This study explored strategies from the Intimate Partner Violence Strategy Index (IPVSI) that a sub-set of 20 rural, low-income, abused women of a larger, multi-site, mixed-method study employed to deal with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during the perinatal period. We conducted 32 in-depth interviews with women who were pregnant (N = 12) and/or three months postpartum (N = 8). We then conducted content analysis of the IPVSI strategies employed by these women to halt, escape, or avoid the violence. We found that the women used the entire IPVSI range of safety planning, resisting, placating, and formal and informal support networks to deal with abuse in their lives. The urge to protect the unborn fetus and be a "good mother" seemed to be the impetus for halting, avoiding, or escaping the violence.