Teen Pregnancy: Is Fourteen Too Young?

Turning 13, I received a bike for my birthday and some training bras. About a year later, I often wondered how I was going to take care of my newborn baby. I read through some magazines, books and articles on how to change a diaper or how to put a baby to sleep. I also often asked my mother, father and grandparents their view on parenting. I would take all the advise I could remember.

A few months down the road my stomach was stretching and my shirts didn’t fit anymore. My mood had changed, I was seeing an Obstetrics and Gynecology doctor every week. He was telling me my baby would be perfect and no problems had occurred. Every time I went to my Obstetrics and Gynecology doctor I would shake and be afraid to death of what would happen as I was laying to see my ultrasound.

Soon came July, 30th 2008, my family and me were finally on our way to the hospital to give birth to a beautiful baby girl. As I was waited on in my room from the nurse, I began to feel butterfly’s in my stomach. All of a sudden I ran an unexpected fever. I worried about how my labor would go. My baby’s father was at the birth of our child.

17 hours into labor my baby girl was born. As soon as I seen her, she stole my heart. She became my world from there on out. My baby’s father didn’t hold her until she was about 4 months old and by then all relationship went violent. 

Into late November, My baby’s father became abusive. He was diagnosed Bipolar. He would never see LaDonna ever. Never bought her anything to support her with and mommy at fifteen was working a miracle every day to keep LaDonna in diapers and wipes. She got everything she needed from mommy doing side jobs under the table for family.

I turned 16 years old July, 16th 2009. Exactly two days after my 16th birthday I was employed into a Retirement Community Home at Canton Regency. Unfortunately a month down the road I had put in a two weeks notice to quit working for Canton Regency.

Ladonna is now a year old and has never received any type of child support from her father. He is currently unemployed and facing 180 days in Stark County Jail coming to him in 3 months. LaDonna is happier than ever now. She’s progressing perfectly and growing more and more as the days go by.

I got with a boyfriend named Thomas Jenkins and he treats LaDonna like the princess that she has become. This man I got with has supported her since day one. This man my daughter constantly calls “daddy.”