Arianna’s Pregnancy Story

I was in a toxic relationship and unhappy. When I found out I was pregnant I was thinking, this can’t be true. I need to figure out what I’m going to do right away. I thought, I’m absolutely not ready to have a baby. I’m not ready to be a mom. I was dead set on having an abortion. I looked up the nearest Planned Parenthood, and the waiting list was too long so I kept looking to find the nearest clinic to help me “fix my problem”.

Instead, I found Real Options and had a sonogram. I heard the heartbeat and saw the flicker on the screen. I will never forget that for the rest of my life. Before having Real Options educate me, I didn’t think I would change my mind. They didn’t tell me what to do, they told me the truth. I even filled out the paper marking abortion. But after they told me the truth about when life begins and I saw the heartbeat, that changed everything.

They cared about me as a person. They remembered my name. I don’t think Planned Parenthood would ever recognize me and know the impact they had on my life. But the people here know me on a first name basis and every time that I needed someone, I could call Real Options.

I was paired with a mentor and Real Options provided me with a crib, car seat, stroller, diapers-everything I needed. There is something so beautiful in this journey and getting to experience having my son and holding him-there’s nothing like it. He is my little best friend and such a blessing. He is so funny and energetic. I came from being at rock bottom and having nothing, thinking how could I provide to having everything my son needed and more.