Skip to content
A little help for your little one.
SleepBaby.org

Navigating Uncertainty: I’m Pregnant and I Don’t Know if I Want to Keep It

By Kacey BaileyUpdated
Woman studies a positive pregnancy test while a counselor listens with open hands in a private room.
Uncertainty after a positive pregnancy test deserves accurate information, time to think, and support that does not pressure the decision in either direction.

Discovering that you’re pregnant can bring a wave of emotions, especially if the pregnancy is unplanned or unexpected. If you find yourself thinking, “I’m pregnant and I don’t know if I want to keep it,” know that you are not alone. This article aims to help you explore your feelings and understand the resources available to you during this challenging time.

Understanding Your Feelings

It’s completely normal to have mixed feelings about your pregnancy. Whether it’s fear, confusion, shock, or even a combination of all these emotions, what you’re feeling is valid. It’s crucial to give yourself the space to process these emotions and make an informed decision about your next steps.

Exploring Your Options

Parenthood

Choosing to become a parent is a significant decision that comes with its unique set of joys and challenges. Consider whether you’re ready for the emotional, physical, and financial responsibilities of raising a child.

Adoption

If you’re not ready to become a parent but don’t want to terminate the pregnancy, consider adoption. There are various types of adoption processes, and you can choose the one that feels right for you.

Abortion

If you feel that continuing with the pregnancy isn’t the right choice for you at this time, it’s okay. Abortion is a legal option, and there are safe and supportive environments where you can have this procedure.

Seeking Support

Talking to people you trust about your situation can help. This could be a partner, family, friends, or a mental health professional. There are also many organizations that offer resources and counseling services to help you navigate this challenging time.

Is It Normal to Feel Like You Don’t Want Your Baby?

It’s completely normal to have mixed feelings upon learning you’re pregnant, especially if the pregnancy is unplanned. You might experience confusion, fear, or even regret. These feelings don’t make you a bad person—they simply mean you’re human and trying to make the best decision for your situation.

Can Pregnancy Make You Want to Be Alone?

Yes, some women experience a desire for solitude during pregnancy due to hormonal changes, emotional stress, or grappling with the reality of an unexpected pregnancy.

Exploring Your Options

What to Do if I’m Pregnant and Don’t Want to Keep It?

If you’re sure you don’t want to continue with the pregnancy, you have options, including adoption or abortion. It’s crucial to consult with a healthcare professional or a counselor who can provide unbiased, judgement-free guidance.

Is It OK Not to Want a Baby?

Absolutely. The decision to have a child is deeply personal and dependent on a wide range of factors, including your life circumstances, financial stability, emotional readiness, and personal beliefs.

Will I Regret Not Having a Child?

Regret is a deeply personal emotion and varies from person to person. If you’re unsure about your decision, consider seeking counseling or support from a trusted source to help you explore your feelings.

Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy

How Does Unwanted Pregnancy Affect the Mother?

An unwanted pregnancy can lead to a range of emotional responses, including anxiety, depression, and stress. It can also bring financial and relationship challenges.

What Are 3 Effects of Unwanted Pregnancy?

Unwanted pregnancies can lead to mental health issues, relationship strain, and economic instability. However, resources are available to help manage these challenges.

What Is the Divorce Rate After Unplanned Pregnancy?

While exact rates vary, studies indicate that couples with unplanned pregnancies may face increased stress, which can affect relationship stability. That said, many couples successfully navigate this challenge with communication, understanding, and support.

How Many Couples Stay Together After Unplanned Pregnancy?

There’s no definitive answer, as it depends on various factors, including the strength of the relationship before the pregnancy, support systems, and how both partners respond to the situation.

Why Do Men Change During Pregnancy?

Men also experience changes when they learn they’re going to be fathers—be it planned or unplanned. They may feel anxiety about the future, financial pressure, or worry about their ability to be a good father, which might change their behavior.

Preventing Unplanned Pregnancy

What Is the Biggest Cause of Unwanted Pregnancy?

Unwanted pregnancies often result from a lack of or ineffective use of contraceptives, contraceptive failure, or lack of sexual education.

