Teenage pregnancy can harm your teenage girl’s future if not we’ll handled. It can also result in forced marriage, lack of graduation from college, and social discrimination from society.Teenage Pregnancy- A 16 year old pregnant girlI Believe you have plans for your teenager. Normally, the day you learned that she was pregnant, your heart was filled with a lot of sadness, despair, and disappointment.

Your Initial Reaction

Although it’s normal to be upset, refrain from anger and accept the situation as it is. Talk to your closest friend or a family member, who will help you calm down from the initial shock.

Indeed, your daughter may be in shock, guilty or depressed. Perhaps, her peers are already judging her as someone immoral and irresponsible. teenage pregnancy should not be treated in the same way as immorality.

The worst thing you can do to her at this time is scold or kick her out of your home. She needs you most as her parent.

Also, she might feel confused about whether to keep the pregnancy a secret. If you punish her, she may end up committing suicide.

Luckily, this article provides you with 7 incredible ways to manage teenage pregnancy. They include;

1. Teenage Pregnancy? Be Supportive

As I said earlier, your daughter may not be sure of what she wants. She is scared of keeping the pregnancy and going for an abortion as well.

You are the mother/father and you need to reassure her of your unconditional love. She needs you more than ever.

Help her eat healthy, exercise her body, and be stress-free. This is good for proper baby development. She is too young to know all these details. It’s upon you to guide her and be there in her pregnancy journey.

Moreover, make her aware of the body changes to expect so that she doesn’t feel ashamed and confused. Teenagers are at a greater risk of anemia, high blood pressure, or even premature birth. This calls for closer attention to her diet and exercises.

2. Talk to Her on Teenage Pregnancy

Sometimes, it might be difficult to talk to her especially if the two of you are not very close. In such a case, find her someone to talk to( a close friend or a counselor). Let her say what her plans are. She might be planning on getting married to the father of the unborn child or aborting the baby.

However, give her proper advice. she needs to understand that becoming pregnant does not mean getting married. On the other hand, having an abortion is not good for her. She might die in the process.

However, you can agree with the father of the child, to jointly help in bringing up the baby when it is born. They don’t have to be married for them to take care of the child.

3. Focus On the Future and Not Teenage Pregnancy

Normally, you ask yourself how and when this happened. You feel like you have failed as a mother/ father. In addition, you blame yourself for everything.

The mess is already done and blaming yourself cannot reverse anything. It’s time to build on your daughter’s future and that of her kid.

First, let her understand that education is the key to a successful life. Encourage her to finish school after the birth of the baby. This will enable her to be independent and be able to take care of her child afterward.

Furthermore, she needs to understand that she is the real mother to the unborn child while you are the grandmother. No matter what, she must take care of her child, of course, with your help.

Sometimes it might be important to talk to the father of the unborn child. He might push your daughter into marriage. Convince him to wait till she completes her education

4. Book her for pre-natal clinics

Although your daughter ought to take care of her child herself she doesn’t have any financial ability. It will be your responsibility to meet any medical bills and help her schedule her next clinic. By so doing, she will feel appreciated and loved.

Guide her through the prenatal clinics and ensure that she takes the vitamins as prescribed by the doctor. A pregnant woman must take vitamins and folic acid supplements which are good for the baby. Read more tips on pregnancy from my previous post.

5. Give her post-natal Support

It’s advisable to provide all that your daughter requires after the baby is born. Guide her through the delivery process or how she should prepare for the incoming baby.

Alternatively, you can ask a close family member to prepare her through the whole delivery process. After the baby is born, consider, taking care of your grandchild so that your daughter continues with her education. Children are a gift from God and sooner or later you will love the baby like your very own.

Finally, encourage her to go to Post-natal clinics herself because she will be taken through basic sex education.

How Then Can You Prevent Teenage Pregnancy?

Pregnancy in teens can be avoided if you observe the following;

1. Offer advice

If you have never established a good relationship with your daughter, don’t worry because it’s never too late. Girls will always want to have a close relationship with their parents. Build a strong relationship between you and her. Later, this will build the freedom for her to ask any question about sex.

Assist her in setting clear goals and understanding the importance of education. Equally, help her master new skills during your leisure time. Perhaps, she might want to know whether it’s ok to have a boyfriend, or even if she can abstain from Sex without hurting the partner. Whenever she asks such sex-related questions, be open and honest so that she can build her trust in you.

2. Supervise and Monitor Her Activities

As a parent, you have to be extra careful with your girl. Watch her every move and know where she is at all times. If she is not with you, then whom is she with? Ensure she moves with responsible people who will watch over her well. Discourage people who will influence her negatively or take advantage of her. Be careful with relatives too as some of them are not to be trusted.

When I was a teenager, my parents would not permit me to visit my friends. They also discouraged me from attending any of my friend’s parties. Initially, I felt heartbroken but later In life, I realized how right they were. 

I thank God for them because their restriction prevented me from the wrong company. likewise, be careful with your girl. Keep her busy with some house chores for her to do. Remember, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

3. Know Her Friends

Welcome her friends at home and talk to them from time to time. let them understand that it’s too early for them to start dating. As a parent, discourage friends that you feel are not good enough for your daughter. For instance, do not allow her to hang out with friends who drink or smoke. They will influence her negatively.

At the same time, it would be beneficial if she hung out with friends who go to school. Refrain her from school dropouts. Watch them closely so that you can offer guidance where necessary. 

4. Give Proper Guidance- About Teenage Pregnancy

Help her to set proper goals in life. It’s worth noting that many opportunities are lost when one becomes pregnant. Therefore, emphasizes the need for education.

Encourage her to read during the school holidays. Guide her on Setting a timetable for reading and doing school homework.  She is motivated to read and hence will be more committed to schoolwork

However, some parents prefer to hire a tutor to help their teens with schoolwork. This will certainly help to keep your girl occupied for the better part of the day.

5. Control What She Watches on T. V and the internet

Children learn a lot from the internet and TV as well. However, be careful about the TV programs, or media that she gets from the internet. Some programs might have a bad influence on her life. She is in control over what she watches on TV or social media.

Conclusion

Finally, I hope this article has given you good tips on how to manage teenage pregnancy. Remember, if you don’t guide her well, she may become pregnant again.

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