How to break pregnancy scare news to your partner

Nothing beats a relationship that is still at the honeymoon phase. The romance is at its peak, everything is rosy and you think nothing could go wrong. This amazing phase can all be brought to a standstill with a single statement: ‘I am pregnant.’

Pregnancy scares can really shake a relationship especially when one one or both parties aren’t ready to be parents. Either way, how you break the news to you partner can either break or make your relationship particularly when it later turns out to be a false alarm.

Here, we have some tips on how you can handle this awkward conversation with your partner:

Do not panic

You cannot run away from your reality, no matter how difficult. It can be a scary phase to go through. You are maybe not ready to have a kid and might not know enough about guy you have been dating. In any case, whether it is a long term relationship or a two week fling, a pregnancy scare can throw you off balance.

Breathe in and calm down before dealing with the situation and deciding on how to approach your partner on the issue.

Avoid the blame game

The first thing you should remember is that when you get into an intimate relationship, you are both involved and you equally share responsible for whatever outcome. During a pregnancy scare, it is easy to put blame on your partner out of fear. If the pregnancy is already shaking you up, your partner is also probably going to be hit just as hard.

The last thing you want to do is start treating them differently and using a condemning tone on them. This will leave your partner with no option but to get defensive, and things can and will get get ugly. It might seem like a reaction in the moment but you should think about how you will face them after the storm calms.

Be pragmatic

As mentioned before, when you get into an intimate relationship, one of the outcomes is pregnancy, planned or not. Do not start treating your case like it is special or like you are the only one going through the situation. Couples go through pregnancy scares every other time and they get past the phase. Do not crucify your partner like it is the end of the world.

You can both talk about the issue and make a joint decision. When you both take time to listen to each other, it is easy to assuage your anxiety and move past the phase smoothly no matter the outcome.

Don’t be selfish

The pregnancy might have come at the wrong time and you are not in a position to take care of a baby just yet. But always remember, it is not all about you. Before making a decision on what you want to do, ensure you talk to your partner and make him part of the whole process.

At the end of the day, the biggest decision still lies with the both of you. Remember how you react to the crisis will really play a role in defining how your relationship moves forward.

Expect any outcome

The thing about a pregnancy scare is that people always want the odds to be in their favour when in reality the cards are not really in their hands to decide. Instead of hoping for the best, plan with any outcome.

If you are prepared for either outcome, you will be able to handle the situation more soberly than when you let the situation roll by or use the ‘we will cross that river when we get there’ attitude.

Tip: Should the pregnancy test turn negative, decide on safer ways to get intimate with your partner to avoid similar situations in future.