Their Stories of Teen Parenting and Loss...Every Story Is Different.
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
In November 2008... i was raped by my "best friend" Skylar... and that's how i became pregnant with my son, Kaden. I sent the father off to prison and from what I know hes there for life. My reaction was pretty.. not shocked, kind of okay because I expected it. That, or some horrible disease. My parents understood and they supported my decision to have Kaden, and they didn't want me to abort him anyway. They know how it is to have a child so young (they had me at 17). Then I gave birth to him the next year August 28th, 2009 at 5:34am in Tacoma, Washington :D He's 2 now, turning 3 this coming August, and he's doing great, no birth problems/defects. He's a perfectly normal baby boy, starting preschool in September & gymnastics in July:D
~Anonymous, 15yrs old
In November 2008... i was raped by my "best friend" Skylar... and that's how i became pregnant with my son, Kaden. I sent the father off to prison and from what I know hes there for life. My reaction was pretty.. not shocked, kind of okay because I expected it. That, or some horrible disease. My parents understood and they supported my decision to have Kaden, and they didn't want me to abort him anyway. They know how it is to have a child so young (they had me at 17). Then I gave birth to him the next year August 28th, 2009 at 5:34am in Tacoma, Washington :D He's 2 now, turning 3 this coming August, and he's doing great, no birth problems/defects. He's a perfectly normal baby boy, starting preschool in September & gymnastics in July:D
~Anonymous, 15yrs old
A Abortion Story...
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
My name is Christine, I'm from Rockland County, NY. I am 24 years old now. When I was 17, I was dating a a guy who was 4 years older then me named John. He bounced from job to job, lived in his moms house, had no license but drove a 200 dollar car anyway, already had 2 DWI's, and cheated on me constantly. Occasionally he would even throw me around, call me fat, and whatever else he felt like doing. I did not know or realize most of these things when I met him when I was 15 and young and stupid, but by the time i learned, and realized them, I was already in love with him. I ended up pregnant when I was 17 with his child. At first I was considering having, and keeping it but never really sure about that. John did not want it and made it perfectly clear that I would be raising the child alone if I did, and then he broke up with me and went on his own way with a new girl. Adoption was never an option for me because I could never ever imagine making, and carrying and creating a life, my own baby, and giving it away to people i did or didn't know and my family would never be accepting of that either for good reason. My mother also did not think I should have the baby because she wanted me to live my life and go to college and meet a nice guy, and so she recommended I get an abortion. After really thinking about what that baby and my life would be like with john as its father and my age, and also researching the stages of development of a fetus and decided that as far as science, and my beliefs and spirituality were concerned, I did not believe that at that stage there was a "baby" in me yet. I still felt that it was tissue the size of a grain of sand, and there was no soul in there yet unless i carried it much further and decided i was going to carry it to term, and so I decided to get an abortion. Obviously it wasn't a happy experience, it was a lesson learner and kind of hard, especially when there was protesters outside of the abortion clinic as i walked in trying to get me to change my mind, but it was the right decision for me. I was 8 weeks pregnant when I got the abortion. It was quick and painless. I have no regrets and wouldn't change it at all. I went on to get my cut off all contact with John, get my GED, attend college in Florida, move back home, and 5 years later I met a really good guy, we moved in together, got engaged and now I have my 2 year old son Christopher who I can give a happy life too.
~Christine, 24yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
My name is Christine, I'm from Rockland County, NY. I am 24 years old now. When I was 17, I was dating a a guy who was 4 years older then me named John. He bounced from job to job, lived in his moms house, had no license but drove a 200 dollar car anyway, already had 2 DWI's, and cheated on me constantly. Occasionally he would even throw me around, call me fat, and whatever else he felt like doing. I did not know or realize most of these things when I met him when I was 15 and young and stupid, but by the time i learned, and realized them, I was already in love with him. I ended up pregnant when I was 17 with his child. At first I was considering having, and keeping it but never really sure about that. John did not want it and made it perfectly clear that I would be raising the child alone if I did, and then he broke up with me and went on his own way with a new girl. Adoption was never an option for me because I could never ever imagine making, and carrying and creating a life, my own baby, and giving it away to people i did or didn't know and my family would never be accepting of that either for good reason. My mother also did not think I should have the baby because she wanted me to live my life and go to college and meet a nice guy, and so she recommended I get an abortion. After really thinking about what that baby and my life would be like with john as its father and my age, and also researching the stages of development of a fetus and decided that as far as science, and my beliefs and spirituality were concerned, I did not believe that at that stage there was a "baby" in me yet. I still felt that it was tissue the size of a grain of sand, and there was no soul in there yet unless i carried it much further and decided i was going to carry it to term, and so I decided to get an abortion. Obviously it wasn't a happy experience, it was a lesson learner and kind of hard, especially when there was protesters outside of the abortion clinic as i walked in trying to get me to change my mind, but it was the right decision for me. I was 8 weeks pregnant when I got the abortion. It was quick and painless. I have no regrets and wouldn't change it at all. I went on to get my cut off all contact with John, get my GED, attend college in Florida, move back home, and 5 years later I met a really good guy, we moved in together, got engaged and now I have my 2 year old son Christopher who I can give a happy life too.
~Christine, 24yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I was 15 when I got pregnant, only a little before I turned 16. Now I'm about 20 weeks along and the daddy left from the beginning. Even though I haven't had him yet its still been a very bumpy road.
~Anonymous, 16yrs old
Hopefully she will keep us updated on her story :)
I was 15 when I got pregnant, only a little before I turned 16. Now I'm about 20 weeks along and the daddy left from the beginning. Even though I haven't had him yet its still been a very bumpy road.
