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Anna was in a secure 4- year relationship with her partner. They were living together and planning their future . They had talked marriage and children but weren't planning those things just yet.
Then one day she discovered she was pregnant. It was unplanned but she was happy because she always knew she wanted children. She let her partner know and on that morning, in that moment, her world got turned upside down.
Anna describes that day as both the best and worst day of her life. She was so happy to be pregnant and the gift of her daughter Emme has been immeasurable, but her partner felt very differently to her.
He was not OK with this pregnancy, especially as it was out of wed-lock. He very quickly gave Anna an ultimatum. Either get married straight away and live with his parents, or have an abortion.
Anna knew abortion was not something she was going to choose to do, and although they had discussed marriage for her future, she was not happy being given an ultimatum in this way.
She was looking for support, love and solidarity and received the opposite. She realised she didn't want to be with a man who would do this to her.
By the end of that day, after further discussions and the ultimatum being put forward again, Anna's partner walked out the door with his bags packed. She helped him carry them to the car!
She lay in bed that night - alone, pregnant and scared while her partner was with his family surrounded by support. Realising she needed the support of her family too, she called her mum, cried down the phone and very quickly afterwards moved back home to live with her parents and her sister. She spent the first 3 months living back home sharing a bedroom with her sister, so she didn't have to be alone.
She has been living in her family home ever since.
Anna spent her pregnancy just getting on with her life and trying not to think too much about her circumstance as it was too painful. There was never any contact from her ex-partner but she found out when she was 6 months pregnant with Emme that he was now married. I honestly can't bring the right words to how Anna must have felt at this time. I imagine shock and more heartache were abundant.
Her ex-partner made it clear to her through lawyers that he wanted nothing to do with the baby and even denied she was his.
Anna carried on because that is all she could do, but also because she is a strong and independent woman who was determined to make good of this situation. She gave birth to Emme with her supportive mum at her side and as she held Emme in her arms for the first time, everything was OK.
Emme is growing up in a home full of love and support with her mum, her aunty and her grandparents and it is a truly beautiful thing.
Anna shared her story on my podcast, so if you would like to listen to Anna share in her own words and voice, please follow this link xx
She deserves all the love and support in the world!
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