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Finding Out You're Pregnant: American Parent's Stories

Published On
14 Feb, 2023
Read Time
9 minutes

When you first discover that you're pregnant, you might feel happy, excited, shocked, confused, or upset.

The truth is, there's no right way to feel when you see a positive pregnancy test, and everybody is different! We've spoken to real parents and asked them to tell us how they really felt when they found out they were pregnant.

"When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, we had been trying for a few months.

We worked 10-12 hour days in the hot summer sun and lived in a camper for the summer. I had already been feeling some symptoms and was crossing my fingers big time! I couldn't wait for my husband to be there, so I took the test in the camper on my break and literally jumped for joy when it had two pink lines!

The hardest part was staying quiet and waiting all day to finish working and have some time alone to tell him the news!"

Nancy's Story

"I came home from work and something told me to take a pregnancy test. I had always kept some around because we had been trying for 14 years!

I truly believed I couldn't get pregnant so that's what I told people, and we'd come to terms with it. We were also currently in the process to become foster parents.

When my test came out positive, I was shocked and didn't believe it. I text my husband who cried then he brought three more tests home for me to try. They were all positive. We were over the moon, but I wasn't 100% convinced until I went to the doctor, and they confirmed it too.

We are still over the moon and he's eight months old!"

Evelyn's Story

"I was shocked and overwhelmed when I found out. We were barely talking about the possibility of having babies, and next thing you know I'm pregnant.

We hadn't planned it, not really, not completely.

I was terrified at first when I found out, then in shock, then overwhelmed. There were so many things we needed to do before a having a baby, and we were going to have to rush through it to be at least decently prepared for a baby. Once the shock passed, I was ecstatic that we were so fortunate to be able to have a baby without complications.

Now, I'm in a constant panic mode, but I guess that comes from being a mom and trying to do what's best for my baby."

Kerry's Story

"I still remember the day so vividly. I was two days late for my period. No big deal, right? Except, I just had a feeling I wasn't just late. I told my boyfriend, and we went to the store and got two pregnancy tests.

I kept telling myself, no, I can't be, it will all be fine, and we'll laugh about it when it comes back as negative.

Test number one was positive. I got so worried and convinced myself that it was just a cheap test and it was likely wrong, so an hour later I took the second. Again, positive. My boyfriend was getting excited. But me? I was terrified but had a tiny bit of excitement refusing to show.

I was only 20, my boyfriend was 22. We both still lived with our parents and had only been together for around 15 months. We were both the 'babies' of our families, and I was just so worried, a million thoughts going through my mind. What will people think? Where will we live? We're still so young!

Still, I refused to believe these tests, the next day we went and bought two more tests. The ones that also show how far along you are. All five tests taken, all positive and indicating that I was three weeks pregnant.

I spent a long while crying, just thinking of living arrangements and what people will say. My boyfriend on the other hand was over the moon! Deep-down, so was I... I had always dreamed of being a mum and had it not been the fact that we were young and still living with parents, my reaction would have been so much more positive.

After we told our families, they were so excited and supportive. We ended up moving into our own home when I was six months pregnant. All that worrying for absolutely nothing! Things all work out in the end.

Our baby boy is now 10 months old, we have our own little home, and everything couldn't have worked out much better."

Emily's Story

"When I found out I was pregnant, let's say it was a bit of shock! We were not trying at all for a baby, I don't like the word accident as it makes her feel unloved, but I guess that's what it was.

My partner and I had been together for four years at this point, we were buying a house, a new car and had the trip of a lifetime planned to Thailand as well as my best friend's hen do and wedding. I'm not ashamed to say I burst into tears and felt terrified as I was very excited for our year ahead.

Turns out this pregnancy was a blessing in disguise. My mum, who had recently passed away, was a midwife and had left me a letter detailing pregnancy, babies and birth and it helped me feel close to her.

We still had a fantastic year and changed our trip to Thailand for an all-inclusive five-star resort in Rhodes instead!

After a very easy pregnancy, our little girl ended up arriving nine weeks early. Overall we spent 84 days in hospital. There was a stay in ICU for me and one major surgery for her, then finally we were all home safe and well. It was a bit crazy to say the least!"

Kirsten's Story

"This pregnancy was totally unplanned. So, when I found out, I honestly felt that my life was over. I was working as a nurse and feeling like I was at the peak of my life. In my mind I was going to have kids when I turned 40 or never.

I was having a gut feeling that something was different with my body. I went ahead and took a pregnancy test because something kept telling me that I was pregnant. And as soon as I saw the double lines, I screamed so hard my husband almost dropped the plates he was washing.

Ironically his best friend called him, who is a psychiatrist, and as we told him the news, he thought we were joking around. Then he heard me crying and realized it was true. He helped us internalize the news.

We then told my parents and they immediately connected with my unborn baby and told me this was destined to happen and to look at this baby as a blessing.

I knew how to take care of adults - even those whose hearts stop. But how do I take care of a helpless baby who can't talk to me?

Here I am now, eight months after pushing and what I once thought was going to stop my future, is now my whole world and joy. He has been the motivation for me to go through anything and in fact gave me purpose.

Ever since then I found passion in reaching out to pregnant women and even more to those who are post-partum. I volunteer at a pregnancy centre and help counsel women who have crisis pregnancy. My baby is now my world."