~Anonymous, 16yrs old
Hopefully she will keep us updated on her story :)
A Single moms story...
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
Hi! I am a young single mom. I met my sons father when I was 17, we got pregnant right away. I quit high school in my second semester of my senior year to work full time to support my growing family. We miscarried, hardest thing I've ever had to go through. He promised to stick by me through anything and be by my side to help me cope with the miscarriage. When I was 18 he asked me to marry him, and over and over again promised to stick by me no matter what happened. We got married right after I turned 19, and the promise kept coming up for some reason. We were married for about a month and a half when I found out I was pregnant. Of course he didn't stick around like he promised, said he wasn't ready for such a big change and that much responsibility. He left, and he wanted out and wanted a divorce and nothing to do with me or the baby. That left me to figure everything out on my own. I had my son 2 months before my 20th birthday. I am now a single mom, working my butt off to make sure my son has everything he needs, plus more! I am taking my GED test in a few weeks, and will hopefully start college soon. I have a great support group, and lots of help from my parents, being as were all my son has. His father has shown no interest at all. Not everyone will be supportive of a young mom. Being a young single mom is hard. Probably even harder if the father doesn't stick around. I love my son more then I could ever imagine I would, and wouldn't change anything about my life right now, I just wish things would've been different. Sex wont make any guy love you; and a baby definitely doesn't mean he has to stay with you.
~Ariel, 20yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
Hi! I am a young single mom. I met my sons father when I was 17, we got pregnant right away. I quit high school in my second semester of my senior year to work full time to support my growing family. We miscarried, hardest thing I've ever had to go through. He promised to stick by me through anything and be by my side to help me cope with the miscarriage. When I was 18 he asked me to marry him, and over and over again promised to stick by me no matter what happened. We got married right after I turned 19, and the promise kept coming up for some reason. We were married for about a month and a half when I found out I was pregnant. Of course he didn't stick around like he promised, said he wasn't ready for such a big change and that much responsibility. He left, and he wanted out and wanted a divorce and nothing to do with me or the baby. That left me to figure everything out on my own. I had my son 2 months before my 20th birthday. I am now a single mom, working my butt off to make sure my son has everything he needs, plus more! I am taking my GED test in a few weeks, and will hopefully start college soon. I have a great support group, and lots of help from my parents, being as were all my son has. His father has shown no interest at all. Not everyone will be supportive of a young mom. Being a young single mom is hard. Probably even harder if the father doesn't stick around. I love my son more then I could ever imagine I would, and wouldn't change anything about my life right now, I just wish things would've been different. Sex wont make any guy love you; and a baby definitely doesn't mean he has to stay with you.
~Ariel, 20yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I got pregnant for the first time in September, 2010. My fiance had been together for 18 months, and were living together in the crappiest situation. His mom didn't pay her bills or rent. She didn't buy groceries and she left her baby daughter, born June 2010 with us 24/7. But that's another story. So, I got pregnant and we were trying to figure out what to do. We were keeping our baby, but we needed a more stable environment, and a lot less stress from his mom. It eventually got to the point where she was evicted and we decided to move back in with my mom, three hours away. When we got home my mom was very supportive and helped us start getting things in order for the baby's arrival immediately. Unfortunately, however at my first ultrasound a few days later, we found out I miscarried a little over a month before. The healing process was long and hard. We fought through the first few months, but eventually we were able to get closure and we stuck it out together. We are so much stronger as a couple, and we are getting married next spring.
~Megan, 17yrs old
I got pregnant for the first time in September, 2010. My fiance had been together for 18 months, and were living together in the crappiest situation. His mom didn't pay her bills or rent. She didn't buy groceries and she left her baby daughter, born June 2010 with us 24/7. But that's another story. So, I got pregnant and we were trying to figure out what to do. We were keeping our baby, but we needed a more stable environment, and a lot less stress from his mom. It eventually got to the point where she was evicted and we decided to move back in with my mom, three hours away. When we got home my mom was very supportive and helped us start getting things in order for the baby's arrival immediately. Unfortunately, however at my first ultrasound a few days later, we found out I miscarried a little over a month before. The healing process was long and hard. We fought through the first few months, but eventually we were able to get closure and we stuck it out together. We are so much stronger as a couple, and we are getting married next spring.