What Is the Failure Rate of Birth Control?

The failure rate varies depending on the type of birth control. For example, the contraceptive pill has a failure rate of about 7% with typical use.

How SleepBaby.org Can Help

Amidst the challenges of decision-making and the emotional upheaval, it’s essential to take care of yourself. This includes maintaining a healthy sleep routine, which is even more crucial during pregnancy. This is where SleepBaby.org comes into the picture.

SleepBaby.org offers valuable insights and tips on establishing healthy sleep patterns. Whether you’re dealing with pregnancy-related sleep disturbances or looking for general sleep health information, you’ll find a wealth of resources at SleepBaby.org. The better your sleep quality, the more effectively you can handle stress and make clear-headed decisions.

Conclusion

Remember, it’s your body, and the decision you make needs to be right for you. Whatever choice you make, know that there is support available. From counseling services to resources like SleepBaby.org, you don’t have to navigate this challenging time alone.

Little questions. Thoughtful next steps.

Back to the top ↑

The SleepBaby.org Workshop

A little help for the nights, too.

Explore the workshop below

The SleepBaby.org Workshop

Your baby won't sleep.

Yet again. You're tired. You feel helpless – desperate to help your baby sleep...

And yet, you need to get up because it hurts your heart to hear your baby cry.

Digital workshop · Three included bonuses

A parent and baby spending time together outdoors

A little help. A lot of love.

Hi, I'm Kacey! I'm about to show you a scientific approach to help your baby fall asleep.

Digital workshopOne-time purchase
Three included bonusesMusic & more
60-day guaranteeSee the details below

Inside the workshop

Introducing a New Way to Help Your Baby Sleep...

The scientific sleep methods used in the SleepBaby.org Workshop can help to finally solve your child's sleeping problems once and for all! Additionally, parents are able to quickly implement our best practices as the information is easy to digest and follow. 

However, before I tell you more about the practices you'll use, please be warned: If you are looking for an instant “magic pill" fix, I would advise that our baby sleep workshop is not for you.

Why? There are some simple steps you’ll need to follow and employ over the course of a few days.

What You'll Discover Using the SleepBaby.org Workshop:

  • Why you should never nurse or rock your toddler to sleep... and what to do instead!
  • The secret of refilling your child’s love tank and keeping him/her off breakdown lane for good.
  • How to release your ch​​​​ild's built-up anxiety in 5 minutes flat.
  • The 7-steps to put any baby to sleep... even if he/she is cranky, clingy, and everything else failed!
  • The California Institute of Technology’s surprising trick to boost your child’s secret sleep hormone to doze-off levels (100% drug-free and safe at any age)
  • ...and much, much more!

Included with your workshop

More than just sleep. You get 3 FREE bonuses!

Baby Sleep Music — included bonus
1

Baby Sleep Music

You may have heard about sounds designed just for babies. I've received countless success stories about these weird, yet amazingly effective sounds. You can’t buy them in any shop. Even if you could, they’d likely cost around $100. But today, as of right now, they are included in our sleep solution!

Night Terror Stopper — included bonus
2

Night Terror Stopper

The Cleveland Clinic (consistently ranked among the “Best Children’s Hospitals” by U.S. News and World Report) estimates that one of every two children suffer from nightmares so frightening, he/she wakes up screaming!

What’s even worse is this torture can be completely avoided since nightmares are a sign of unresolved fear your child experienced. In this free bonus, you’ll find simple steps that clear your child’s fears and allow him/her to sleep undisturbed and peacefully!

Double Trouble Sleeping Struggle — included bonus
3

Double Trouble Sleeping Struggle

This bonus is entirely dedicated to the sleep of twins and siblings. The twin birth rate in the United States rose 76% from 1980 through 2009! Wow! Even during that time, there was no real solution for the unique problem of getting two babies to sleep at the same time.  Double-Trouble Sleeping Struggle will give you the answer you crave and provide you with simple tips and tricks you can use today.

Your next step

Try It Today! No Risk, Sleep Guarantee!

