Call Helpline: 913.962.0200

Month: October 2023

“I’m Pregnant…Can I Do This Alone?”

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You didn’t get pregnant on your own, but things change…for lots of reasons, some beyond your control. Feeling alone is scary and can cause you to panic. If you’re alone now and wondering what to do, there are some important steps you should follow to move yourself from panic mode into decision mode.

Panic Mode

  • Slow down. Finding yourself alone while facing a stressful situation is scary! The panic you feel is understandable, but panic isn’t the best mental state for making life-altering decisions.
  • Tell someone. Look to the people around you for support: family, neighbors, church, community organizations. Telling just one other supportive person can give you a different perspective. You will need support no matter what you decide, so telling someone who loves you and whose opinion you respect is important.
  • Contact Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid). Call (913) 962-0200 or walk into our clinic at 10901 Granada Ln. in Overland Park. We’ll help you, at absolutely no cost to you, get started on the next phase: Information Gathering.

Information Gathering Mode

  • Get a medical-grade pregnancy test. Not all tests are created equal and there’s no substitute for a quality test read by a medical professional.
  • Get a limited ultrasound. This will provide important information that will tell you if your pregnancy is progressing normally. You have a right to see the ultrasound yourself.
  • Get details about all 3 of your options. Information about cost, long and short-term physical/emotional consequences, recovery, and available resources is vital to making a decision you can live with.

Decision Mode

  • Calmly evaluate all the information. Now that your emotional temperature has come down and you’ve gathered information, look at the pros and cons of your 3 choices and weigh them according to the impact they’ll have on your physical and emotional health.
  • Assemble a support system. This should be someone who loves you, whom you trust, and who is not in panic mode.
  • Consider the future. You may not have the support of a partner right now, but someday you might. What experiences will you bring to that relationship? Will those experiences help it or harm it? If you plan to have other children, how will your decisions today impact that future mother/child relationship?

Make a Decision

Realize that all mothers, even those with partners, can feel alone when it comes to carrying and caring for their babies. Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) wants to walk with you as you make this decision. We will provide honest, non-judgmental answers at every step along the way. No matter what you decide, we can help.

While this may be a hard time, your first move shouldn’t be. Just click the button and schedule a time to come see us that works for you. We’ll be waiting.

Book An Appointment

“I Can’t Have This Baby!” When There Are Just Too Many Challenges

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As a Social Worker at Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid), this is one of the most frequent reasons I hear from women who feel like they can’t have their baby. When meeting with them, I start by encouraging them to slow down and really think about their options. They don’t have to make a life-changing decision in a spur of the moment panic. They have time to think about how life might be different in a few months or a few years. 

The problems of today most often are not the problems of the next few years if they receive solid help. 

Many women, whether they are single moms, have a partner, or are married, feel like they just can’t afford one more child. They feel overwhelmed and can’t imagine how they could have the energy or finances to support one more. 

We start with where she is right now and the obstacles she is currently facing.

Does she have a child with special needs right now? Does she need proper funding and support to help that child and get respite care that gives some wiggle room and space to breathe? Does she need a better job or childcare? 

We work to make sure she gets connected with all of the programs for which she is eligible to receive medical insurance. Often, she is eligible for programs such as SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid. We help her get connected with an OB to make sure she is receiving prenatal care. Does she need counseling related to a mental health concern or past trauma? We connect her with a counselor that fits her needs and her financial situation. Does she have legal needs associated with her immigration status in the U.S. or another pending concern? We work to get her connected with a lawyer for a consultation and make a plan of action. Is domestic violence a concern?  We work on a safety plan with her and continue to assist the family through our Care Management program. 

As we help her tackle each challenge one by one, many clients begin to hope for a better life, not only for the child in her womb, but her entire family.

Here at Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid), we care deeply about the women who come through our doors. We believe that telling women that they CAN’T do something, and then encouraging them to make a decision based on that, just isn’t very empowering to women!

In fact, we believe that with the resources we can provide, and the support we can give, women actually CAN do the hard thing (especially when she finds out all that is available to her).

The main point here is . . . don’t make a decision until you know all that is available to you. You don’t have to rush. Just come talk to us. No pressure at all on our side. No judgment.

Book An Appointment