I agree with Celianne. Can't we all just get along? After reading this thread my head is spinning. I can't believe some people have the ideas that they do but whatever.

I'll put my two-cents in here. I was a teen mother. I had my first daughter when I was 14 and then I got pregnant again and had 2 more children when I was 18 and 19. I'm 23 now and I'm 8 weeks pregnant again. I've grown up a lot even since having my 3 year old, not to mention when I was pregnant 9 years ago. I was in no way ready to be a mom at 14. I wasn't really ready to be a mom at 18 or 19 either. I realize that now. It was really hard to say the least. The first time I got pregnant I had no money, no license, no car, no job and I was a freshman in high school. I had no business having sex that young and in my opinion no 14 year old does. When I told my daughter's biological dad that I was pregnant, his drug-addict mom moved him and his brothers out of state to who-knows-where because she claimed that I tricked her son into getting me pregnant so I could get money from them. Not only is that completely ridiculous, it is in no way true. To this day I still don't know where he is. My parents had me at 16 and 17 and then had 5 more kids after me. They didn't finish high school after my mom got pregnant and to this day have jobs that are just barely over minimum wage and they struggle to make ends meet. They couldn't afford the kids they had much less a grandkid. So I moved in with my grandparents and they helped me out, but I had to apply for government assistance and as soon as I was old enough to work I had to get a job. I went to school during the day and worked 4 or 5 evenings a week at a minimum wage job.

When I had my second daughter, I was a senior in high school. I still had the minimum wage job and by this time I had a car. I had been with Lucas for a few months and it was "true love". He stepped up to the plate and does pay child support. He sees our daughter every other weekend and for a few hours on Wednesdays. He really is a great dad and he's married and has 2 more children now.

The third time I got pregnant I had graduated. I got engaged to Chris, my then-boyfriend, but that only lasted until my son was 3 months old. He decided he wasn't really ready to be a husband. He does pay child support, but he doesn't really see his son very much. But his parents come and pick up Chandler a few times a month and he stays with them for a few days. And Chris sometimes comes over to their house and spends time with him.

Now, I'm with a wonderful man named Gary. He's 24 and he's a welder for the city. My youngest 2 children call him Daddy. We've been together for almost 2 years now and we got an apartment together last year. I want to do things the right way with this baby. We meant for me to get pregnant this time. It was a surprise, because we didn't expect it to happen so soon after we started trying, but it wasn't an "accident" this time.

I've said all that to say this. Being a teen mother is hard. It's not at all what anyone should strive for. It's not something to be glamorized in any way. It's not the situation that you should want to bring your baby up in. Looking back now I realize so much that I didn't have any clue about back then. I had no idea what it meant to be a mother or how challenging it would be. I was just a few years older the second time I got pregnant and it wasn't that much easier. Actually, it was harder in some ways because I had 2 lives that depended on me instead of just 1. I didn't mean to get pregnant the first 3 times. It always just...happened. The 2nd and 3rd times I was on birth control pills. I don't regret having any of my children but I do wish I would have waited. I've always wished that. Things turned out positive for me, but the reality is that it's not the norm for that to happen. I had to work my ass off to get where I am today and it's really upsetting when someone with no common sense or decency about them comes on a website and tells teenage girls to just go ahead and get pregnant because it will all be A-OK if you are "ready". That's just plain bull.

To all of the teen mothers who are raising your babies and to those who are about to have theirs and plan on raising them or giving them to someone to love and care for them, I commend you. You deserve a medal for striving to give your child the best start in life that it could possibly have.

To those who think that giving teenage girls the go-ahead to get pregnant "if and when they are ready" you are full of it. Seriously. Speaking from someone who has been there and done that, it's not a glamorous road and it's not a situation to be entered into lightly. It's scary as hell. There's this little human who is completely dependent on you to live. Pregnancy and motherhood are not really something that a teenager is equipped for physically, emotionally or mentally. It is life-changing event that is forever.

I just want to add my story.
I was 14 and in what I thought was a loving relationship. I'd promised the rest of my life to this person and thught that nothing would ever break us up. We were using condoms and we only did it twice but it was enough for the damage to be done because on the second time the condom riped. I regretted having sex so much after that and thought i'd be okay but I ended up being pregnant. I was young, stupid and naive but we got through it and we were together throughout the whole time Lily was still in my womb. When Lily was born, he was there and we were the happiest parents alive. Until Lily passed away our relationship was great. When Lily passed away we stayed together for a while but after her funeral we were stupid and forgot the contraception. That was such a stupid mistake and I wish i'd of never done it that night because in a way I knew i'd end up regretting it because I was so upset. That was the night I got pregnant again with my little girl Calla. We'd split by the time I found out I was pregnant. The loss of Lily had strained our relationship too much. He didnt want nothing to do with Calla or me. He didn't want to get his heart ripped out again. I carried on with the pregnancy though. I swear Lily was watching over me and her little sister.
When Calla was born I was so scared and protective over my little girl. I'd got with another man by then. I wouldn't trust him with her or anything. When she was 9 says old I was diagnosed with PND. I was in bits and I was so untrusting. I moved into my parents house and have only just moved back to my place. PND was the worst thing so far I have had to go through. I kept thinking Calla was dead and that she was going to end up the same as Lily. Shes 9 weeks old now and i'm loving every minute with her. Me and my new man split just after i'd gone to my moms. I couldn't blame him to be honest the way I was.
Anyone who wants a baby young is so stupid! You have more of a risk of PND! I missed out on being a good mom to Calla for 7 weeks. My mom has been more of a mom to Calla than I have been to her so far. I dont regret having my babies because I love them both to bits but I really know I should have waited. Being a mom at 15 is horrible. You cant provide for your baby properly. With Calla though i'm 16 now and Callas dad is paying child support. I a, not on welfare because I have a job and am on maternity leave. The pay isn't great but we get by. Im going back to work when Calla is 9 months old.
If your thinking about TTC under 21 please think about it and wait.
xx

well
i'm seventten,
i've been in a relationship with my boyfriend for 5 years,
and i wouldn't trade it for anything.

we are having a baby,
and i'm super excited.
i know how to take care of my baby and no one
is going to tell me i made a mistake.
i'm not proud but i love this baby with all my heart.

I can't sleep. So I got on here..



THIS ARGUMENT IS STILLLL GOOIIIINGGG?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

It's like a bad case of herpes, it keeps popping up.

Yes it does. It's not really an argument anymore, it's kind of 'This is my story' now...