The SleepBaby.org Workshop has helped thousands of families worldwide. I would be honored if you trusted me with the great responsibility of helping your baby sleep, too!

To ease your mind, a 60-Day Sleep Guarantee is included with every purchaseIf you're unsatisfied, simply contact us within the first 60 days for a same-day 100% refund. No questions asked.

This is a one-time charge for a digital download of the SleepBaby.org Workshop and three bonuses. Delivered instantly!

Click Here to Start

From the parent community

Real Parents. Real Results!

"My daughter now sleeps from 7pm to 6 or 6:30am every night."

“Thank you for this brilliant method. My daughter now sleeps from 7pm to 6 or 6:30am every night with almost no night wakings. And even if she wakes, it's usually just for a second and then she falls back asleep all on her own.

Most nights I get my 8 hours of sleep and it’s just wonderful! I really feel like I understand her little body and mind and can address her sleeping holistically. I can’t thank you enough, Kacey!”"

HELENE MOORE

London, UK

"I just completed your approach and it worked almost too well..."

"I just completed your program and I have to say, your method worked almost too well. Yes, it took a bit of getting used to with your bedtime routine, but the difference is huge! My son George used to take 1 hours to go down and now he's firmly asleep in no more than 10 minutes! You're the best!"

JAMES STANLEY

Sydney, Australia

"This made a huge difference in our life and my baby girl sleeps through the night now."

"For everyone who's still thinking about getting Kacey's sleep method, I want to advise you to go ahead. I wasn't sure myself, but now I'm so thankful I invested in this program. It made a huge difference in our life as a family and yes, my baby girl does sleep through the night now."

GENESIS HUDSON

Ontario, Canada

"My daughter now sleeps through the night and it's because of you..."

"Hi Kacey! My daughter's daycare recommended your system. They said you’re spot on with your explanation of how a baby's sleep changes and that I should follow your advice. They were right!

My daughter now sleeps through the night and it’s only because of your tips. I am also a breastfeeding mom and I can’t thank you enough for encouraging us to work through sleep issues without quitting breastfeeding. I have shared your advice with many of my friends with babies and I will continue to spread the word.”

IRENE JOHNSON

Warren, Michigan

Your next step

Try It Today! No Risk, Sleep Guarantee!

The SleepBaby.org Workshop has helped thousands of families worldwide. I would be honored if you trusted me with the great responsibility of helping your baby sleep, too!

To ease your mind, a 60-Day Sleep Guarantee is included with every purchaseIf you're unsatisfied, simply contact us within the first 60 days for a same-day 100% refund. No questions asked.

This is a one-time charge for a digital download of the SleepBaby.org Workshop and three bonuses. Delivered instantly!

Click Here to Start

Meet Kacey

The SleepBaby.org workshop is designed to work on newborns through toddlers and does NOT involve use of the controversial "cry it out" method. Whether you have a newborn or a toddler, this workshop can work for you. In fact, it's the only thing that has worked for my baby and I've tried almost everything to get my little one to fall asleep and STAY asleep.

Did you know that some of the standard sleep advice, such as crying it out or co-sleeping, can negatively impact your child's nervous system? Many argue that these controversial methods may increase the likelihood of your child developing anxiety disorders and possibly panic attacks later in life. For this reason, our workshop does NOT encourage use of the heavily debated (and potentially dangerous) "cry it out" method.

The information I am going to share with you includes impressive research performed by the Harvard Medical School and the Stanford Center for Sleep Science and Medicine. References are available upon request.

But most notably, I am a parent just like you! My baby, Benjamin, refused to fall asleep and stay asleep. I certainly understand how it pulls on your heartstrings when your baby won't sleep. 

For this reason, I created the SleepBaby.org Workshop, in addition to my blog with hundreds of articles dedicated to baby sleep. My mission is to help parents and babies alike to finally achieve high-quality, consistent sleep.

The information I'm going to share with you has helped over 17,500+ families to finally enjoy the restful sleep they have been missing. In fact, our sleep workshop is so effective when your baby won't sleep that it can also be used on teething babies and toddlers.

