From The Mouths of Babes: A Teen Pregnancy

Q: Was your pregnancy planned?

A: This is kind of hard to answer, yes and no. What I mean is the baby's father and I talked about me getting pregnant and made plans but nothing ever happened so we thought maybe one of us couldn't have kids. So we just never really thought about it again until I found out I was pregnant.

Q: Did the father stick around?

A: Yes he did. I got really lucky and he stuck around and we got married.

Q: How did your parents react?

A: Well, my mother came in my room one morning and started questioning me about why I was always feeling sick and lying down. She brought up the idea that I might be pregnant. So I took a pregnancy test and it came up positive. I called my mom at work and told her. Then I went to a clinic and got tested and told my mom I was pregnant. She wasn't really mad; I think she already knew. When she told my dad he didn't talk to me for about a week.

Q: How did the pregnancy effect your education and other current plans?

A: I got pregnant in the middle of my freshman year. I finished school that year, which was tough because I always felt sick, hungry and moody and none of the teachers seemed to understand. When the next year rolled around I was still pregnant. I didn't go back to school, I kept finding different reasons for putting off going to school. Then when I had my daughter I could no longer go to school because did not have a baby sitter. I don't live close to a school with a daycare so I am now going to go for my G.E.D.

Q: What frustrations did you encounter after birth?

A: It was hard for me to all of a sudden adjust to waking up at night to a screaming baby and devoting all of my time to her. Instead of having time for myself. It was also hard knowing that I was young and I should be going out with my friends. That no longer was an option.

Q: How did your friends react?

A: Everyone had told me that I would know who my true friends were when I had a baby. I kept saying "No, I will still have all of my friends." But they were right. When I got pregnant it wasn't too bad. I still had all of my friends, I just didn't see them as much because they went partying or whatever and I couldn't go. Then when my daughter was born all of my friends seemed to disappear. Even my best friend doesn't seem to call me or even want to visit anymore.

Q: Do you have any regrets?

A: I don't regret having my daughter, but I wish I would have considered things more beforehand. I was so careless. I had no idea what I was getting into, even though I thought I did.

Q: Was abortion or adoption ever an option/issue?

A: No, I don't believe in abortion and I felt my baby was my responsibility, not for me to carry it and then pawn it off on someone else.