Being a Parent

As a young parent, being shamed for the decisions you have made and being stigmatized for your identity makes navigating through the world -- and pregnancy and parenting -- much more difficult.

"Do you have any children…?" It’s such a typical question to ask someone, and for many it’s an easy yes or no answer. For me though, I consistently find myself hesitating to respond. Generally when speaking to strangers, casual acquaintances, and even new friends, I opt to answer “no.” On occasion, I brave the consequences and answer the truth: “Yes, I’m a birthmother.”

When I gave birth, options were discussed with me regarding what to do about the baby. For me, there seemed no choice but adoption. I was now 17. The thought of raising a child was an impossibility. I wanted to finish high school. I wanted to go to college. I wanted to have fun. I wanted to hang out with my friends. I just wanted to continue to be a teenager.

Breastfeeding can have a variety of impacts on one's periods. Some people will start having periods again soon after birth (even if they are breastfeeding). Others may not start having periods again for 6 months or more. Some never have a period until they stop breastfeeding entirely. This is really...

The answer to that question depends entirely on the parents in question. Parents are people and have sexual desires just as do folks who don't have children. Just like anybody else, folks who are parents may have more or less sex of any given type throughout their lives. In general, we do know...

I painted a picture of pure, perfect mommyhood to anyone who would (or had to) listen. He rides in the sling all day! I never get tired, I'm too happy! I grow all of his food in my backyard and I have a nice, hot dinner on the table for my partner when he gets home from his hard day at work! And we never, ever fight. I was born for this job! Yeah, right.

The majority of pregnancies that occur for adolescents are unplanned. But some pregnancies in the teen years -- around one in five -- are intended. Teen pregnancy and parenting are hard, so if you're thinking about trying to make it happen, here's some food for thought.