Meet Tamara and baby Dexter

Tamara needed to confirm her unplanned pregnancy—that’s how she found Sarasota Medical Pregnancy Center.

Tamara is a single mom; she has a five-year old son and is currently parenting her one-year-old niece. When she learned of her unplanned pregnancy her first thought was “How am I going to feed all of us? I can hardly do this now, and here I am expecting again.”

Almost immediately after confirming her pregnancy at SMPC, Tamara visited with one of the Center’s behavioral health counselors. “I was really in a crossroads between choices. I did not want to be judged; I was struggling with my situation and was upset and desperate. My wonderful counselor listened to me without judging me. She helped me to see how I could keep my baby and overcome the challenges I faced. She helped me to feel comfortable about speaking up for myself.”

Early in Tamara’s pregnancy she had a cost-free ultrasound at SMPC. “That ultrasound was so amazing. I saw my son’s features—he was a person, just a really tiny one. And now that he’s born, my favorite thing about Dexter is his beautiful unique features. I saw those while he was still growing inside of me!”

After Dexter’s delivery, the behavioral health counselor checked in with Tamara. “She kept me connected to the Center. I trust her because she always let me make my own decisions without any pressure. I made the choice to keep my baby boy and to parent him. The Center is there to help me with so many things to help me get a strong start.”

Being able to afford another child was part of Tamara’s early indecision. The social services navigation team provides invaluable referrals and the Earn While You Learn programming provided continuing education and credits to “buy” diapers and wipes in the SMPC boutique.

“Having access to all of SMPC’s resources throughout my pregnancy and now in my son’s first year, truly saved his life and mine. I’m so blessed to be Dexter’s mother.”