Our Stories (2009) I stared at the positive result for almost five days. I was deathly afraid to tell my mom knowing how ashamed she would be and knowing that our relationship was already rocky and that this would make everything worse. I thought I was going to die. When I finally got up enough courage to tell my mom that I was pregnant, things took a turn for the worse. (2009) We have cooking and nutrition classes, breast feeding, banking, baby care 101, parenting classes, budgeting, adoption options, and many others to teach us how to be parents and how to cope when we are off on our own. (2009) I remember staring at the positive pregnancy test. I was shaking and I could barely breathe. Neither of us were able to understand what this meant. (2008) Birth Haven is a wonderful place and I would definitely recommend it to another pregnant girl, who is in a similar situation, because Birth Haven will provide her with everything that she could possibly need. (2008) I can never forget the day I found out that I was about to become a mother. I remember having so many emotions running through my head within that moment I was feeling excited, scared, worried all at the same time. To me at first it was just unbelievable. I never thought not even for a second that I could become pregnant at the age of 18. Instantly in my mind I knew I was going to have to put all my hopes and dreams aside so I could put all my focus and attention towards the child I was going to have. When it came time to let my boyfriend and my parents know I just didn’t know what to say to them. First I told my boyfriend and after discussing what we were going to do, we came to the conclusion we were going to keep our baby and do whatever it took to love and support our child in the best way we possibly could. On the other hand when I told my parents they were immediately very angry, disappointed, shocked and just couldn’t believe what was happening. After some days, my parents came to me and told me that they thought it would best if I were to get an abortion. After I told my parents I wasn’t going to get an abortion, my relationship just got worse and worse every day. I used to feel like I was alone because when I needed them the most they just weren’t there to give me the comfort I needed. They just couldn’t understand how I felt. They kept telling me over and over that my boyfriend wasn’t right for me, that I should get an abortion and that I could never be a good mother. The things that my parents were saying were really starting to put me down a lot and I got really depressed and was starting to believe everything they were telling me. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be the best mother I could possibly become. After arguing and fighting with my parents for weeks they told me I had to move out of their home. I moved into my sister’s house and slept on the couch there, but knew I couldn’t stay there because there was no room. I was devastated, I had nobody to turn to. I knew I needed a stable place to live and I needed someone who was going to support my choice to have my unborn child. So I turned to Birth Haven on January 28, 2008. They welcomed me with open arms. They made me feel right at home. My first night there, they took away any fears I had about living there. Birth Haven’s staff really understood me and the goals I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to be a really good parent to my child and wanted to avoid doing some of the things my parents did that I didn’t like. During my stay at Birth Haven I set a lot of goals that I wanted to accomplish that included getting in touch with my inner feelings, getting housing for myself and my daughter and finishing my education. All the goals I set for myself I achieved. I did get my driving permit and now have my driver’s license. I took my GED and received my high school diploma. Going to school 4 days a week at Project Self Sufficiency really helped a lot because now in January, I will start college at Sussex County Community College studying medical coding and billing. During sessions with Karen, the Social Worker, she really helped me connect with my inner self and understand my feelings and how to deal with certain situations so I didn’t make bad choices. Tina, the Case Manager, really put her heart and soul into helping me find stable and secure housing where I now live with my daughter. Life skill classes helped me budget my money properly, how to clean and cook, and they taught me how to understand how to become the best parent I could be, and they also taught me that my first priority is always my daughter. I am now also CPR certified as well. Every class that Birth Haven has had really does make a difference. They are taught in a way that young girls can really understand and can connect with. I am so glad that I had the labor and delivery classes – it helped me understand what was happening when my daughter was born. My life now has changed so much and I give all my thanks to Birth Haven. When I first arrived at Birth Haven I had so many fears about becoming a mother and every staff member has helped me accomplish so many of my goals. They never gave up on me. They gave me all the support that I need to become a successful person and I will never give up any of my dreams. And my parents and I have a better relationship now – they love their granddaughter. • Volunteer Testimony Lia— My summer volunteer experience at Birth Haven has been exceptionally rewarding. The staff and residents were extremely welcoming. I feel lucky to have taken part in this amazing program for young women. Although volunteering has its challenges, I feel very proud to be helping out a great organization which has impacted my life in a positive way.