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The Shadow Over Joy
Chapter 1:
When I discovered I was pregnant, I thought I would be happy. I wanted to be happy. But the truth was, joy felt distant, overshadowed by the looming presence of social services. It wasn't the typical concerns of motherhood—about whether I'd be a good parent or how I would manage—it was the fear of what others thought of me.
To them, I wasn't Jasmine, a woman with hopes and dreams for her baby. I was a "care leaver," a label that, in their eyes, made me unfit before I even had a chance to prove otherwise.
The moment I shared with my midwife that I’d grown up in foster care, everything changed. It didn’t matter that I’d been out of the system for years and had worked hard to build a stable life. My past had already defined me.
Then came the letters. Then the visits. They said they were here to “help,” but I knew the truth. They were here to decide if I was fit to keep my child, to judge every aspect of my life. How could I prepare for motherhood when every step felt like a courtroom trial?
Chapter 2: Fighting for My Baby
The anxiety consumed me. I spent sleepless nights wondering if I was doing enough. Was my home too small? Was I financially stable? Would they take my baby because I was single? Every choice felt like an exam, and I couldn't afford to fail.
...
When I discovered I was pregnant, I thought I would be happy. I wanted to be happy. But the truth was, joy felt distant, overshadowed by the looming presence of social services. It wasn't the typical concerns of motherhood—about whether I'd be a good parent or how I would manage—it was the fear of what others thought of me.
To them, I wasn't Jasmine, a woman with hopes and dreams for her baby. I was a "care leaver," a label that, in their eyes, made me unfit before I even had a chance to prove otherwise.
The moment I shared with my midwife that I’d grown up in foster care, everything changed. It didn’t matter that I’d been out of the system for years and had worked hard to build a stable life. My past had already defined me.
Then came the letters. Then the visits. They said they were here to “help,” but I knew the truth. They were here to decide if I was fit to keep my child, to judge every aspect of my life. How could I prepare for motherhood when every step felt like a courtroom trial?
Chapter 2: Fighting for My Baby
The anxiety consumed me. I spent sleepless nights wondering if I was doing enough. Was my home too small? Was I financially stable? Would they take my baby because I was single? Every choice felt like an exam, and I couldn't afford to fail.
...
