By the time she found out she was pregnant, 17-year-old Amy* had already lived a lifetime. She struggled with alcohol and drugs, had rebelled against her parents’ separation, experienced suicidal thoughts, and had a history of poor life choices. Today, she freely admits that “if she had not become pregnant with her son, Jason*, she likely would have landed in jail”.
As a new parent, Amy started the difficult process of returning stability in her life so she could provide a loving and safe home for Jason. She knew turning her life around would be a long journey, but it was a journey she was determined to make.
She was capable of being a good mother to Jason, and she was ready to prove it!
However, as she worked towards this reunion, Amy suffered a major set-back. She was involved in an abusive situation and found herself expecting a second child.
In addition to dealing with the significant trauma, Amy had to ready herself for a second child, knowing full well that she was not capable of being a single parent of two. Her mother out of province, Amy often felt alone and isolated as she struggled with thoughts of what the future would hold for her, Jason, and her unborn child.
In the end, Amy made the very difficult, but self-aware, decision to work on being the best mother she could be for Jason—and providing a loving family to her second child through adoption.
She turned to her Family and Children’s Services (FCS) worker to help her through the process.
Through the Better Beginnings Pregnancy Fund, her FCS Pregnancy Counsellor was able to provide the extras Amy needed to guarantee the best possible outcome for her and her unborn child.
FCS secured adequate shelter for Amy during her pregnancy and ensured she had access to appropriate prenatal care. Her counsellor attended doctor visits with her, made sure she had a full supply of prenatal vitamins, as well as bus tickets for her all prenatal appointments. All the while, Amy continued to attend parenting classes and regular visits with her son furthering her towards her goal of being the best mom she could be. The bond between mother and son flourished.
Before her second child was born, Jason, was returned to her care. Mother and son couldn’t have been more thrilled!
Though-out this time, Amy said that her FCS Pregnancy Counsellor was “a huge support to her in a time that was immensely emotional and extremely overwhelming”. The counsellor was available whenever she had a question or a concern, or just needed someone to talk to. More importantly, Amy says, her counsellor was completely open and honest. She even sat patiently with Amy as she poured over the profiles of prospective adoptive parents, until Amy chose a final loving home for her second son, Ryan.
While in the hospital, the Agency coordinated alternate care for Jason and her counsellor provided her with a ‘Maternity Bag’; everything she would need for her hospital stay including lip balm, hair care travel pack, deodorant, hand cream, hand sanitizer, hard candy and/or gum, slippers or socks, mesh underwear, maxi pads and breast pads, and a disposable camera to capture those priceless moments.
Today, Amy recalls how difficult it was leaving the hospital alone, as Ryan left with his new family. But, she says she found comfort in knowing she had made the best possible decision for all of them—her, Jason, Ryan, and his new parents.
Also easing that journey was all the support she received from her pregnancy counsellor and the special care items she received through the Better Beginnings Pregnancy Fund. The items not only ensured her child had the best start in life, but also to care for herself physically as her body went through the difficult process of having giving birth twice, so close together.
Along with many other birth mothers, this past December, Amy attended the Adoption Christmas party, which gave her yet another chance to see firsthand how Ryan was thriving with his new family. Seeing Ryan confirmed for her that she had made the right choice.
Today, Amy shares her experiences as a birth mother through speaking engagements with new adoptive parents, helping them to understand the importance of relationships with the birth parents. She also mentors young moms who now face the difficult choice she made.
We hope you will join us this Mother’s Day, in honour of Amy,
and the 33 other birth mothers who have made this same selfless
choice, by making a gift to the Better Beginnings Pregnancy Fund. This special fund ensures important resources—pregnancy aids and supports, post-adoption Christmas party, etc—are available to the new mothers and newborns that need them.
Please do not hesitate to contact Candi Harrington at (519) 576-1329 ext. 3145 or by email at candi.harrington@facswaterloo.org if you have any questions regarding this fund or what your gift will mean for newborns across this region.
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A Mother's Love
by Helen Steiner Rice
 
The young moms this program works with are often alone, with little or no support from their own families. If you would like to make a gift to the Better Beginnings Fund, you can do so by making an
on-line donation or purchase any of the below items and drop off to
200 Ardelt Avenue Kitchener, N2C 2L9.
prenatal vitamins,
personal hygiene products,
breast pads,
grocery cards,
bus passes,
baby items,
new born sleepers, sweater and hats
diapers,
formula,
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168
Hespeler Rd., Cambridge, ON, N1R 6V7