Our Scientific Approach Helps Your Baby Fall Asleep & STAY Asleep

If your baby won't sleep, take a deep breath. It's about to get better.

If you're anything like me or the thousands of parents I've spoken to, I suspect you've likely tried a plethora of sleep training methods. Please be aware that many of these methods, such as crying it out, can be very dangerous and are totally inefficient.

Please don't risk your little one's health by taking risky approaches. Our sleep workshop will help you to enjoy a happier, more relaxed and easier-to-parent child.

Imagine having a baby (or young child) who looks forward to bed-time just as much as you do!

Truth is, all ​babies can learn how to fall asleep and stay asleep, regardless of age. You can even get your child to stay in the crib. I know it’s hard to believe. At one point in my life, I would have been the first to doubt it, but then I had a life-changing experience...

A parent sitting outdoors with a baby

Here's my Shocking Experience with Baby Sleep:

When Benjamin was born, my husband and I were elated. Like any parent, we thought he was the cutest baby on planet Earth, but even more fortunate was our discovery that he was an incredible sleeper! Our other mom and dad friends were constantly complaining about their restless nights, all while we felt like the luckiest parents in the world! However, when Benjamin turned 5-months old, things changed... seemingly overnight!

Everything changed. Much to our dismay and shock, Benjamin started waking up hourly, or every three hours if we were lucky. My husband and I were constantly tired. The negative impacts of our sleepless nights started to appear in other facets of life, such as work and even in our marriage.

Initially, we thought this problem would be temporary and that we would soon go back to the earlier mentioned glory days of basking in our child's excellent sleep habits.

Sadly, we couldn't have been more wrong.

Nothing Seemed to Get My Baby to Sleep​!

Needless to say, I was overwhelmed. In hindsight, I should've searched for a baby sleep solution before my many restless nights started negatively impacting my life, marriage, and work. Once my patience completely expired, I went online desperately searching for a solution. Sadly, my efforts felt fruitless.

I bought the books, the tapes, and even hired a $400 sleep consultant who simply told us to let our baby cry it out. Here are three MUCH safer sleep solutions you can start using today:

Before you begin

3 Tips When Your Baby Won't Sleep

1

Tip one: laugh together

​No, this isn’t a joke or some weird therapy. Psychologist Dr. Laura Markham calls it a child’s “Emotional Backpack.” Nothing helps a child to release the tension faster than a healthy laugh. 

Laughter is your most powerful ally against the main reason why your child isn’t sleeping: Tension.

What should you do if your child doesn’t laugh much? I'll share the best ways to make your child laugh later in this presentation.

2

Tip two: adjust the bedtime

​If you think a later bedtime is the answer, you couldn't be more wrong. Sure, it's easy to think that a later bedtime would mean your child is more tired.

However, when a child is awake too long, his/her body gets flushed by stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. 

These hormones keep your child going like a double espresso right before bedtime, ultimately sabotaging all your attempts at getting him/her to fall asleep. Never let it come so far! The ideal bedtime for your child is dependent upon age. I’ll tell you all the details regarding that in a bit.

3

tip three: create a noisy environment

​Sure, it may sound entirely counter-intuitive to imagine that a noisy environment is better than a quiet one. Yet, it’s absolutely true.

This is a scientific fact proven in a little-known study done by the Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in London. However, keep in mind this isn’t just any noise Dr. Daniel Moran and his colleagues are talking about here...

This special soundtrack assists in making your little one feel safe and protected. Better yet, it helps many children fall asleep almost instantly!

Your next step

Try It Today! No Risk, Sleep Guarantee!

The SleepBaby.org Workshop has helped thousands of families worldwide. I would be honored if you trusted me with the great responsibility of helping your baby sleep, too!

To ease your mind, a 60-Day Sleep Guarantee is included with every purchaseIf you're unsatisfied, simply contact us within the first 60 days for a same-day 100% refund. No questions asked.

This is a one-time charge for a digital download of the SleepBaby.org Workshop and three bonuses. Delivered instantly!