~Megan, 17yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I dealt with a lot of depression in my teen years. To make myself feel better my life began revolving around boys and soccer. I played soccer like it was nobody's business, it was my entire life. And when I wasn't playing soccer I was more often than not hanging out, making out, or sleeping with my latest boyfriend. My self worth was determined by how many goals I scored and what guys thought of me. By the time I graduated high school I'd been with 7 boys, had 3 pregnancy scares, and had been offered a full ride to a college half way across the country to play college soccer. It was like a dream come true, I got as far away from my family as I could and got to play college ball! So I went off to college and had everything in the world going for me. I became homesick rather quickly, I hadn't realized how much my friends and family actually meant to me and it was hard being hundreds of miles away from them, so when I found out that there was a guy there that was from the town I lived in I was immediately attracted to him no matter how big of a douchebag he was. I started sleeping with him on a friends with benefits level, even though technically we were dating it never meant anything. And before I knew it I found out I was pregnant. My first instinct was to get rid of the baby and get rid of it as quickly as I could. But I just couldn't afford it. So I told him that I was pregnant, he told me not to tell anyone and to get an abortion but that I was the one who was pregnant so he wasn't going to help pay for it. I got the money together and scheduled an appointment to abort the baby, I went and got called back but I couldn't go through with it. So I went home for winter break and told my mom that I was pregnant. She was devastated, I didn't want the baby because the father had already broken up with me and thought I had an abortion. I told her I didn't want the baby and I just wanted to stay home from college for a semester and have the baby (she was due in July) give it up for adoption and go back to school in the fall. Even though skipping a semester made me lose my scholarship I could still probably get some back and play college ball again the next year. So I stayed home and started talking to an adoption agency. Then at one of my appointments they asked me if I wanted to know what I was having, I said yes. They told me I was having a little girl and my whole world changed. Suddenly this baby inside of my belly wasn't an it, but a she, a little girl, My daughter. I knew right then that I was keeping her. I told my mom and she flipped out, told me that 19 was way too young to become a mom and that with no support from my baby's father there was no way that I'd make it, and Olivia's father objected even more than my mom did. So I got a full time job and started saving up to move out and when I was 34 weeks pregnant I moved into my own apartment. My mom eventually changed her mind about being upset and told me that she supported me all the way and said that as long as I was trying my very best that she'd be there for us if my best ever stopped being enough. I was just getting everything unpacked in my own apartment and getting settled in when at 35 weeks my water broke. I drove myself to the hospital crying, I suddenly didn't feel ready to be a mom, I didn't even want to be a mom. I got myself checked in and was in labor and was dealing with it on my own, I was in denial that my life was about to change and didn't want to call anyone. I wasn't able to do it alone though, and I knew my mom would be upset if I did. So at 6cm dilated I called my mom and told her to come to the hospital, she came 20 minutes later and 40 minutes after that I welcomed my daughter into the world. That moment holding her in my arms was amazing, but it was the scariest moment of my life. She was my child, all mine, and I was only 19. I called my ex, who was in town for summer break and I told him he had a daughter and that he needed to come to the hospital to sign the birth certificate. He told me that he wasn't coming and that she was all mine and told me good luck. He told me this while I was holding Olivia in my arms and I remember looking down at that precious little girl who deserved the world and realizing that because I slept with the wrong guy she has to grow up without her father. Thank goodness she was healthy for 5 weeks early and 3 days later we left the hospital and went to my mom's house so she could help me out, and 3 days after that we went home. I remember that first night clearly. We were both awake at 3am and I'm not sure who was crying harder. It sunk in that nothing was how I planned it. I was supposed to be a college soccer player, living my dream and not having a care in the world. Instead I was 19 years old, holding my newborn daughter, worrying about bills, living on my own, and wondering if things would ever be okay. The first month was rough, I spent most of the month crying, I loved my little girl but I was upset that the life I'd always planned on was gone and was replaced by motherhood. Olivia's father has met her 3 times in her life and I don't foresee him ever seeing her again. The first year was tough but now i have a beautiful 3 year old girl who is my entire world. I've had a couple men come into my life since she was born but I've been the only parent she knows and am currently single. I wish she had a father, someone to love her like only a dad could. But I do my best to be mommy and daddy to her. I am incredibly lucky for the support of my mom because I'm not sure how I would have made it through without knowing she was there for me. Olivia and I have a pretty comfortable life together now, 3 years later. But it doesn't mean that it's easier. With every new day comes a new challenge, but every new day also brings new joys and new experiences. I've made mistakes, some worse than others, but at the end of the day she knows she's loved and I can put a roof over her head, clothes on her back and food in her mouth, and I consider that success. I know it's said that we shouldn't live with regrets, but I do have a lot of regrets. I wouldn't trade my daughter for anything in the world, but when asked if I could go back and do things differently, if I were to be honest I definitely would. If I could still have my daughter I would definitely have finished out college, been a little more careful when picking who I slept with, get my career going, get married and be in a stable relationship before I had kids. Not only because I feel like I missed out on a lot but because a child deserves that, my kid deserves so much more than I can offer her. I think I will always carry a little bit of guilt around with me over the fact that my daughter is paying for my selfish decisions. But when it all comes down to it, we only get one chance of this life and we're going to make mistakes, we just have to make the best of it. I love my daughter and she knows that she's loved, that's enough to help me get to sleep at night.
~Evelyn, 23yrs old
I dealt with a lot of depression in my teen years. To make myself feel better my life began revolving around boys and soccer. I played soccer like it was nobody's business, it was my entire life. And when I wasn't playing soccer I was more often than not hanging out, making out, or sleeping with my latest boyfriend. My self worth was determined by how many goals I scored and what guys thought of me. By the time I graduated high school I'd been with 7 boys, had 3 pregnancy scares, and had been offered a full ride to a college half way across the country to play college soccer. It was like a dream come true, I got as far away from my family as I could and got to play college ball! So I went off to college and had everything in the world going for me. I became homesick rather quickly, I hadn't realized how much my friends and family actually meant to me and it was hard being hundreds of miles away from them, so when I found out that there was a guy there that was from the town I lived in I was immediately attracted to him no matter how big of a douchebag he was. I started sleeping with him on a friends with benefits level, even though technically we were dating it never meant anything. And before I knew it I found out I was pregnant. My first instinct was to get rid of the baby and get rid of it as quickly as I could. But I just couldn't afford it. So I told him that I was pregnant, he told me not to tell anyone and to get an abortion but that