Hi, my name is Christina, and I was a teen mom.
I was the least likely person to become a teen mom. I wasn’t a trouble maker; I made good grades; and, I had the same boyfriend for two years. Yet, when I was 17 years old, I found out I was pregnant. The way I told my mom was by handing her the positive pregnancy test while uncontrollably crying. I was confused and terrified.
Eventually I came to terms with the fact that I was going to be a teen mom. For me, it was never a question of whether I would take responsibility for my actions. The baby was mine. I knew that from the beginning. I also knew that I was going to finish my education for my baby. I went to school day after day with my baby growing inside of me. My boyfriend remained by my side throughout the pregnancy, but he was 20 years old, so he was already out of high school. So, while he was by my side in every aspect he could be, I had to endure the constant stares and ridicule from both students and teachers by myself. But that didn’t matter to me because I was doing this for my baby.
I attended school up until the very day I showed signs of labor. Unfortunately, these signs were false. Four days later, I still had not gone into labor. I was tricked by my own doctor into being induced. I was young and terrified, so when she told me that “some women come in at 40 or 40 and a half weeks and their baby is dead,” I was convinced that being induced was the best choice. I know now that this is a common ploy doctors use to have a baby on their terms instead of nature’s. If I could go back, I would’ve 100% refused induction because there was absolutely no medical reason.
However, I was induced on my due date with Pitocin. It was a rather traumatic experience that involved intense pain, doctors not listening to me when I was telling them something was wrong, my daughter having a bowel movement while in the birth canal, pushing for two hours, and the cord being wrapped around her neck. But, in the end, I had a beautiful, 7 pound 14 ounce baby girl.
The next six weeks were spent battling with breastfeeding issues, reoccurring RSV (which I am convinced was a result her weakened lungs from the meconium she inhaled), and sleep deprivation. And with this, I was also having to keep up with my school work from home.
After those six weeks, I had to return to school for the last semester of my senior year. I somehow found a way to balance my schoolwork and my mommy duties, and when my daughter was 6 months old, I graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and 6th in a class of 256 students. I was able to graduate with my daughter in the stands cheering me on!
But my story doesn’t end there. After I graduated, my daughter and I moved in with her daddy. We had the summer to adjust to becoming a family, then I started my first semester of college in the fall. All was going well until winter break when I found out I was pregnant again even though we had been actively trying to prevent a pregnancy. I found comfort in the fact that I had the support of my now fiance and my family, but I was, yet again, terrified of the unknown.
What I did know was that I couldn’t give up on my education. I completed the spring semester, then endured 12 hour days during the summer semester while beginning to look and feel as if I had swallowed a watermelon so that I could take the fall semester off for the arrival of our son.
He measured very big the entire time I was pregnant. I was constantly told that I would probably need to be induced or else I would need a c-section. However, I had taken the time to educate myself this time around. So, when 38 weeks came and my doctor told me we WOULD induce the following week, I told him we would NOT. 39 weeks came and he tried to convince me that I was too small to deliver such a big baby (I’m 5’2″ and around 125 lbs when not pregnant), I still refused. I was not going to put this baby through what my daughter had to go through. Two days before my due date, my doctor told me that I was more than likely going to end up with a c-section, but I trusted my body and my baby.
That night, labor began, and twelve painful, yet relatively uneventful hours later, my 9 pound 15 ounce baby boy made his appearance after only fifteen minutes of pushing. However, he too had the cord wrapped around his neck. When they briefly laid him on my stomach to cut his cord, I looked into his eyes as he made not a single sound. I can still remember my doctor saying, “We’re going to have to give him some help.” No one would tell me what was going on as I continued to ask if he was going to be okay. I remember crying as it seemed like hours were passing without hearing anything from my baby boy. Then, finally, the most glorious cry came from the crowd of nurses. I was able to hold him for a few minutes before they realized he was still having some trouble breathing. They took him away from me for three hours. But he was finally brought back to me and he has been healthy ever since!
Being a 19 year old mommy of two took some adjusting, but we’ve found our groove. My son was a champ sleeper and breastfeeder (he’s still breastfeeding at 20 months old). My daughter has been an amazing big sister. And my fiance has always been a wonderful father. I consider all of things to be blessings.
After taking a semester off, I returned for the following semester and have remained in school since then. I’ve never dropped a class and have made B’s in three off my classes and A’s in all the others. In the fall, I will be entering my program of study and will only have two years left.
My children are now 3 years old and 20 months old, and I am now 21 years old. My journey has not been easy and there are things that I missed out on, but the things I have gained far outweigh anything I lost. It’s not the path I imagined for myself all those years ago, but my children are my world. I couldn’t imagine life without them.
Unwatermarked photos by Sylvia Hill of Shades of Love Photography
Recommended Reading
Long Hospital Labour of a Posterior Baby {Pitcoin with no pain relief}
My CBAVBAC – Cesarean Birth After VBAC
Not Quite the Plan or 100% the Plan? A Hospital Birth
Cholestasis, a Change of Plans, and a Respectful Induction
Roaring for Aurora: A Hospital Birth Story
Selah’s Birth Story
A Home Birth Story
Hypnobirthing: A Drug-Free Birth Story
A Long-Awaited Natural Birth: My VBA2C
The Freebirth of Poppy
20 Comments
Sue // As It Seems
I love this story. Every life is beautiful and these babies are lucky to have a mama who does her very best for them!
