i was a 24-year-old single mom of a five-year-old when i found out i was pregnant despite precautionary measures.
i was living with a relative and their child. me and my daughter shared a room and a bed. we relied on others for transportation.
i could barely afford to feed and clothe her, how could i possibly add another to the mix? what about adoption? working two jobs and taking care of a kindergartener was exhausting enough…and what if the family member putting me up found out how “irresponsible” i was?
how do you explain to a five-year-old that “there’s a baby growing in mommy, but mommy can’t afford to care for you, much less another, so were going to give it away”. so with everyone’s best interest in mind, i chose abortion.
because i was able to terminate my pregnancy, i did not have to endure 9 long months of nausea and fatigue while trying to work multiple jobs and take care of my child. my daughter was able to receive almost as much attention as she so deserved, without the stress of a mystery sibling, and a fetus never had to experience life in poverty, or the confusing world of adoption.