I was the one who was pregnant so he wasn't going to help pay for it. I got the money together and scheduled an appointment to abort the baby, I went and got called back but I couldn't go through with it. So I went home for winter break and told my mom that I was pregnant. She was devastated, I didn't want the baby because the father had already broken up with me and thought I had an abortion. I told her I didn't want the baby and I just wanted to stay home from college for a semester and have the baby (she was due in July) give it up for adoption and go back to school in the fall. Even though skipping a semester made me lose my scholarship I could still probably get some back and play college ball again the next year. So I stayed home and started talking to an adoption agency. Then at one of my appointments they asked me if I wanted to know what I was having, I said yes. They told me I was having a little girl and my whole world changed. Suddenly this baby inside of my belly wasn't an it, but a she, a little girl, My daughter. I knew right then that I was keeping her. I told my mom and she flipped out, told me that 19 was way too young to become a mom and that with no support from my baby's father there was no way that I'd make it, and Olivia's father objected even more than my mom did. So I got a full time job and started saving up to move out and when I was 34 weeks pregnant I moved into my own apartment. My mom eventually changed her mind about being upset and told me that she supported me all the way and said that as long as I was trying my very best that she'd be there for us if my best ever stopped being enough. I was just getting everything unpacked in my own apartment and getting settled in when at 35 weeks my water broke. I drove myself to the hospital crying, I suddenly didn't feel ready to be a mom, I didn't even want to be a mom. I got myself checked in and was in labor and was dealing with it on my own, I was in denial that my life was about to change and didn't want to call anyone. I wasn't able to do it alone though, and I knew my mom would be upset if I did. So at 6cm dilated I called my mom and told her to come to the hospital, she came 20 minutes later and 40 minutes after that I welcomed my daughter into the world. That moment holding her in my arms was amazing, but it was the scariest moment of my life. She was my child, all mine, and I was only 19. I called my ex, who was in town for summer break and I told him he had a daughter and that he needed to come to the hospital to sign the birth certificate. He told me that he wasn't coming and that she was all mine and told me good luck. He told me this while I was holding Olivia in my arms and I remember looking down at that precious little girl who deserved the world and realizing that because I slept with the wrong guy she has to grow up without her father. Thank goodness she was healthy for 5 weeks early and 3 days later we left the hospital and went to my mom's house so she could help me out, and 3 days after that we went home. I remember that first night clearly. We were both awake at 3am and I'm not sure who was crying harder. It sunk in that nothing was how I planned it. I was supposed to be a college soccer player, living my dream and not having a care in the world. Instead I was 19 years old, holding my newborn daughter, worrying about bills, living on my own, and wondering if things would ever be okay. The first month was rough, I spent most of the month crying, I loved my little girl but I was upset that the life I'd always planned on was gone and was replaced by motherhood. Olivia's father has met her 3 times in her life and I don't foresee him ever seeing her again. The first year was tough but now i have a beautiful 3 year old girl who is my entire world. I've had a couple men come into my life since she was born but I've been the only parent she knows and am currently single. I wish she had a father, someone to love her like only a dad could. But I do my best to be mommy and daddy to her. I am incredibly lucky for the support of my mom because I'm not sure how I would have made it through without knowing she was there for me. Olivia and I have a pretty comfortable life together now, 3 years later. But it doesn't mean that it's easier. With every new day comes a new challenge, but every new day also brings new joys and new experiences. I've made mistakes, some worse than others, but at the end of the day she knows she's loved and I can put a roof over her head, clothes on her back and food in her mouth, and I consider that success. I know it's said that we shouldn't live with regrets, but I do have a lot of regrets. I wouldn't trade my daughter for anything in the world, but when asked if I could go back and do things differently, if I were to be honest I definitely would. If I could still have my daughter I would definitely have finished out college, been a little more careful when picking who I slept with, get my career going, get married and be in a stable relationship before I had kids. Not only because I feel like I missed out on a lot but because a child deserves that, my kid deserves so much more than I can offer her. I think I will always carry a little bit of guilt around with me over the fact that my daughter is paying for my selfish decisions. But when it all comes down to it, we only get one chance of this life and we're going to make mistakes, we just have to make the best of it. I love my daughter and she knows that she's loved, that's enough to help me get to sleep at night.
~Evelyn, 23yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
It's hard to give very much detail, because it's just so raw and I'm trying not to relive it. My BF and I have been together for almost 2 years. We found out on May 1, 2011 that we were pregnant. It was quite a shock at first. But we were determined to be the best parents that we could be. I took all my vitamins, I followed all the dietary rules, and did my very best to have a healthy pregnancy. I had horrible morning sickness. Both of my BF's parents are in the medical field, and said that strong pregnancy symptoms were a good sign. For the first few weeks I was so worried that I'd lose this baby that I'd already come to love so much. I prayed constantly for my baby to be growing correctly and to be healthy. I did hours of research about miscarriages and the chances.. As if I could give myself a percentage of how likely my baby was to be healthy. As the weeks went by, I began to relax. Finally, I reached my 11th week, and I didn't worry as much about my baby. I had started to grow, and still had pregnancy symptoms. I figured that if I was going to miscarry, I would have stopped growing.
When I went to my 12 week ultrasound, I was excited to see my baby for the first time. But something was wrong. As soon as I saw the picture of my baby, I knew that something had happened. I began crying and the technician called in the doctor. My baby had stopped growing around 7.5w, and didn't have a heartbeat. I was devastated. I hadn't passed him yet, and I didn't want to go through that kind of emotional and physical pain. I had a D&C the next day. It has been the most emotionally hard time of my life. I miss being pregnant and I miss the tiny being that I had come to love without ever truly seeing him until it was too late. I'm optimistic about my future, but will never forget my very first little angel.
~Meagan, 18yrs old
It's hard to give very much detail, because it's just so raw and I'm trying not to relive it. My BF and I have been together for almost 2 years. We found out on May 1, 2011 that we were pregnant. It was quite a shock at first. But we were determined to be the best parents that we could be. I took all my vitamins, I followed all the dietary rules, and did my very best to have a healthy pregnancy. I had horrible morning sickness. Both of my BF's parents are in the medical field, and said that strong pregnancy symptoms were a good sign. For the first few weeks I was so worried that I'd lose this baby that I'd already come to love so much. I prayed constantly for my baby to be growing correctly and to be healthy. I did hours of research about miscarriages and the chances.. As if I could give myself a percentage of how likely my baby was to be healthy. As the weeks went by, I began to relax. Finally, I reached my 11th week, and I didn't worry as much about my baby. I had started to grow, and still had pregnancy symptoms. I figured that if I was going to miscarry, I would have stopped growing.
