(Baby Peterson at 9 weeks 3 days)

“Don’t tell anyone you’re pregnant until you reach the second trimester.” “Wait to share the news until the risk of miscarriage decreases in case anything happens.” “Don’t get too excited yet, you’re still not medically in the clear.”

These are a just a few of the comments people made when I found out I was expecting. These days, most people typically wait until the second trimester to share the exciting news with the public. I debated for weeks whether I should wait or make it public. It was something I was struggling with each day. I was so excited and couldn’t express it or share the news with anyone and it really began to weigh on me. The first several weeks of pregnancy left me extremely sick and fatigued but I had to hide it so no one would know. The more pressure I felt about keeping my pregnancy a secret, the more worried I became. I found myself constantly fearful of losing my baby and it was the worst feeling living in a state of fear and anxiety.

I finally decided to share the news at almost 9 weeks. I came to the conclusion that if I happened to be one of the 1 in 12 pregnancies that ended in miscarriage, I would rather have the support of others. Miscarriage is such a terrible thing and no one should have to experience going through it alone. The power of prayer is amazing and I know that I would personally want the prayer, support and encouragement of family and friends if anything were to happen. I believe that the moment your baby has a heartbeat, only 10 days after conception, you become a parent. There is another beating heart inside of me that isn’t my own. I recognize that heartbeat as another human being and when you share the news of your pregnancy, I believe you are validating that life and for me that was so important. We need a stronger community to support women who deal with miscarriages, infertility, etc.

I have had problems my entire life and was lead to believe that I would not get pregnant for a long time, but my God is so much greater and He had other plans for us! I knew that after receiving this precious miracle, there was a reason behind it and I wanted to share the good news rather than being fearful and keeping everything private.

I am almost 15 weeks now and my child is already bigger than the size of a lemon! I really enjoy following along with the weekly progression and growth of the baby. The miracle of life is absolutely astonishing to me. With all of the sadness that is going on in the world and everything that is happening with Planned Parenthood, I just can’t help but have a broken heart for these mommies and precious babies. By now, my baby has developed his or her own finger prints. The very thing that physically gives us our own identity and distinguishes us from one another, my baby already has. To me that means that child has their very own identity in this world- so amazing! If my baby is a girl, she already has millions of eggs in her ovaries! How one could deny that this is a legitimate life and a human being with a purpose, I do not understand.

Unfortunately, this is such a sad and cruel world that we are living in. There are people who do evil things and think that it is perfectly okay to discard human life as if it is something that we were given the authority to steal as we please. However, I am also a strong believer in supporting young women and girls who deal with unplanned pregnancy and the uncertainty of keeping the child. I believe that we need to have a stronger support system for our children and raise them knowing that there is a risk in becoming pregnant when you are sexually active and that there is no way to prevent pregnancy 100% other than abstinence. I also believe that we need to teach our young boys how to be men that are respectful and the importance of being a father who is active in his child’s life when the day comes. We can make a difference by starting at home with our own children and being there to love on others who may not have that example in their own lives at home.

God is so gracious and merciful and although our actions may break His heart, we are never too far from redemption. I do not condemn those who may have had an abortion or considered getting one, but I do want for those women to know that there is another way if you are not capable of raising a child on your own. Many families would love to have a child but cannot and perhaps you can give them that special gift. My father was adopted so this touches my heart deeply. His birth mother gave him the opportunity to leave his finger print on this world and he certainly has. He was raised by a wonderful couple who longed to adopt a precious boy; and that boy grew into a man who has touched the lives of many.

If you or someone you know is dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, please feel free to send me an email and I would love to be there for prayer and support. You can also reach out to someone and receive free confidential counseling 24/7 at 1-800-712-HELP(4357).

xo, Alyssa