I wanted to add my story to this, AND I also want everyone to know, I completely agree with Bexie and Angel.

I was almost a teen mom at 17. I was raped by my boyfriend and ended up pregnant, just two months after my 17th birthday. When I found out that I was pregnant, I cried my eyes out. My parents had just seperated, I was living with my dad (who by the way was more understanding of the situation then my mother ). I was only a junior in highschool, and in the marching band (not good for a pregnant girl, at the time though football season was over and we had gone into what we call concert season). I knew that I was not ready to have a child. I was in a very unstable relationship, that was emotionally and sexually abusive as well. And I had no job, so no way to support the baby myself. I was fortunate though (it is very painful to say it in such a way, but I know it is such) I had a misscarriage at 5 weeks, though we didn't find out till 9 weeks when I had my first ultrasound. It had the extra chromosone, so had I of carried to full term it would have been a downsendrome baby, even more difficult to take care of. It wasn't until 3 years later that I got pregnant with my son, I wasn't on contraceptives because I wasn't expecting to be sexually active anytime soon with my new boyfriend (plus I had just recently gotten off the depo shot after having been on it for a year) I was raped yet again, and ended up pregnant again. This one a carried to full term, for the first few months my boyfriend's parents took care of me and the baby till I went back to work and then broke up with my boyfriend because I couldn't take the abuse anymore, and I had to get me and my son out of the situation, I was barely 21 when I had my son (he was born 10 days after my 21st birthday) I was still financially unstable, so much so that when he was about 11 months old, I joined the military and went to boot camp, just so I could support my child. I have received no help what so ever from my son's father (whom I like to refer to as his sperm donar). I have been managing these last few years on my own, with the help of my mom who I PAY to babysit for me while I am at work on the base. And Yes, I do live with my mother, and we split the bills in half, I buy most of the groceries cause she gets so little in food stamps, she is on social security income, so with out me she couldn't support herself. I am going on 24 years of age, and am now 9 weeks pregnant, my boyfriend that I have now, is also in the military and very happy and excited about the baby.

The whole point I have made, is the fact I had the scare at a young age about being a teen mom, And I was not ready for it, no matter how much I thought I could have been in the last year or two. But when slapped in the face with the reality of it, I knew right away I was not ready for that child. My son, I was completely unprepared for, but I did what it took to take care of him, and still am. Both my boyfriend and I are doing what it takes now to prepare for this new baby. But we are in no way completely financially stable for it. Hell, we don't even live together yet. So advocating teen motherhood is the worst possible thing I could ever imagine hearing or reading!!! Go grow up!

Sorry it is so long.

I would just like to say I don't agree with a teen you know 13, 14, 15 going out TRYING to get pregnant it is not right. At that age and once the baby had arrived you have a baby trying to raise a baby, and like many of you have said the likely hood of the father sticking around NOT high... I know a few people young some even older 18,19,20 where they have fallen pregnant and the father has done a runner, it is not un common for this to occur. Plus at 13 you are not legal to drive you can not work to supoprt the baby

On the other hand you have some teen mums given at 13, 14, 15 why would you even want to be having sex but each to their own, but take the right procorsions using condoms taking the pill and still fall pregnant it is not so bad if you are a late teen like i said 18,19,20's as you are older enough to be able to work to support your child.

So my question is no matter how you feel why would want to go out and put your self in the situation to get yourslef pregnant on PURPOSE????

I don't think mane of you understand teenage mums.
Like myself i had it hard in childhood. i always wanted someone to. And people AGAINST teen pregnancy should be ashamed. It doesn't matter how old you are as long as you prepare yourself and keep your baby healthy and look after them the best you can.

I give the teen mums alot of respect because i knoe how hard it is thinking about you optoins and to bring a child into the world is th bst feeling. if you really don't have anything nice to say about teenage mothers please just leave the discussion.

My baby girl is nearly 3 and she has had everythin in the world i had the money tolook after her and i did the best i could her daddy left us but she does have a daddy who has looked after her asif shewas his own. i didn' live off my parents or the goveremanti did it myself and i cnn tell you most teens do the same. it's most of the single mums these days tat live of benefits.