When I went to my 12 week ultrasound, I was excited to see my baby for the first time. But something was wrong. As soon as I saw the picture of my baby, I knew that something had happened. I began crying and the technician called in the doctor. My baby had stopped growing around 7.5w, and didn't have a heartbeat. I was devastated. I hadn't passed him yet, and I didn't want to go through that kind of emotional and physical pain. I had a D&C the next day. It has been the most emotionally hard time of my life. I miss being pregnant and I miss the tiny being that I had come to love without ever truly seeing him until it was too late. I'm optimistic about my future, but will never forget my very first little angel.
~Meagan, 18yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I got pregnant at 16, the father left as soon as i told him I was pregnant. Getting my HS diploma was VERY important to me so I started on an excelerated program that allowed me to graduate 1 1/2 yrs early. Ive worked my butt off since the time I got pregnant till now and my daughter is 2 1/2. Its hard but a very rewarding job.
~Anonymous, 18yrs old_
I got pregnant at 16, the father left as soon as i told him I was pregnant. Getting my HS diploma was VERY important to me so I started on an excelerated program that allowed me to graduate 1 1/2 yrs early. Ive worked my butt off since the time I got pregnant till now and my daughter is 2 1/2. Its hard but a very rewarding job.
~Anonymous, 18yrs old_
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
Hi, my name is Cheyenne and I'm 19. I decided to share my story or rather stories about miscarriage because I know how hard it can be when you think you are alone.I had my first miscarriage 1/31/09 and my second 3/24/11. My first story may not have too many details because I blocked it out in my mind instead of grieving. I lost my first (Alex) at a little over 5 weeks. I lost my second (Jordyn) at 6 weeks and miscarried naturally at what should have been around 8.
I became sexually active at the very young age of 15, which I now feel like was way too young. When I had just turned 17 I started sleeping with my new boyfriend because I thought that we were in "love". We didn't use protection once and that's all it took. A few short weeks later I started feeling funny and just knew that I had to be pregnant. I was too scared to tell anyone or take a test. When I missed my period I decided it was time to suck it up and just go to the doctor during the next upcoming week. I never made it there. The Friday night before I started having bad cramps. I hoped that it was just my period coming really late, but this was worse than anything I had ever experienced. I went to the bathroom and realized that I was bleeding quite heavily. It was coming out in clots and I knew this wasn't just my period. I was right when I guessed that I was pregnant and figured that it had to be miscarriage. I immediately just started crying. I was in so much pain, and was passing clots. My boyfriend and one of his friends were at the house at the time. I tried to go tell him, but he just left. I was so hurt.That just made my pain even worse and I felt like I was all alone. When he came back he finally settled down and we immediately talked about a name and came up with Alex. I was so annoyed that he just kept saying "it". I spent the whole night crying. I had to get up periodically to change my pad because of how heavily I was bleeding. I remember just sitting in my bathroom floor and realizing that those gray clots were my baby. The next day my pain was unbearable. I got into the shower and the bleeding still continued. I fell into a depression and the days after that are still a blur. I threw myself into school, friends, and my boyfriend and pretended like nothing happened. I now wish I wouldn't have done that because 2 years later it started affecting me emotionally and I had to figure out how to grieve I had dreams that Alex would have been a little boy and still miss him to this day.
I just experienced my second miscarriage this past March. This time I'm 19 and was actually in love when I became pregnant. My boyfriend and I used protection but one time after having sex we took the condom off, but then decided we weren't done.. I had just started birth control again and wasn't taking it right. Right away I started worrying about pregnancy. I had that feeling again just like I had feeling again just like I did with my first. I just knew I was pregnant. This time I decided to take tests. I took 2 with barely visible lines. I was scared.. too scared to do it again. When I had taken tests before it was always completely visible. I knew something was wrong. I knew I was pregnant. I suffered with an achy body and strange dull cramps for almost 2 months. Just the smell of certain things would make me nauseous, and I gained just a few pounds. My friends were teasing me that I was pregnant but I just couldn't tell them that I most likely was yet. My boyfriend didn't think I could be pregnant, he pushed me to take the tests. It started to bother him just as much as me. Even though I still had that feeling that I was pregnant I refused to go to the doctor just yet. I know I should have. I put myself and baby at risk. Late one Wednesday night I started not to feel good. My hormones were all put of place. I was either mad, or crying about something all night. I decided I needed to take the next day off from my classes and just relax. That Thursday I stayed around the house. I remember laying on the couch and started having cramps. They were coming in waves. It wasn't time for my period. I had barely had one since that time we had sex but I thought it was from going back on the pill and my body getting used to it. The cramps got worse and worse through out the day and seemed like contractions. I talked myself through them trying to keep myself from panicing. I knew what this was, I had been here before. I was losing my second baby. I made it through the rest of the day and night with those coming and going. The next morning I woke up feeling horrible, went to the bathroom and as soon as I sat down I started bleeding. Through out the day I passed fairly large clots. My bleeding lasted about a week, with a few little clots here and there. I fell into another depression, but tried to shove it off. I blamed myself and had horrible guilt. I didn't tell my boyfriend until the next week and he was so upset with me for not telling him. At that time I was upset with him for being upset with me during such a rough time, but I understand his reasoning now. He has been very supportive throughout this loss. I felt this baby would have been a girl. I let my boyfriend name her and he came up with Jordyn. My second loss seemed so much harder than my first because it has brought back so many emotions that I never felt with my first because I didn't allow myself to grieve. At first I felt so alone, like I couldn't even talk to him. He helped me open up not only about our baby but my first as well. If you open up and share your story to others you will realize that you aren't so alone and many people are willing to help.
