Hello everyone. I am brand new to this forum. And this is my story.
I am 22 years old. And I had an abortion in feburary of this year, so about 5 months ago.
I have been married for 3 years, and I have a 2 and half year old son who is my greatest joy in life. He was born at home, we had a mid-wife. But 4 days after he was born we had to take him to the hospital and he was in the hospital for 10 days, and the doctors never told us what was wrong with him, only that he was a little dehydrated. It was a very terrible experience. He was in icu for 5 out of the 10 days, hooked up to all these machines and tubes. I cried the whole time we were there. After we got home, I was very sad and depressed, I believe I had post-partum depression, everytime my son cried, I cried...
So.. Back in feb. When I suspected that I was pregnant, I took two home pregnancy tests, and they came back positive. I talked to my husband, and immediately we both knew that we were not ready to have another baby. I am enrolled to go to massage therapy school starting in august, and I was not ready to give that dream up, and I still have so many mixed emotions and fear from what happened after our son was born. I strongly felt that I was not ready emotionally to have another child.
So we (my husband and i) made the decision to get an abortion. I called the clinic and scheduled it. I remember I was amazed at how sweet the lady was one the phone. We struggled before going for the abortion, feeling guilty that we were going to do it, as everyone around us strongly believes it's wrong, and he grew up in a christian family. But somehow we still got there to the clinic and went through with it. The people were all very nice and understanding, during the procedure that doctor stopped though and told me that I needed to relax, so I did, and it only lasted 3 minutes and I was out in the recovery room. I felt relieved. Weak, but relieved.
Now five months later, I felt a strong need to read about other peoples experiences, and I found this forum, thank goodness. I wanted to share my story and get it out there. But these days, I do admit that I feel pangs of guilt and sadness. I look at my precious son and I ask myself why I didn't want his sibling? It's not that I don't want another child, but now is not the time, and I just don't know that I could have held up emotionally when I am obviously still dealing with the trauma and sadness of his time in the hospital.
The day before I went in for the abortion I called my best friend of 10 years, and told her what I was going to do because I just needed to talk to someone... And she basically told me not to do it, that I would regret it and that it was wrong. I told my reasoning, why I wasn't ready and had to go. She actually said to me "so, later after you finish school, will it be conveinent enough for you!?" and she said things to me like I was being selfish and I wasnt thinking about what that baby could grow up to be. .. Blah blah blah.. It was easy for her to talk hot air and judge me because she wasn't in my position.
I love my son, and I am a good mother to him. And I want to be the best mother I can. I felt that having another baby this soon might hinder my emotional capability to be the mother my children deserve.
Thank you all for being on this forum, you are angels.
Love to all.