Bringing a child into the world is the best feeling. But whether or not you can take care of that child and support that child, or not knowing if you can, is not the best feeling in the world. And how could a 16 year old be financially stable enough to have a child, support the child, and still handle school, without any help? And no, for your information, most teen moms don't so the same. They usually put the baby up for adoption if they decide to carry it to full term to begin with, or if not up for adoption, they give it to a family member to look after it for them.

And no, people AGAINST teen pregnancy should not be ashamed!! Because as many of the women on this site have said, babies raising babies is not cool! Most teen moms who keep their children drop out of school. Now mind you, I am not saying I shun them in society and never look or speak to them, one of my best friends was a teen mom, had her first son when she was 14, I met her ten years later, and she is one of the best mothers I have ever seen. But that DOES NOT mean all teen moms are as good as her. She never got to finish school, she is now 28 and is finally going back to school with her oldest being 14 and youngest being 8.

I only give the teen moms who actually try to be a mother respect, otherwise I would rather take the baby to a church and put it up for adoption.

And if you can't take the heat, nor keep your own opinions to yourself, then you leave the site. You opened up the can of worms by posting this discussion, and women are very opinionated, as you should know, being one yourself. So posting such nonsense as most women will see it, they will tell you just that, and what is on their mind with no remorse. Think about it.

DezzyMae123 wrote:

QUOTE:
I don't think mane of you understand teenage mums.
Like myself i had it hard in childhood. i always wanted someone to.

Please don't pull the hard childhood card cuz guarenteed a lot of us can top anything you pull out of your hat. Like Angel she had the mother from hell and I really don't know about her dad but she was a teen mom and regrets the age that she got pregnant not the child. Yumei has had some rather fun relationships that prolly scarred her for life. Then there is me I have been on and off the street for the better part of my teen life. At 6 I was made to feel like I wasn't worth a damn thing and that continued until I was 14 and kicked out of my house. I lived on the street for months and I had to do some things that I'm not proud of. That pattern continued until I was 17 and it sucked. Don't pull the hard life card cuz we have been through hell and we are better people for it. It's about doing the best that you can when you can actually do something. Teens can be good parents but like someone else said it's your mess and mommy and daddy can't help you this time. Growing up and maturing on your own is good but only doing it when you find out that you're pregnant is the wrong way.

DezzyMae123 wrote:

QUOTE:
I don't think mane of you understand teenage mums.
Like myself i had it hard in childhood. i always wanted someone to. And people AGAINST teen pregnancy should be ashamed. It doesn't matter how old you are as long as you prepare yourself and keep your baby healthy and look after them the best you can.

I give the teen mums alot of respect because i knoe how hard it is thinking about you optoins and to bring a child into the world is th bst feeling. if you really don't have anything nice to say about teenage mothers please just leave the discussion.

My baby girl is nearly 3 and she has had everythin in the world i had the money tolook after her and i did the best i could her daddy left us but she does have a daddy who has looked after her asif shewas his own. i didn' live off my parents or the goveremanti did it myself and i cnn tell you most teens do the same. it's most of the single mums these days tat live of benefits.

Dear disillusion girl,

As it has been pointed out, don't play the hard childhood card in here it truely will NOT work... Don't talk to us about giving teen mums a hard time cos that is rediculous.... Most of us on here don't think negatively as such about teen mums what we have ALL been saying is that to encourage teens to have a baby if they think they are ready to be a mum is one of the most IRRESPONSIBLE things anyone could say.... I seriously find it hard to believe that you had enough financial back up at 15 to be able to raise a child to the extent of parents with high paying jobs...
Now to tell us to leave the discussion the way you did is extremely childish for someone who is a mum of almost two, the adult or "grown-up" thing to do was to sit back and really think about what you were saying in the first place and ask yourself what the consequences of saying what you did would have been before saying them..... That is something my children have been able to put into practise since they were three years of age so in my books my kids have a much better understanding of their words and actions with the exception of my eldest but thats another story...

I think you should grow up, think before you speak/type and if you don't like the responses you have gotten then Stiff shit little girl you'll only get more from us if you keep going with it.....