~Cheyenne, 19 yrs old
Hi, my name is Cheyenne and I'm 19. I decided to share my story or rather stories about miscarriage because I know how hard it can be when you think you are alone.I had my first miscarriage 1/31/09 and my second 3/24/11. My first story may not have too many details because I blocked it out in my mind instead of grieving. I lost my first (Alex) at a little over 5 weeks. I lost my second (Jordyn) at 6 weeks and miscarried naturally at what should have been around 8.
I became sexually active at the very young age of 15, which I now feel like was way too young. When I had just turned 17 I started sleeping with my new boyfriend because I thought that we were in "love". We didn't use protection once and that's all it took. A few short weeks later I started feeling funny and just knew that I had to be pregnant. I was too scared to tell anyone or take a test. When I missed my period I decided it was time to suck it up and just go to the doctor during the next upcoming week. I never made it there. The Friday night before I started having bad cramps. I hoped that it was just my period coming really late, but this was worse than anything I had ever experienced. I went to the bathroom and realized that I was bleeding quite heavily. It was coming out in clots and I knew this wasn't just my period. I was right when I guessed that I was pregnant and figured that it had to be miscarriage. I immediately just started crying. I was in so much pain, and was passing clots. My boyfriend and one of his friends were at the house at the time. I tried to go tell him, but he just left. I was so hurt.That just made my pain even worse and I felt like I was all alone. When he came back he finally settled down and we immediately talked about a name and came up with Alex. I was so annoyed that he just kept saying "it". I spent the whole night crying. I had to get up periodically to change my pad because of how heavily I was bleeding. I remember just sitting in my bathroom floor and realizing that those gray clots were my baby. The next day my pain was unbearable. I got into the shower and the bleeding still continued. I fell into a depression and the days after that are still a blur. I threw myself into school, friends, and my boyfriend and pretended like nothing happened. I now wish I wouldn't have done that because 2 years later it started affecting me emotionally and I had to figure out how to grieve I had dreams that Alex would have been a little boy and still miss him to this day.
I just experienced my second miscarriage this past March. This time I'm 19 and was actually in love when I became pregnant. My boyfriend and I used protection but one time after having sex we took the condom off, but then decided we weren't done.. I had just started birth control again and wasn't taking it right. Right away I started worrying about pregnancy. I had that feeling again just like I had feeling again just like I did with my first. I just knew I was pregnant. This time I decided to take tests. I took 2 with barely visible lines. I was scared.. too scared to do it again. When I had taken tests before it was always completely visible. I knew something was wrong. I knew I was pregnant. I suffered with an achy body and strange dull cramps for almost 2 months. Just the smell of certain things would make me nauseous, and I gained just a few pounds. My friends were teasing me that I was pregnant but I just couldn't tell them that I most likely was yet. My boyfriend didn't think I could be pregnant, he pushed me to take the tests. It started to bother him just as much as me. Even though I still had that feeling that I was pregnant I refused to go to the doctor just yet. I know I should have. I put myself and baby at risk. Late one Wednesday night I started not to feel good. My hormones were all put of place. I was either mad, or crying about something all night. I decided I needed to take the next day off from my classes and just relax. That Thursday I stayed around the house. I remember laying on the couch and started having cramps. They were coming in waves. It wasn't time for my period. I had barely had one since that time we had sex but I thought it was from going back on the pill and my body getting used to it. The cramps got worse and worse through out the day and seemed like contractions. I talked myself through them trying to keep myself from panicing. I knew what this was, I had been here before. I was losing my second baby. I made it through the rest of the day and night with those coming and going. The next morning I woke up feeling horrible, went to the bathroom and as soon as I sat down I started bleeding. Through out the day I passed fairly large clots. My bleeding lasted about a week, with a few little clots here and there. I fell into another depression, but tried to shove it off. I blamed myself and had horrible guilt. I didn't tell my boyfriend until the next week and he was so upset with me for not telling him. At that time I was upset with him for being upset with me during such a rough time, but I understand his reasoning now. He has been very supportive throughout this loss. I felt this baby would have been a girl. I let my boyfriend name her and he came up with Jordyn. My second loss seemed so much harder than my first because it has brought back so many emotions that I never felt with my first because I didn't allow myself to grieve. At first I felt so alone, like I couldn't even talk to him. He helped me open up not only about our baby but my first as well. If you open up and share your story to others you will realize that you aren't so alone and many people are willing to help.
~Cheyenne, 19 yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I had my son at 16 and I had quit school because I was too embarrassed to go to school pregnant. After I had my son I went back to school and graduated on time, I had to work and go to school which was very hard and then to come home and take care of my son by myself I had a little help from his dad when he was young but got better as he got older. I don't regret having my son but definitely think it was not a wise choice and encourage people against it i am going to do everything I can to make sure my kids do not make the same mistakes I have.
~Anonymous
I had my son at 16 and I had quit school because I was too embarrassed to go to school pregnant. After I had my son I went back to school and graduated on time, I had to work and go to school which was very hard and then to come home and take care of my son by myself I had a little help from his dad when he was young but got better as he got older. I don't regret having my son but definitely think it was not a wise choice and encourage people against it i am going to do everything I can to make sure my kids do not make the same mistakes I have.
