You can imagine that an unexpected pregnancy can bring with it a full array of reactions and emotions ranging, from extreme joy to extreme panic, and all the feelings in between. Navigating life during this time can feel confusing at best, and finding just the right words to express yourself or to find comfort can feel impossible while taking the first steps along an uncertain path on an uncertain journey that may feel, well, uncertain.

According to a 2018 article in the Washington Post titled “Almost Half of Pregnancies in the U.S. are Unplanned. There’s a Surprisingly Easy Way to Change That,” 45% of the six million pregnancies in the United States each year are considered “unintended” or unplanned, and each year, millions of women “are getting an outcome — pregnancy — that they didn’t plan on or desire.” Unexpected pregnancy doesn’t discriminate, by the way, between married and unmarried or young and not-so-young.

Everyone reacts to unexpected pregnancy differently, of course. In her Adoption.com article “Dear Mom Experiencing an Unplanned Pregnancy,” birth mom and writer Andee Otuafi starts out by saying, “I want you to know you’re not alone. I want you to know that there are so many others that have been, and are currently in your situation. I’m one of them.” This author eventually chose an adoption plan for her unborn child. Still, many other expected mothers choose to parent rather than choosing adoption or abortion, as was the case with author Mariel Lindsay who penned the Verilymag.com article, “I thought there was a simple solution to an unwanted pregnancy, but I was wrong.”

Of any woman experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, actress Patricia Heaton once said, “A woman experiencing an unplanned pregnancy also deserves to experience unplanned joy.”

Here are some more unexpected pregnancy quotes—from the uplifting to the lighthearted for those looking for inspiration, comfort, or a smile from others who have been in similar and uncertain shoes.

In her blog Unplanned Pregnancy—Life as I Knew it Was Over, Mollie Clark shares the rollercoaster ride of emotions felt when deciding what to do upon finding out she was unexpectedly pregnant not once, but twice—from dealing with feelings of guilt and shame, to deciding what was in the best interest of her children. Of her then-husband and her, she says, “The two of us did what anyone faced with an unplanned pregnancy does. We looked at all of our options. There was no denying that there was a little baby growing inside me—a new life—and we both knew that wholeheartedly.”

Unexpected Pregnancy Quotes for Those Considering Parenting:

  • “The life of a mother is the life of a child: You are two blossoms on a single branch.” -Karen Miller

  • “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” -A.A. Milne

  • “It’s the unexpected that changes our lives forever.” -Shonda Rhimes

  • “In giving birth to our babies, we may find that we give birth to new possibilities within ourselves.” -Unknown

  • “The best decision I ever made was keeping my baby.” -Maya Angelou

  • “Unplanned … does not mean unwanted or unloved. It just means life knew what I needed before even I did.” -Unknown

  • “A baby is something you carry inside you for nine months, in your arms for three years, and in your heart until the day you die.” -Unknown

  • “A baby fills a place in your heart that you never knew as empty.” -Anonymous

An unexpected pregnancy forces a woman to ask questions that oftentimes don’t have easy answers; to soul search; to try and figure out what move to make next; to feel all the feels at once, from anger to sadness to anxiety to happiness to hopelessness to hope. For some, it requires a fast forward into adulthood that comes with bitterness and regret. For others, it requires quick decision making concerning marital or relationship issues, not to mention issues and concerns surrounding other siblings and how this will impact everyone (not just you and the baby to be). For others, unexpected equals a miracle—a dream longed for, now fulfilled. No matter how it came to be, though, one thing is for certain: there is no foolproof map or guidebook to follow. Many women feel all alone in the decision making. and what could be a positive moment is one of stress and dread. For others, there is no positive moment to be found; rather, the choice feels wrong no matter what.

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Adoption.org’s “What are My Options in an Unexpected Pregnancy” provides some insight and answers to help women struggling with what to do next, for example, “A woman should never feel pressured to make a decision about her life and body that she doesn’t want to make. If you are feeling pressure to do something you do not want to do, please seek help. There are often places that offer free counseling for pregnant women to help them with the decisions they face.” The article goes on to say this:

“An unexpected pregnancy can be a scary time for an expectant mother. There are many factors in deciding what the best option is for you. No matter what you choose, you should feel confident in your choice, and not feel pressure to do what someone else wants you to do. If you are struggling, reach out for help. Whether you seek guidance from friends and family or from professionals, talking through the situation and the options you have can help you make your decision.”