Click Here to Start

Let's Talk One Parent to Another. This Really Helps!

I know you are dreading making a mistake and wasting your time and money on something that turns out to be rubbish, but please rest assured.

More than 17,500 parents trust this system. Based on the feedback they’ve provided me, I know it also worked for them, just like it can for you!

What is the 100% Satisfaction Sleep Guarantee?

Here’s what this means: I truly care about you and your baby. If you ever feel I didn't deliver on every single promise, just let me know and I will send you a prompt 100% refund. No questions asked.

You are fully protected by a 100% Satisfaction-Guarantee. If this sleep workshop does not help put your baby to sleep quickly, easily, and safely, please let me know and I WILL make it right with a 100% refund. That's my promise.

More parent stories

"She sleeps up to 9 hours straight. It's truly a miracle. You're the best!"

“Kacey, you really know what you’re talking about with that tension relief. My 14-month-old used to wake up 6 to 7 times before midnight. But now that she gets her giggles in, she sleeps up to 9 hours straight. It’s truly a miracle. You’re the best!”

DIANNE WILSON

Bristol, England

"I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

“My 5-month old was so clingy and needy, we thought she’d never sleep without us holding and rocking her to sleep. But when we put your sleep sounds on, it was as though someone just flipped a switch. All of a sudden, Tammy was giggling and calming down within minutes. She even fell asleep soon after! I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”

ASHLEY SUMMERS

Auckland, New Zealand

"Why didn't we try this sooner?"

"Why didn't we try this sooner?! As we speak he is sound asleep in his crib - and has been since 7:15 pm. We are so pleased to get the evenings to ourselves again, and Tinius - who has always been a very happy boy - is even more happy now!"

REBECCA WEZNER

Brisbane, Australia

"This has changed all of our lives..."

"I must say, the program is nothing short of a miracle... our little baby was 5 1/2 months when we did it... and it's changed all of our lives. I didn't have much faith to be honest... but it all unfolded as you indicated, much to our delight. Ryder sleeps through the night and naps like a baby! Prior, he was up to nurse 4-5 times a night and had never really slept in his crib during the day to nap... I had to either rock him or nap with him on me... turns out the little guy loves to be in his crib!"

COLLEEN HARP

Salt Lake City, Utah

Your next step

Try It Today! No Risk, Sleep Guarantee!

The SleepBaby.org Workshop has helped thousands of families worldwide. I would be honored if you trusted me with the great responsibility of helping your baby sleep, too!

To ease your mind, a 60-Day Sleep Guarantee is included with every purchaseIf you're unsatisfied, simply contact us within the first 60 days for a same-day 100% refund. No questions asked.

This is a one-time charge for a digital download of the SleepBaby.org Workshop and three bonuses. Delivered instantly!

Click Here to Start

Keep exploring

From the SleepBaby.org blog

Visit the blog

Looking for more to read? Explore the SleepBaby.org blog for baby sleep articles and everyday parenting questions.

17 comments

  1. I opened this SleepBaby.org page at 3:04 a.m. because I was worried about i don’t know if i want to keep it. Around i don’t know if i want to keep it, the useful part was that the useful move was not finding a perfect reassurance story. It was getting a same-day plan, warning signs, and a specific follow-up from the prenatal team, though our turning point came once we had a clear call-back rule for i don’t know if i want to keep it.

    1. The phrase “different from this child or pregnancy’s usual” helped me trust the call without pretending I knew the cause, though our turning point came when the clinician compared i don’t know if i want to keep it with the usual baseline. I stopped waiting for i don’t know if i want to keep it to become unbearable before mentioning it to the prenatal team.

  2. I learned during i don’t know if i want to keep it that the physical symptom and the fear became tangled. A real plan separated them: what to do now, what to watch, and when to call back, at least for the way i don’t know if i want to keep it showed up in our home. I was 8 weeks pregnant when i don’t know if i want to keep it sent me searching, and a named follow-up date helped more than another hour online.

