So, your best friend is pregnant. You want to do everything you can to support her, but you don’t know where to start. It might come as a shock when you first find out. When the dust settles, you might be wondering what to say to someone who is unexpectedly pregnant.
In this article, we’ll talk about how to help a pregnant friend. While she may have a whole team of people there to help her, she’ll probably expect you to be by her side through the ups and downs of pregnancy. From supporting her through morning sickness to helping her create a birth plan, there are several ways you can help your bestie during this life-changing time.
Let’s jump right into what you can do to make your pregnant friend’s day a little easier. With countless unplanned pregnancy resources available to young women, we’ll show you how to be much-needed support for your BFF.
Navigating the Changes
My best friend is pregnant. How can I help? If you find yourself repeating this statement over and over, you are not alone. Countless young people are faced with the life-changing news that their best friend is pregnant. The first thing you can do to navigate the changes is understanding and coping with your own feelings and emotions.
Of course, all you want to do is be there for your friend. You understand that this is her experience. Still, it’s important to know that you will also experience your own emotions as you navigate changes in your friendship.
Although you want to do everything in your power to support her, she might turn to her significant other or someone else during this time. You may find yourselves spending less time together. Your lives are likely to go in different directions.
While there will be significant changes to your relationship, you are still her best friend. There are many ways that you can show up as her support system, even if your relationship seems to be shifting.
Talk to someone close to you to help you navigate your emotions during this time. By coping with your own emotions, you can show up better for your bestie. Once you cope with your feelings, here’s how you can jump in to be the shoulder your friend needs to lean on during this challenging time in her life.
How to Help a Pregnant Friend
If you’ve said to yourself, “My friend is pregnant, what do I do?”, keep reading for some helpful tips. The best way to help your friend is to educate yourself on what she can do next. Even if they are only in their teens, pregnant mothers have the right to decide for themselves what they want to do about their pregnancy.
Educate yourself on your pregnant bestie’s options. This will give her the support she needs to make the right decision for herself and her baby. Whether your friend wants to parent the baby or create an adoption plan, support her in any decision she makes.
Remember, this is her decision. If she asks for your opinion on what she should do, give her some resources to understand her options. Encourage her to explore her options and choose a plan that feels right for her.
Be a Listening Ear
Trying to be a listening ear when your best friend is pregnant can be difficult. You want to give her advice and help her through the challenging parts of pregnancy. However, in many cases, what your friend needs most is someone to listen.
Give her a place to discuss her concerns, worries, doubts, and fears. Let her express her feelings so that she can process her emotions. Realize that her feelings may completely change from one minute to the next. No matter what, let her know that you’re there for her.
Offer Encouragement
As your best friend processes her feelings and emotions, she will need to decide what to do next. This is one of the most significant decisions your friend will make in her life. Even if a large support system surrounds her, it’s not uncommon for your friend to feel alone. Do your best to encourage and support her through the ups and downs.
It’s important to realize that your best friend is probably getting a lot of unsolicited advice from the baby’s father, her parents, and other adults in her life. Be a source of comfort and encouragement rather than another opinion. Help her find the information she needs to explore her options thoroughly.
Be Patient
Pregnancy is a life-changing experience. Your best friend needs someone patient. She also needs a judgment-free space she can go to discuss her options. Be patient when you talk with her. As she considers all her options; termination of pregnancy, parenting, and adoption, she needs someone patient.
Even if you get frustrated with the back and forth, be supportive and understanding. Regardless of what you think, try your best not to make statements that make her feel guilty or uncertain. Expressing your opinion might make you feel better at first, but it likely won’t help your friend. Remember, she is also dealing with a significant change in her hormones. You don’t want to say anything that will negatively impact your friendship.
Know the Options
Aside from having a space to express her feelings, your friend needs resources and support during this time. Take some time to explore your friend’s options, so you can offer information as she makes a decision. As she considers her options, support her in finding valuable resources to answer any questions.
There will undoubtedly be questions that come up, and it’s okay not to know the answers. Adoption agencies like the Texas Adoption Center can help you find the answers to your friend’s most pressing questions. If she needs someone to talk to, offer her a ride or go with her to an appointment.
Help with Planning
When you find out your best friend is pregnant, there is a lot of planning. Whether she chooses adoption, termination, or parenting, she’ll need a lot of support with planning over the next several months. She will also need even more help if the father isn’t agreeable to her decisions. He is most likely going through his own emotions and needs his own resources and support at this time.
From cleaning her apartment to taking her for lunch, check in to see what she needs. Offer your support where and when you can, and help her get things in order as she moves through each phase of her pregnancy. While your friendship might change, your love for your bestie will remain. Do your best to show her that she is loved and she isn’t alone.
Contact The Texas Adoption Center for Additional Support
Finding out your best friend is pregnant is a life-changing experience. While you can do everything in your power to support her, you won’t always have the answers to her questions. Texas Adoption Center has helped countless young women navigate their pregnancy journey.
We’re here to empower women to choose their next step with confidence. For more guidance and support as you help your friend through this new journey, contact the Texas Adoption Center. You can also give us a call at (512) 893-7943.
