the “10 Blogs That Will Change the Way You Look at Motherhood,” and Early Mama has been cited in The Huffington Post and Psychology Today.

http://www.earlymama.com/

The Young Mommy Life

Here's another great one, very similar to "Early Mama." It's called, "The Young Mommy Life."

Tara Pringle Jefferson is the founder and editor of TheYoungMommyLife.com, one of the first websites created specifically for young mothers’ concerns. She is an author, social media consultant and young parent advocate. Created in 2008, The Young Mommy Life has been featured on Sirius XM, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Ebony magazine, WhatToExpect.com, and BlackAmericaWeb.com for its realistic portrayal of young motherhood and all it entails. With readers logging on from South Africa to London to Brazil, The Young Mommy Life is a global movement for changing how young mothers are perceived in the media, by policymakers, and in our communities.

http://www.theyoungmommylife.com/

Tiny Blue Lines

This next site, "Tiny Blue Lines," is impressive too. The site is by Chaunie, a freelance writer, speaker, labor and delivery nurse, and an advocate for women facing unexpected pregnancy. She's the mom to two little girls and one "adorably chunky little man." And she's writing the book on young motherhood.

http://www.tinybluelines.com/

I Didn't Plan this Pregnancy- What Should I do?

Every day in America...

• 16,438 women become pregnant
• 8,219 women experience an unplanned pregnancy

As you can see, if you didn't plan your pregnancy, you are definitely not alone. About half of all pregnancies in America aren't planned. 

But, sometimes the best things in life happen when we're making other plans! The situation you're in might not be ideal, but what is? 

Here are some good resources to check out right now on the web-

How To Plan for an Unplanned Pregnancy

Help from Women's Health.gov

Parenting.com Unplanned Pregnancy Forum

Most people struggle with what to do in unplanned pregnancy because of financial worries. Ask yourself whether you would want to give birth if you could afford it?

There ARE ways to afford it. There are people who want to help you.

First Way of Eugene, Oregon is a great place to go to find out about the resources in our community that can help make sure your needs and the baby's needs are well taken care of. Also, take a look at our resource page!

Come and visit First Way
 1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call 541.687.8651 

Hours: M-Th 10-4 and Fri 11-2

Here's some other information for people struggling with financial issues

Statistics from-
American Pregnancy Association
 http://americanpregnancy.org/about

Unplanned Pregnancy? You need emotional support!

Pregnant? Wondering what to do? Have a friend that is in that situation? We have lots of resources here on the website for you to look at and review.

Send an email: talk2agoodfriend@gmail.com

Interesting- Did you know that if you google "friendship" and "pregnancy," about 70% of the links that come up are about losing friends when women become pregnant? Many of the articles are about how to keep and retain those friends. We at "Talk to a Friend" hope to help you make new friendships as well as maintain those you already have. 

During an unplanned pregnancy, you need intense emotional support from friends. Looking for suggestions? Tips? Follow our blog as we address these concerns over the next few weeks.

Here are a few articles about women who were completely taken off guard by unplanned pregnancy, worked through the emotional chaos and confusion and their lives are even better as a result.

How I Unexpectedly Had Four Kids!

http://moms.popsugar.com/How-I-Unexpectedly-Had-4-Kids-27333211?ref=25506583

Unplanned Pregnancy Announcements- How do family and friends respond?
http://pregnancy.about.com/u/ua/announcingyourpregnancy/Your-Family-And-Friends-Reaction-To-Your-Pregnancy-Announcement.htm

Check back regularly for more news, articles, information, friendship and support!

Give us a call at 541.687.8651 if you live in Eugene, Oregon and would like to come in for a pregnancy test or ultrasound or just to talk about what's going on.

Unplanned Pregnancy? Here's some inspiration!

 First finding out you're pregnant when you didn't plan to be can be a really scary thing! You may ask yourself, "What will happen to my career? Relationships? World?"

For those freaking out or who just want some comfort, here are a few inspirational quotes!

