26 May 2015

Society's Stigma Against Unplanned Pregnancies

Today I read a horrible article about the body of a baby that was found in the rubbish.

For those that don't know, there is currently a taxi strike going in the Durban CBD.

This strike involves among others, taxi drivers and operators flinging dirt and rubbish bins across the road; and this is when the discover was made.

Among the dirt in the rubbish bin was a decomposed body of a child, reported to be a couple of months old. The child was only found because the body was unknowingly flung across the road together with the rest of the dirt.

Motorists, who would have also thought it was just dirt on the road, proceeded to drive over the child's body. Paramedics on scene said that it was one of the most horrific things they had seen.

Stories like this, which are 'hot off the press', bring a lot of questions.

One could ask how long the baby's body had been in the bin?

How come no one had realised the smell or stench of a decomposing body?

And one question in particular would be, was the child killed by a parent or relative?

That last question has stuck with me and has inspired me to write this post.

If the parent had killed this child, was it because it was an unplanned pregnancy?

Could the parent not afford to take care of this child?

There are a lot of issues that come flooding when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

I know, because I had an unplanned pregnancy.

My husband and I had been dating for a while and we were actually planning to have a small wedding ceremony that year, when I found out I was pregnant.

The first thing that came to mind was, what will everyone say, having a child out of wedlock?
Image Credit: Google Images
Society is such, that it has engrained in us what is right and wrong in the world.

I too thought of whether I'd be financially stable to bring a child into this world.

I also thought about whether I'd be able to handle the stresses and challenges that come with being a parent, and that at a young age.

But thankfully with a good support system I was able to get through my pregnancy, and am a mum to a beautiful little girl.

But not everyone is as fortunate to have a support structure.

So if you are an expectant parent or know of someone that has an unexpected pregnancy and isn't sure what to do, here are a few things to consider:

*Speak about it. It's not always good to keep things bottled up inside. Once you start speaking you find some of the weight lifted off your shoulders.

*Speak to someone that is close to you, but that will also give you the opportunity to express yourself without shutting you down.

*If you are going to antenatal classes at your local clinic, speak to the nurses about your situation. They may be able to advise you further or refer you to another professional.

*Visit your local welfare office and speak to social workers who will be able to advise you on your situation.

*If you honestly feel like you cannot handle being a parent, speak to them about other options such as adoption.

*And lastly, always remember that you always have a choice. And while you may feel like you are all alone in the world, there are people out there that are willing to help.

Society will always judge and speak ill of situations, but you have to keep your head high and take each day as it comes.

There's a scripture in the Bible that reads, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her," and this is so true in the world we live in.

We all have our flaws and weaknesses, but instead of kicking each other when we're down, let's help each other up.

1 comment:

  1. Our way is unplanned and our path is unknown. Yet our journey is made whole when we travel as one. see the link below for more info.


    #unplanned
    www.ufgop.org



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