Experiencing an unexpected pregnancy can be a scary, isolating experience. Life is suddenly full of uncertainties, questions, and decisions that need to be made without a lot of information to help make them. Without a solid support system in place, it can feel almost impossible.
That’s why Two Lines Pregnancy Clinic helps clients through their pregnancy and beyond—they want to see families thrive. By helping mothers and families establish a support system for themselves apart from Two Lines, they set families up for long-term success both practically and emotionally.
We sat down with Daniel Nichols, Education Manager at Two Lines Pregnancy Clinic, to talk about what a good support system looks like, why it’s important, and how Two Lines can help.
What is your role at Two Lines?
Daniel: As Education Manager, I supervise a few different education programs that we offer. One is through our clinic for clients who are going through pregnancy for the first time. Pregnancy involves a lot of changes, and there’s a lot to brace yourself for and a lot to learn. We’re there to walk with moms and dads through their first pregnancy.
Our flagship parenting class is called Connections, a two-year program for clients who are expecting a baby or who have just had their baby. We meet once a week, talk about life skills, and connect them with each other and community resources.
Why is it important for Two Lines clients to develop a network of support?
There’s an old adage—it takes a village to raise a child. I personally have two young kids, and I can’t imagine raising them and being isolated or alone. Having people around who know you, can talk to you, make you feel normal—that’s really valuable.
A lot of women come to us feeling very isolated. They have very little support in their life, and so we want to help them build that support as much as possible. Those early years are very important. There’s a lot of learning and a lot of life that happens in that really short window of time. People need to feel like they’re supported, like they have a plan and people they can turn to for the questions they’ll face as parents.
How does Two Lines’ Connections class offer this kind of support to clients?
It’s very purposely called Connections, because that’s our goal in a lot of ways. First and foremost, we want to help people connect with the Lord. Connections isn’t a Bible study, but we believe strongly that the Bible offers helpful, wise advice and tools to help raise kids.
We also want to help people connect with each other. For young moms and dads, it goes a long way just knowing there are other people around them in a similar position going through the same things. We create space for them to connect with each other so they can talk, share tips, and be honest about the struggles of that stage of life. They become a resource to each other. It’s awesome to see the friendships that develop over the course of the class.
Finally, we want to connect them to people in the community. We’ll bring in guest speakers as often as we can to teach a class related to their background. These could be people who are either professionals or who are just really skilled in a certain area, like finances, tax prep, nutrition, meal planning, parenting styles, personal emotional regulation, and more. These people often become known resources for the clients, so they know after they leave our program that they have a connection to someone if a question comes up in a certain area.
What is the goal for clients after their two years in Connections is finished?
The maximum amount of time we’ll be with a client is about three years, and that’s if they come to us near the start of their pregnancy and complete two years in the Connections class. Those are really important years, but really it’s a very small window of time in the grand scheme of things.
In Connections, we want to do everything we can to equip these parents with some of the skills they might need. We want you to feel like you’re doing something well for your family—that you have a plan and that you’re prepared for some of the things that your kids may go through. Even something as simple as potty training—that has to happen at some point, and there are a surprising number of layers to it. We want to equip people with as many tools and resources as possible when we have them.
Right here at the start when so much learning happens, we want to set them up for success as much as we can. And a big part of that success is having people around you—people you know, people you can call, someone to answer questions, someone who will be there when you’re in need. Both having a supportive village around you and experts you can call when you need help—that’s just so important.
Aside from family and friends, who should be a part of this network of support?
It’s definitely important to know about local professional resources—even for practical things like car repair, finances, taxes. But it’s also important to take care of your mental health. We have some counseling services that we’ve been able to point clients towards. Whether it be marriage counseling or personal counseling, having someone you can trust is so valuable. Even these days, there can be a stigma around needing to go to counseling or therapy. We want to normalize the idea of having someone to talk to.
We also talk with our clients in the education programs about medical resources and providers. Pediatricians, specialists, speech language professionals—we share resources with them so if they encounter something in their child’s life, they’ll know where to look.
We also encourage connecting with a local church and can help clients get connected there. There are a lot of churches in the area that are really great for growing families, and many of them offer resources and opportunities for further help on parenting, growing friendships, and maturing as an individual in this season of life.
How else does Two Lines help clients build their village?
Our social workers make such a difference in our clients’ lives. We have two social workers, and every one of our clients is eligible to continue meeting a social worker after their baby is born. They do a lot of help building that network.
Our social workers have helped families in really hard situations. Single moms who didn’t have much money but needed a safe place to stay. Families with multiple children who were in danger of being evicted because they couldn’t afford rent. Our social workers are very well connected with places in the community who can help our clients—especially those experiencing times of high need.
Are there resources available for Spanish-speaking clients?
Yes! One of our social workers speaks Spanish, and we offer a Connections class specifically for Spanish-speaking families as well. We understand that the unique needs of families who speak Spanish go beyond just language, so we’ll bring in people to speak to those needs as well—things like immigration issues, documentation issues, and navigating medical care.
What advice would you give someone experiencing an unexpected pregnancy in building this kind of support network?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. At this stage, it’s so important to ask for help if you need it. So, be willing to put yourself out there, be vulnerable if you’re struggling—for the sake of your child. You can’t let the insecurity of asking for help keep you from doing that, for the sake of your kid.
Also, ask questions. As a parent, you have a responsibility to be involved and to learn, and not to abdicate responsibility to people. More than anyone else in this world, you are going to have the best interests of your child at heart. You can delegate responsibility for your kid’s medical care, developmental milestones and things like that, but don’t abdicate it to just anyone. You are your child’s biggest cheerleader, biggest advocate, but also biggest protector.
Finally, put yourself out there. Especially in a digital world, there’s a hesitancy to reach out and build connections with other people, but it’s so important to build relationships. It’s easier to just sit back and be passive about it, but stepping out to build the kind of social environment you need is so worth it. And reach out to us—we can help!
If you or someone you know is experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, or if you’ve just had a baby, Two Lines Pregnancy Clinic can help you build the support system you need for your family. Explore our website or schedule an appointment today to learn more about the help and resources available at Two Lines.