I am surprised I have
found time to write this story. But I did say "yes" when I
was asked to write about being a teen mother. I thought that
it would be great for other teens to see just how hard it
really is. Well, I don't know where to start. How about the
very beginning.
I met this guy, who I thought was
really nice. Later on, you'll realize I was wrong. We
started to date, and about three months (and a few drinks
later) we were having unprotected sex (a big mistake). We
continued to have unprotected sex. Then one day he decided
he didn't want a relationship anymore . OK, fine. About
three weeks later I took a home pregnancy test -- thank god
it was negative. I had too perfect of a life to be pregnant.
I was a cheerleader, a model, a dancer and I was getting
good marks in school. I decided I would go and get birth
control just in case. My doctor said I should take a
pregnancy test first. I told him I had taken a home test,
but he insisted I take a test, so I did. As I waited, I had
a terrible feeling in my stomach. The doctor asked me to
come in again and he followed shortly after. He walked in
and said, "Bad news. The test was positive." I will never
forget those words as long as I live. I didn't know what to
say. As I walked home, I cried uncontrollably.
I didn't know how I was supposed to
tell my mom and dad, and especially the dad of the baby.
When I got home, no one was there. I felt so alone. I had no
idea what I was going to do. I called the doctor and asked
him to call my mother later and tell her. When I got off the
phone with him, the baby's dad called. I started to cry a
lot. He realized what was going on and he started yelling at
me. I couldn't believe what was happening. I knew right then
that I was on my own.
When my mom found out, she didn't talk
to me for about two months. Things were very tense around
the house.
In the next few months after finding
out, I had a lot of decisions to make. When I found out I
was pregnant I was already seven weeks along, so I only had
a couple of weeks until abortion wouldn't be an option
anymore. As far as I was concerned, having an abortion
wasn't an option for me, anyway. I also felt that I could
never give the baby up for adoption. So I really had only
one choice: I would be a mom. Little did I know I would be
taking the roughest ride of my life.
I am very thankful that my parents are
here to help me. Some people's parents don't help them at
all. I could never imagine coping alone. When my parents
finally came around and talked to me, I realized they were
the only stable thing I have in my life. Some friends would
come and go, but I knew my mom would always be there.
During the last two months of my
pregnancy, I was in the hospital nine times, sometimes for
three or four days at a time. I was constantly getting
needles and pap tests. The doctors and nurses kept a very
close eye on my baby and my cervix to see if anything was
changing. I was constantly hooked up to something. I have
six scars from different intravenous needles. Pretty soon,
my veins just couldn't take the needles so they
collapsed.
I had to quit everything that a
teenager should be doing. All the money that I made from my
job went right to baby stuff. I have never really had a
whole paycheck to myself.
About two weeks before my due date I
went to see my doctor and I begged her to induce me. By
then, I had already taken a type of steroid to strengthen
the baby's lungs just in case the baby was premature. My
doctor told me she would check on it and get back to me.
About two days later she called and said I could get into
the hospital that Saturday. I was so excited. I went home
and got everything ready for the baby to come.
On Saturday morning, I was so nervous.
I was admitted at the hospital, they hooked me up to an IV,
and an hour later began to induce me. My first contraction
was really easy, but after about two hours, they became much
more painful so I asked to get an epidural. I could feel all
the needles and tubes going up my spine while I was having
painful contractions. At 7:00 p.m., they told me I was 10 cm
dilated. They called my doctor, but I couldn't wait for
her--the pressure and pain were unbearably strong. I
couldn't stand it, I had to push. It took me 14 minutes to
push out my eight pound, seven ounce baby. The doctor gave
me four stitches and I sat in a shower while they prepared
my room. As they wheeled me up, tears filled my eyes and I
could not believe what was happening to my life.
While I was in the hospital I had a
lot of time to think. I had decided before I had my baby
that I was going to go around to different schools and talk
to lifestyle classes about being a teen mother. This would
hopefully prevent other teens from making my same mistake.
If I could go back, I would have done things differently.
Even so, I wouldn't give up my baby for the world.
The first month was the hardest. I had
to get used to the new addition in my life and was barely
able to move, let alone sit, because of my stitches. I had
to carry a blow-up donut everywhere to sit on. I was up
every three hours to feed and change my baby boy. My parents
were very supportive and they baby-sit for me a lot. If I
didn't have them, I would probably be on welfare and living
in complete poverty. I would not have any friends, because I
would be working all the time and I would have no money to
go out because I would have to pay a babysitter.
To anyone out there who is having
unprotected sex: it is really not worth it and there are
many consequences besides getting pregnant, such as getting
an STD (sexually transmitted disease). It just isn't worth
it--especially if the guy doesn't stay with you. It is
extremely hard on your own. I can't stress enough how my
life has changed, and not for the better. You think you and
your parents fight? Try having a baby around to fight about.
It gets a lot worse than you could ever imagine and so much
trust is lost between you and your family. It is really not
worth it.