Emily Finch
Beautiful, beautiful kids. You are one strong mama. <3<3 <3
Wendy
You are an inspiration! Thank you for your story.
Oh, BTW, your children are gorgeous!
Pam
Super cute! I was a teen mom 27 years ago. I had my first baby 13 days before graduating from high school. I recently graduated for the second time and will be attending midwifery school in the fall. Having babies young does not mean you have to give up on your dreams–the dreams might change but the babies become part of them. You are awesome!
Hannah
Exactly!! I am 23 and 20 weeks pregnant with my second child. I have chosen to stay at home with my kids until they are old enough for kinder but no way am I giving up on my dream of being an EMT! I am reading all the literature that I would have to read for school when I have free time just to keep myself focussed and hopefully motivated enough to follow my dream. I have to agree that your dreams may change as up until I found out I was pregnant with my first I was adamant I was going to become a chef. (I did get qualified but am not working in the field) It is no longer what I feel passionate about.
Gretchen
ROCK ON, MAMA!!!
ShellyG
YOU GO, GIRL! Our stories are amazingly similar. I gave birth to my 1st son 3 weeks before I turned 17. I graduated high school with my 9 month old son in the audience. I gave birth to my 2nd son when I was 19. BUT… I did not start college until I turned 40! I finished in 6 years! BOTH of my sons graduated college BEFORE I did and they were BOTH in the audience when I graduated!
Betty Jackson
What an inspiration! Way to go momma! I’m proud of you for working so hard…dealing with a pregnancy in high school is hard enough, but to graduate 6th and with a 4.0…wow!!! And your college grades!!! Way to NOT be a statistic…show the other girls that just because crap happens does NOT mean the end of your life. You put on your big girl panties (even if a little early) and you get it together. Your children are beautiful, by the way 🙂
Christina
This is my story! Amazing to see it posted on here. First I would like to say thank you to Birth Without Fear for posting it! And second, thank you for all the kind words from the people who commented! It really means a lot to me!
Melinda
Wow. Just wow. You are truly amazing and an incredible inspiration to those who may find themselves in the same situation.
Mariah Parrish
Your story just made me tear up. I was a teen mom as well. It is hard, but it’s worth it. There are so many people who will look down on us for our age, without taking the time to see what kind of mothers we are. You are proof that young moms can be great moms. Congratulations on your beautiful children! It makes me so happy to see someone working so hard to give their children the best life they can while still achieving their dreams. God bless you and your beautiful family! <3
Bettina
Oh I applaud you. Not the stereotypical ‘teen mum’ for you. You have shown such strength in adversity and taken a potentially tragic set of circumstances and turned them into something wonderful! You could see the ‘big picture’ and what you needed to achieve it. Words are not enough. You are giving yourself AND your children the best gift, love, strength and education. All the best for your future!
Heather
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing. Here’s some helpful info on nuchal cords:
http://cord-clamping.com/2011/11/04/cord-around-the-neck-what-parents-practitioners-should-know/
http://midwifethinking.com/2010/07/29/nuchal-cords/
Jenna
Beautiful story. Amazing mother. Very Inspirational.
Love.
Kayla
Good for you! That must take a lot of hard work and dedication. I can relate to your story as well. I was a good student in school, a Christian who believes in abstinence before marriage (it’s certainly easier said then done) and wasn’t rebellious. I started dating my then boyfriend right after my 17th birthday. We become pregnant 9 months later, 3 and a half months before our wedding. Sadly I miscarried that baby. But we conceived 3 months after getting married and wouldn’t have had it any other way! He is now almost 1!
Taryn
You are an absolute badass! A strong amazing mommy doing what’s best for herself and her kiddos. You’re truly amazing. Getting pregnant as a teen most girls would think they’re lives are ruined. But you embraced it and are a great mom. Having goals and dreams are so important, and you have them. Your kids will be so proud of you. And good on your fiancé for being a real man, a good man and supporting you and makin a family together.
sophiawadt
I was a first time mom at 17 too! So I really understand your struggels!
Beautiful story!
Kim
You are so strong!
I’m sure you’re an inspiration to more than you know.
Studying through all of the needs of your pregnancy and children must have been so challenging, but it shows you have more grit than most people.
Well done and all the best. x
Christy
I was 19 when I had my son. I wish i continued college but I finished and Eng technician program and volunteer at my sons school. This story is so uplifting and inspirational and your babies will know how strong and devoted their mother is and have great parents. Thanks for sharing!
Pam Kucinska
Beautiful story…
I was a teen mom – and not the “stereotypical” one – too 🙂 I had my son when I was 18, graduated high school when he was 5 months old. Now I’m 23, pregnant with a daughter, I became a doula and a childbirth educator in the meantime and I’m getting my MA in psychology in two months hopefully! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you xx