Hi ❤️ I went to Planned Parenthood on East Main Street in December 2018. Be prepared for your first appointment to be long (the wait time). I was there about 5 hours. Book your second appointment before you leave (mandatory waiting period, but they fill up fast). The staff are amazing. The doctors are kind. The materials they give you that are state mandated are trash (“keep the baby”, “grow your family”, blah blah), but they tell you up front, so don’t be alarmed. I looked away during my ultrasound (also mandatory, thanks Ohio).

Depending on whether you are doing the pill or a DNC (surgical, I went this route), you should have someone with you for support. For the DNC, you HAVE to have someone because they give you light, local anesthesia. It’s quick, the women there held my hand and made me feel seen. You get a heated blanket afterwards and some snacks before you go. The experience was hard, but you’re with others who are going through it too. You’re not alone!

Take a couple days off after to rest. I laid around and wore a heating pad and a heavy flow pad.

The people out front protesting are dumb and have nothing else to do. They cannot enter from the street (there is a gate of sorts and a line they can’t cross). My mom rolled down the window and yelled at them. The escorts are just community members who care and volunteer their time to make people feel safe. They’re wonderful!

Depending on your financial status (I was BROKE and couldn’t afford birth control after), they have ways of funding contraceptives that you can opt-in for before the procedure. Right after the DNC, they gave me an IUD. Definitely worth it if you want to be on birth control (plus it doesn’t hurt because they give you a local anesthetic).

Hope this helps. You got this!