I have always had a heart for pregnant women. When your mother is a Midwife, you are used to talking about pregnancy, labor and delivery, and understanding the realities of being on call. Growing up, it didn’t feel weird to talk about labor and delivery over the dinner table – sorry, Dad!
It wasn’t until I started working at Mercy in 2012 did I realize my understanding and comfort regarding pregnancy would become my career. I knew helping young women was my calling, but I didn’t realize helping young women feel supported and loved through their unplanned pregnancy would become my passion. I feel honored to come alongside these women during a time they may feel shame, and the weight of the world is on their shoulders as they think of the future. It is a beautiful experience to support these young women during their labor and cry tears of joy when they get to hold their little one. I believe the hospital room is sacred ground when I’m supporting those mothers who choose to place their children for adoption.
What makes Mercy Multiplied unique is our approach to support expectant mothers through decision counseling which is defined as providing information and support to an expectant mother through the process of making a decision about their pregnancy without influencing her one way or another. We do this through 6-8 weeks of Basic Decision Making classes or BDM in our Nashville, TN location. Participating in BDM allows the expectant mother to explore the realities of both parenting and adoption. These classes are in addition to the already in-depth counseling the expectant mother will receive through both individual and group counseling sessions. Since I am a licensed clinical social worker, I am privileged to be the Staff working 1:1 with our expectant mothers through their decision process.
It is the vision of Mercy Multiplied to provide the most supportive environment for each expectant mother to make her own decision about what is best for her child. If she chooses to parent her child, our Staff will provide her with parenting classes in order to continue supporting her and preparing her for the journey to motherhood. If she chooses to place her child for adoption, she will begin working with Mercy’s in-house licensed adoption agency in creating an adoption plan.
Listed below is a further explanation of our pregnancy services:
Pregnancy Services
We offer a multitude of services to the expectant mothers who are residents in our program. They are offered 24-hour care in a beautiful home environment with access to ongoing support from staff and counselors. Health and Wellness are a priority for all residents, and expectant mothers have access to individualized meal plans to meet their and the child’s needs. They will experience balanced nutrition and fitness along with access to free prenatal care as they prepare for labor and delivery. They are also provided with transportation to and from prenatal care visits as well as hospital planning and support.
Choosing to Parent
Our expectant mothers participate in parenting classes where they are able to discuss family dynamics within their own family as well as tools for how to successfully co-parent when appropriate, along with ways to establish boundaries and self-care. They also learn how to budget and plan for their child’s arrival and growing needs.
Adoption
Mercy Multiplied is a licensed child placement agency in the State of Tennessee and when an expectant mother chooses to place her child for adoption, she will work with Mercy’s adoption staff in creating her plan. Our Director of Adoptions works closely with our expectant mothers choosing to place their child for adoption, adoptive families, and interim care families in order to provide the highest level of service. Expectant mothers who choose to place their child for adoption receive adoption counseling and post-placement counseling, adoption planning, and legal services. This includes picking and meeting an adoptive family they have chosen for their child. Over the past 30 years, Mercy Multiplied has participated in more than 150 adoptions.
If you are pregnant and would like to learn more about our residential program, please call us at 615.831.6987 or click here.
Mercy Multiplied exists to provide opportunities for all to experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and life-transforming power. We offer multiple programs and resources online and onsite designed to equip people to live free and stay free in Christ. For more information about the services we offer, click here.
Want more resources? Check out our MercyTalk podcast episode, “Navigating Blended Families with Nicola Bartel”. For daily inspiration, follow us @MercyMultiplied on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
