You may feel very alone when you find out that you are pregnant. You may be scared or worried about telling some about your pregnancy, especially your parents, family or other loved ones. But, it is important to talk to an adult who you trust so that you can get their support, because it can be very hard to make decisions on your own about your pregnancy or caring for your baby.

The longer you keep your pregnancy a secret, the more alone, overwhelmed and worried you could become. Once you have told someone, you can get support with the decisions you need to make, and you will not feel so alone.

It is also important to book for antenatal care at a midwife obstetric unit or maternity hospital as soon as you can. This is very important for your own health, and the health of your baby. Staff at the antenatal clinic may also be able to provide you with support and information to help you make the best decisions for you.

If you have decided to keep your baby, you will be adjusting to becoming a mother over the next few months. It is empowering for you and your baby to start bonding. This means developing a good relationship with your baby, even before you meet him or her!

You could start keeping a journal of your thoughts during your pregnancy and about your baby. In your journal, you could start imaging what your baby will be like, and what kind of mother you would like to be to your child.

Remember, your baby can hear you as he or she grows inside of you, so talk and sing to your baby. This helps your relationship grow. Notice when and how your baby moves inside of you. You can start to tell when your baby sleeps and wakes up. There are many ways for you to get to know your baby during your pregnancy.

Get to know your baby during your pregnancy

• Start a journal where you write down your thoughts and feelings about your baby during your pregnancy.
• Sing and talk to your baby.
• When does your baby move? Do you think he or she is waking up, or sleeping?
• Can you think of other ways to bond with your baby?

See the section “Why is bonding so important?”