How long can a young woman be in our programs?
Young women come into the program at different stages of their pregnancy. We work with each young woman on their plan for after delivery, whether that is to remain in the programs at Christian Life Home or move to another plan. If a young woman chooses to place for adoption, she is encouraged to return to Christian Life Home for an extended stay, depending on her situation, to receive healthy grief counseling and make plans for the next steps.
If I come to the home, do I have to place my baby for adoption?
No. We do not encourage or suggest what you should do with your baby. Parenting or placing for adoption is your decision. It is our job to give you truthful information about both options and challenge your thoughts in those areas.
If I decide to place my baby for adoption, will you help me find a couple?
We are not an adoption agency ~ We can refer you to several adoption agencies who will walk you through the process. We will be there for you as support through it all.
Do I have to live in Raleigh in order to come to the home?
You may live anywhere in NC or in another state.
How long has Christian Life Home been around and how did it get started?
Christian Life Home began in 1985 by community individuals who wanted a safe place for young women to go during their pregnancy.
Can my family and friends visit me?
We encourage visits from the father of the baby, family and friends.
Can I be forced to come into the home?
You must make your own decision to come into the home.
How far along in my pregnancy do I need to be before I come?
The earlier you are admitted into the program, the better ~ so that you have more time to learn life-skills and attend all of the classes we provide.
When you thought of your daughter’s future, you probably never pictured her getting pregnant before she was happily married. But you have learned that she is pregnant now, and you are trying to sort out the many emotions you are feeling….angry, sad, scared, hurt, disappointed.
What you need to know is that how you feel now is not how you will feel forever. The roller coaster of emotions is normal and will pass in time.
What both you and your daughter need is to know that you are not alone in this. There is help for both of you and there is hope for the future. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your daughter is get her help and give both of you some space to deal with all the emotions and decisions ahead. Knowing your daughter is safe and being cared for is important to you. We are here to take care of her and be sure she gets excellent medical care, counseling, a healthy diet, and the life-skills she will need to succeed in life.
As your family looks toward the future, you face the reality that life will not be the same. It will be different, but life is not over. With help, you can embrace this change and prepare for it. Hard as it may be to believe, life will go on and can be better than you ever imagined.
Let us have the opportunity to explore with you whether Christian Life Home is the right place for your daughter during her pregnancy. Give us a call and come see what we have to offer. We have walked with many families as they have faced unplanned pregnancy, and we are here for you if this is the place for your daughter.
Finding out your girlfriend is pregnant may not be the news you wanted to hear. It can raise many emotions and questions. You both have many choices to make, but you don’t have to make them by yourself. You have time to get the information you need to make choices that you won’t regret years from now. This may be the most important decision you have ever had to make.
“What now?”
The most important thing you can do is to get the help you need to make decisions about your lives and to prepare for the arrival of the baby. Regardless of where your relationship is now or where it ends up, there is a baby coming and you need to prepare for what to do next. Discovering the answers to your questions is important, and we are here to help.
While in the process of making these decisions, your girlfriend and baby will have many needs. They need a safe place to live, good medical care, a healthy diet, and counseling. While we are taking care of both of them, you can be involved in making plans for the future. We will be here to listen to you and help you figure out where to go from here. During the months that your girlfriend is at CLH, you can focus on how you want to be involved in their lives. We are here for all three of you if you will allow us to be.
Here are a few tips on where to go next …
– Come with her to check out CLH and see if it is the right place for her
– Go together to talk with your parents
– Keep talking about how you are feeling and support her
– Don’t pressure her to terminate the pregnancy
– Work together to make a plan for your lives and the life of your baby
– Get the information you need to make informed decisions