~Anonymous
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I was 15 when I got pregnant and had my son 2 weeks before my 16th birthday. His dad stayed by my side the entire time and I had tons of support (emotionally and physically) from my mom. My son's dad and I both worked and went to school the entire time I was pregnant; after I had Matthew his dad stopped going to school so he could work more hours during the day so he could be home to help me at night. (he has since gotten his GED) I went to the "alternative" high school, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. I graduated 6 months before my class. Right after high school I got my CNA and now I am working full time, going to school full time for nursing, and being a full time mommy to my AMAZING 3.5 y/o son. I also bought a house in January and I have been with my son's dad,who is now my husband, for a little over 4 years and we have been married for almost 2 months. I would not recommend getting pregnant at such an early age, I have seen a lot of girls (at the alternative HS) struggle, drop out, give up their kids, etc. It was a very bumpy road but I wouldn't change my personal experience for anything.
~Anonymous, 19yrs old
_
I was 15 when I got pregnant and had my son 2 weeks before my 16th birthday. His dad stayed by my side the entire time and I had tons of support (emotionally and physically) from my mom. My son's dad and I both worked and went to school the entire time I was pregnant; after I had Matthew his dad stopped going to school so he could work more hours during the day so he could be home to help me at night. (he has since gotten his GED) I went to the "alternative" high school, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. I graduated 6 months before my class. Right after high school I got my CNA and now I am working full time, going to school full time for nursing, and being a full time mommy to my AMAZING 3.5 y/o son. I also bought a house in January and I have been with my son's dad,who is now my husband, for a little over 4 years and we have been married for almost 2 months. I would not recommend getting pregnant at such an early age, I have seen a lot of girls (at the alternative HS) struggle, drop out, give up their kids, etc. It was a very bumpy road but I wouldn't change my personal experience for anything.
~Anonymous, 19yrs old
_
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I was 17 when I got pregnant with my first little girl my family wasn't a very good place to raise a kid so as soon as the dad turned 18 we moved into our own place together hes been working from the time we found out I was pregnant I got married the day after my 18th birthday about half way though my pregnancy when I had her my in-laws always wanted to help but because my own mom was never around while I was growing up I wanted to raise my little girl by my self when she was about 6 months old my birth control failed and I got pregnant with my 2nd little girl I'm now 20 and have a 2 years old and a almost 11 month old I've been married for 2 and a half years and though it has been hard at times I'm making it and trying to give my little girls the best life i can.
~Anonymous, 20yrs old
I was 17 when I got pregnant with my first little girl my family wasn't a very good place to raise a kid so as soon as the dad turned 18 we moved into our own place together hes been working from the time we found out I was pregnant I got married the day after my 18th birthday about half way though my pregnancy when I had her my in-laws always wanted to help but because my own mom was never around while I was growing up I wanted to raise my little girl by my self when she was about 6 months old my birth control failed and I got pregnant with my 2nd little girl I'm now 20 and have a 2 years old and a almost 11 month old I've been married for 2 and a half years and though it has been hard at times I'm making it and trying to give my little girls the best life i can.
~Anonymous, 20yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I had my first son at 17. I really don't regret having him at all he is the reason I push my self harder to provide. I graduated high school a year early and I'm now in college. I have to admit that there were a lot of sacrifices that I made to provide for my son but my education is what would help me better provide for him. My mom stood by me the entire time and helped me wen I needed it I never depended on the the govt to provide for myself or my son I worked from the time I got pregnant til the time I had him and then on and made straight A's n school so being a teen mom was hard and I don't recommend anyone trying to have kids young but if it happens deal with it and know its time to grow up and put all else aside for your child..the term teen mom does not have to define who you are but let is rather be the term that makes you want to stand out from the rest that hand their kids off to the next of kin which is usually the mom and still remain that child inside..i realized when i got pregnant that it was no more me it was we.
~Anonymous
I had my first son at 17. I really don't regret having him at all he is the reason I push my self harder to provide. I graduated high school a year early and I'm now in college. I have to admit that there were a lot of sacrifices that I made to provide for my son but my education is what would help me better provide for him. My mom stood by me the entire time and helped me wen I needed it I never depended on the the govt to provide for myself or my son I worked from the time I got pregnant til the time I had him and then on and made straight A's n school so being a teen mom was hard and I don't recommend anyone trying to have kids young but if it happens deal with it and know its time to grow up and put all else aside for your child..the term teen mom does not have to define who you are but let is rather be the term that makes you want to stand out from the rest that hand their kids off to the next of kin which is usually the mom and still remain that child inside..i realized when i got pregnant that it was no more me it was we.
~Anonymous
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
My story seems to be A lot different then everyone else. I was 18 when i got pregnant and 19 when i had my daughter Jasmine Lee. My teenage years were rough for me. My parents weren't really there for me as a teen. School as a teen was never important to me. I missed A lot of school and racked up A lot of truly tickets. I was deep into drugs and spent every day getting high and hanging with my older friends. I met the father of my child during my coke days. We did A lot of drugs together and after 5 months of being together I got pregnant. I stopped everything immediately. He did not but we stayed together for a little while longer. He left when I was 8 months pregnant it seemed to be to much for him and he missed being able to do all the drugs he wanted. I'm 22 now and my daughter is 3 1/2. We live on our own and I'm still struggling to get my hsed. I have 1 test left. Its hard with no help from family or her father. Hes a needle junkie and never comes around though I'm glad he doesn't. I don't receive child support and its rough. But i Don't regret anything. My daughter saved my life in many ways and she is my world.