A grand adventure is about to begin." - Winnie the Pooh

"We have a secret in our culture, it's not that birth is painful, it's that women are strong." - Laura Stavoe Harm

"Life is a flame that is always burning itself out, but it catches fire again every time a child is born." - George Bernard Shaw

"All the time we wondered and wondered, who is this person coming, growing, turning, floating, swimming deep, deep inside." - Crescent Dragonwagon

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone." - Author Unknown

 "Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile…initially scared me to death." - Betty Bender

 More Quotes Here:
http://pregnancy.about.com/od/blogs/a/Quotes-For-Pregnancy.htm

Inspirational Stories: Wheelchair-bound single parent becomes successful entrepreneur!

 I like to surf the web looking for stories that might be of interest to women who are pregnant and worried about their future.

By far, the most inspirational story I have found is this one- A single mother, confined to a wheelchair, raises two children while working as an entrepreneur. When she first became wheelchair-bound, she had to give up her business and social services almost took her children for fear she couldn't care for them. Yet today, she has built her career back up. She manages being a mother and successful career woman, despite all odds!

 http://www.willowstairlifts.co.uk/blog/the-exceptional-story-of-a-single-mothers-battle-against-the-odds/



 The Experience Project has an interesting collection of stories by single women who have faced the challenges of childbearing alone and still managed to do what they want with their lives, such as meeting their career and educational goals.

Here's an example~

A teenage mom, now 20,  has a job and is a full time student at a university. She's happy and says life isn't as hard as she thought it would be.
http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Am-A-Single-Mother/3041693

Pregnant On Campus

Here are some articles I found this week about what to do when you're pregnant on campus:

"Whether you are a freshman or a senior, becoming pregnant during your college years is especially challenging. You wonder if you can do it- if you can be both a student and a parent. You worry about what your peers will think and how your professors will react. You fear how the school administration will treat you when they find out. All of these concerns weigh on the decisions of college-aged parents. For this reason, we need to take action to encourage policies and programs that are compassionate towards college parents." -Rosalie

http://pregnantoncampus.studentsforlife.org/2013/03/08/embraced-encouraged-and-loved-rosalies-story/

What to Expect When Your Pregnancy is Unexpected

Interesting blog from another woman at college.

http://www.whattoexpect.com/blogs/shockandaww/what-to-expect-when-your-pregnancy-is-unexpected 

E-HOW- How to go to college when pregnant

 http://www.ehow.com/how_2120093_go-college-pregnant.html

Working Mom= Social Misfit?

Just found this amazing blog today!

Working Moms = Social Misfits? How to Fight Isolation

http://www.starmom.org/2012/04/inspiration-of-working-moms_29.html 

 

So many women are waiting until later in life to have kids that when women have them younger they often feel alone, like a misfit. Few at work or school can relate to them. "Star Mom" has some good ideas about how to adapt and socialize in the work environment. 

 

Here's another great place to look for inspiration:

Take a look at Working Mother's 2012 Working Mothers of the Year.

"They bring home the bacon…and the fruits and vegetables, and occasionally some frozen entrees."

http://www.workingmother.com/best-companies/christine-williams-university-wisconsin-hospital-and-clinics

It's amazing what women can do!

Sometimes, life can feel overwhelming. We wonder how we can possibly do all we want to do in life.

Looking around at those our age who seem so free in their childlessness makes it harder to decide that you can be a mother, successful in a career and HAPPY, too! But, you can!

Unplanned Pregnancy Brings Together Unlikely Friends

Welcome to our blog! Talk to a Friend is a network of successful women who have become mothers at a difficult time of their lives and still managed to pursue education and careers. 

Don't let anyone tell you it's impossible if that's what you want to do! We're here because we want to be friends and mentors. We'll be featuring stories and experiences about inspirational women, like this one: 

Unplanned Pregnancy Doesn't Have to Mean Failure In Life

Let us know what other topics you would like to see featured. What "how-to guides" and  tips would you find important? Successful women who have become mothers come from all walks of life. Often, when women find themselves in this situation, they are surprised to find so many unlikely friends.