  3. Did anyone bring a written list for I’m pregnant and i don’t know if i want to keep it? Around i don’t know if i want to keep it, the useful part was that i forget half my questions as soon as the clinician says, “How have you been?”.

  4. What I noticed around i don’t know if i want to keep it was that we asked for specific warning signs and a named follow-up. “Monitor it” became much less scary once we knew what monitoring meant. The prenatal nurse compared i don’t know if i want to keep it with my own baseline rather than a stranger’s reassuring pregnancy story.

    1. For i don’t know if i want to keep it, I wrote the start time, what changed it, medications, and the warning sign I was afraid of. A reassuring story about i don’t know if i want to keep it cannot rule out a complication for someone else. Call the relevant clinician when symptoms are new or concerning, though our turning point came when the clinician compared i don’t know if i want to keep it with the usual baseline.

  5. What I noticed around i don’t know if i want to keep it was that i kept the nurse line, medication list, allergies, and partner’s number on paper by the bed. Unlocking a phone while panicking was weirdly difficult, though our turning point came at the appointment about i don’t know if i want to keep it. Once after we wrote the symptom timeline for i don’t know if i want to keep it, for i don’t know if i want to keep it, I wrote the start time, what changed it, medications, and the warning sign I was afraid of.

  6. Around i don’t know if i want to keep it, the useful part was that we divided the night: I handled the symptom and resting; my partner handled the phone, medication list, and childcare plan. I stopped waiting for i don’t know if i want to keep it to become unbearable before mentioning it to the prenatal team, but I only recognized it after we wrote the symptom timeline for i don’t know if i want to keep it.

  7. I learned during i don’t know if i want to keep it that i felt dismissed by “that happens in pregnancy.”. Around i don’t know if i want to keep it, the useful part was that common and harmless are not identical, and common symptoms can still deserve treatment. I saw the same thing with i don’t know if i want to keep it: i was 8 weeks pregnant when i don’t know if i want to keep it sent me searching, and a named follow-up date helped more than another hour online.

  8. I saw the same thing with i don’t know if i want to keep it: work stress made every symptom harder to interpret. I documented dates, duties, and what my clinician recommended before speaking with HR, and that became obvious at the appointment about i don’t know if i want to keep it. I saw the same thing with i don’t know if i want to keep it: i stopped waiting for i don’t know if i want to keep it to become unbearable before mentioning it to the prenatal team.

  9. Update: the appointment was kinder than the conversation I had been having alone in my head, and I noticed it first at the appointment about i don’t know if i want to keep it. For us, i left with warning signs and a specific follow-up, but I only recognized it once we had a clear call-back rule for i don’t know if i want to keep it. My mom came to the appointment about i don’t know if i want to keep it because I had become too practiced at saying I was fine.

  10. Around i don’t know if i want to keep it, the useful part was that pregnancy made me feel like my body had become public property. During i don’t know if i want to keep it, the thing that held true was that asking for privacy and individualized care helped me feel like myself again. Nighttime made i don’t know if i want to keep it feel enormous, so I kept the nurse line and my notes on paper beside the bed.

  11. I learned during i don’t know if i want to keep it that the internet gave me language. What changed my mind about i don’t know if i want to keep it was simple: my own clinician gave me the plan. The part I’d add for i don’t know if i want to keep it is that i was 8 weeks pregnant when i don’t know if i want to keep it sent me searching, and a named follow-up date helped more than another hour online.

  12. I saw the same thing with i don’t know if i want to keep it: i kept waiting for the symptom to become unbearable before it counted. For i don’t know if i want to keep it, the appointment taught me that new or concerning was enough to discuss. For “I’m Pregnant and I Don’t Know if I Want to Keep It”, the most useful outcome was knowing what to do now, what to watch, and exactly when to call again.

  13. Has anyone working through i don’t know if i want to keep it found an answer to this: did anyone bring a written list for I’m pregnant and i don’t know if i want to keep it? I forget half my questions as soon as the clinician says, “How have you been?”, though our turning point came once we had a clear call-back rule for i don’t know if i want to keep it.

Comments are closed.