~Anonymous, 22yrs old
My story seems to be A lot different then everyone else. I was 18 when i got pregnant and 19 when i had my daughter Jasmine Lee. My teenage years were rough for me. My parents weren't really there for me as a teen. School as a teen was never important to me. I missed A lot of school and racked up A lot of truly tickets. I was deep into drugs and spent every day getting high and hanging with my older friends. I met the father of my child during my coke days. We did A lot of drugs together and after 5 months of being together I got pregnant. I stopped everything immediately. He did not but we stayed together for a little while longer. He left when I was 8 months pregnant it seemed to be to much for him and he missed being able to do all the drugs he wanted. I'm 22 now and my daughter is 3 1/2. We live on our own and I'm still struggling to get my hsed. I have 1 test left. Its hard with no help from family or her father. Hes a needle junkie and never comes around though I'm glad he doesn't. I don't receive child support and its rough. But i Don't regret anything. My daughter saved my life in many ways and she is my world.
~Anonymous, 22yrs old
A Unique Story...
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
_ I was a teen mom but my situation is sort of unique. It was much more like I was a mom in my early 20's. I had my son at 18 but I had already graduated high school years before. I started going to college when I was 15. By 17 I almost had my associates degree, I was working full time, was teaching violin part time and working as a private math tutor too. I was married when I had my son. I got to be a sahm from the time I had my son. My dh has been our sole source of income the 5 years we have been married now. We have never carried any debt or been on government assistance. We had our 2nd child 18 months after our son just after I turned 20. Then we had our 3rd when I was 22. I never found being a "teen mom" difficult but like I said previously my situation is very different from the average teen mom. I love having my kids young and wouldn't change it for the world.
~Jessica
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
_ I was a teen mom but my situation is sort of unique. It was much more like I was a mom in my early 20's. I had my son at 18 but I had already graduated high school years before. I started going to college when I was 15. By 17 I almost had my associates degree, I was working full time, was teaching violin part time and working as a private math tutor too. I was married when I had my son. I got to be a sahm from the time I had my son. My dh has been our sole source of income the 5 years we have been married now. We have never carried any debt or been on government assistance. We had our 2nd child 18 months after our son just after I turned 20. Then we had our 3rd when I was 22. I never found being a "teen mom" difficult but like I said previously my situation is very different from the average teen mom. I love having my kids young and wouldn't change it for the world.
~Jessica
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
I just found that I am pregnant, I am at four months pregnant. I am only 19 years old, just graduating high school and about to attend college. Through out High School I was definitely the goody-two shoes! Getting pregnant my very last semester was a shock. It was especially a shock of with whom. It has been hard to adjust to my pregnancy, and the thought of being a mom. My lifestyle that led up to me becoming pregnant was definitely not one that I am proud of, or want to share. The decisions I made I can honestly say I hope my never child makes! However, I am now excited to raise my son/daughter. I have made immense changes in a short amount of time, with the support of my mother. I have been blessed by God who gave me this opportunity. I have a long, difficult road ahead of me. But I am feeling more and more prepared! I am happy to be able to raise my son or daughter and to see them grow up! I already have big plans for it! :)
~Anonymous, 19yrs old
I just found that I am pregnant, I am at four months pregnant. I am only 19 years old, just graduating high school and about to attend college. Through out High School I was definitely the goody-two shoes! Getting pregnant my very last semester was a shock. It was especially a shock of with whom. It has been hard to adjust to my pregnancy, and the thought of being a mom. My lifestyle that led up to me becoming pregnant was definitely not one that I am proud of, or want to share. The decisions I made I can honestly say I hope my never child makes! However, I am now excited to raise my son/daughter. I have made immense changes in a short amount of time, with the support of my mother. I have been blessed by God who gave me this opportunity. I have a long, difficult road ahead of me. But I am feeling more and more prepared! I am happy to be able to raise my son or daughter and to see them grow up! I already have big plans for it! :)
~Anonymous, 19yrs old
Dear Teen Mothers Together,
In april of 2006 I had missed a period and my babys father said that I was pregnant before even taking a test. Well I took a test and I found out I was pregnant. I was scared and shocked and didn't know what to do. I was only 15 years old and was your normal teenager in highschool, got good grades didn't party and was a virgin. I got raped by someone I knew and ended up pregnant... abortion never crossed my mind. I kept my pregnancy a secret from my mom till I was 4 months and finally she was asking why I didn't have a period she thought something was wrong with my body and so she made a doctors appointment. The night before my appointment I told her that I was pregnant and we got the pregnancy confirmed and started getting my prenatal care. At 20 weeks we found out it was a healthy baby boy. I thought about adoption and met with an agency and then I changed my mind. I continued to go to school throughout my pregnancy and after I had my son. It has been challenging but worth it. I graduated highschool on june 9th 2010 and started college that august and I just finished my 1st year of college and plan to start my 2nd year. I am now 20 years old with a healthy 4 1/2 boy. I have been a single mom since hes been born but have had the help and support of family and friends
~Anonymous, 20yrs old
In april of 2006 I had missed a period and my babys father said that I was pregnant before even taking a test. Well I took a test and I found out I was pregnant. I was scared and shocked and didn't know what to do. I was only 15 years old and was your normal teenager in highschool, got good grades didn't party and was a virgin. I got raped by someone I knew and ended up pregnant... abortion never crossed my mind. I kept my pregnancy a secret from my mom till I was 4 months and finally she was asking why I didn't have a period she thought something was wrong with my body and so she made a doctors appointment. The night before my appointment I told her that I was pregnant and we got the pregnancy confirmed and started getting my prenatal care. At 20 weeks we found out it was a healthy baby boy. I thought about adoption and met with an agency and then I changed my mind. I continued to go to school throughout my pregnancy and after I had my son. It has been challenging but worth it. I graduated highschool on june 9th 2010 and started college that august and I just finished my 1st year of college and plan to start my 2nd year. I am now 20 years old with a healthy 4 1/2 boy. I have been a single mom since hes been born but have had the help and support of family and friends
~Anonymous, 20yrs old