Unexpected Pregnancy Quotes for Those Unsure About What to Do

  • “Embrace the unexpected. The things we never saw coming often take us to the places we never imagined we could go.” -Unknown

  • “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I’ve ended up where I needed to be.” -Douglas Adams

  • “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” -Bob Marley

  • “The most memorable moments in life are the ones you never planned.” -Unknown

  • “There is now way out of the experience except through it, because it is not really your experience at all but the baby’s. Your body is the child’s instrument of birth.” -Penelope Leach

  • “Everything grows rounder and wider and weirder, and I sit here in the middle of it all and wonder who in the world you will turn out to be.” -Carrie Fisher

  • “A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” -Unknown

For expected moms considering adoption, birth mom Haley Kirkpatrick writes, “Facing an unplanned pregnancy can be difficult and emotional. I so wish I could somehow personally reach out and hug any and all who are reading this. I have been there. I know how hard, scary, and confusing it can be,” in Adoption.com’s “Choosing Adoption for Your Baby Guide.” She goes on to say that, “Do not discredit any emotion you may be feeling. These are valid emotions that you will probably continue to feel on different levels throughout your pregnancy and decision-making process. It’s okay to be emotional. Seek out support from others and professionals as often as possible.”

Unexpected Pregnancy Quotes for Those Considering Adoption

“Adoption is not a breaking of trust but a keeping of faith… not the abandonment of a baby but an abandonment of self for a baby’s sake.” -Curtis Young

“Love is unselfishly choosing for another’s highest good.” -C.S. Lewis

“A birth mother puts the needs of her child above the wants of her heart.” -Skye Hardwick

“Adoption is giving life to a child, giving love to a child, giving hope to a child, giving more family for a child, the ultimate love for a child.” -Building Blocks Adoption Service Inc.

Another group of people who sometimes find themselves thrust into the uncertainty of an unexpected pregnancy are the expected mom’s parents. The Adoption.org article “How Can Parents Help Their Unexpectedly Pregnant Daughter,” the writer asks, “Have you found yourself in the parenting situation of your daughter revealing that she is unexpectedly pregnant? Are you struggling with how to best deal with the situation?” The article goes on to advise parents that, “If your daughter makes a decision that is difficult for you to handle, consider seeing a counselor to work through your feelings, while trying to maintain a supportive and loving relationship with your child.”

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In the Adoption.com article “How to Respond to Your Daughter’s Unexpected Pregnancy,” author Tiffany Smart offers, “Support can come from many sources, but the most important and influential support comes from the expectant mother’s parents or guardians. Starting from the moment she tells them about her pregnancy to the day she delivers, she needs the love and support that only her parents can provide. This can be a very confusing and fearful time for everyone, including her parents, who are supposed to be her unwavering strength.” She advises, “most importantly, show unconditional love for her. No matter what decisions she makes, let her know that you love her and will always love her.”

Unexpected Pregnancy Quotes for Parents of those Unexpectedly Pregnant

  • “Children are the rainbow of life. Grandchildren are the pot of gold.” -Unknown

  • “A grandchild is a gift from above. One to cherish and love.” -Unknown

  • “Just when you think you know all that love is… along come the grandchildren.” -Anonymous

  • “The presence of a grandparent confirms that parents were indeed little once, too, and that people who are little can grow to be big, can become parents, and one day even have grandchildren of their own. So often we think of grandparents as belonging to the past, but in this important way, grandparents for young children belong to the future.” -Fred Rogers

  • “Grandchildren are the gifts of yesterday, the pride of today, and the joy of tomorrow.” -Unknown

  • “A parent’s job is to critique, judge, and motivate. A grandparent’s job is to pamper, spoil, and cuddle.” -Unknown

  • “Parenting is a life time job and does not stop when a child grows up.” -Jake Slope

Another presence in the lives of women who find themselves unexpectedly present? Their friends, of course! Knowing how to respond and what to say to help a friend can feel overwhelming and it’s understandable to want the best for your friend without knowing what “the best” is. Sometimes just listening is enough. The Adoption.com article, “6 Ways to Support a Friend Through an Unplanned Pregnancy,” offers tips from birth mom, Lindsey Olsen, who shares that aside from the significant other and hopefully helpful parents, “There’s always more room for support! But it can be challenging to know how to approach the subject and not feel like you’re getting in the way… just knowing the right things to say can seem overwhelming.”

Unexpected Pregnancy Quotes for Friends of those Unexpectedly Pregnant

  • “Want to know who your real friends are? Have kids.” -Unknown

  • “I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” -Unknown

  • “Keep Calm. My Best Friend is Pregnant.” -Unknown

  • “My friend today may be hard. Today may feel overwhelming. Today may feel so hard to face, you would like to hide under the covers and will it to go away. But let me reassure you. You can survive it. You will survive it. Take it a minute at a time and before you know it, another 24 hours will have passed.” -Zoe Clark Coates

  • “Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a best friend.” -Bill Watterson

For more inspirational, moving, funny, motivating, silly, and uplifting unexpected pregnancy quotes, simply run a Google search to find just the right words that you’re looking for.