A Personal Story of Teenage Pregnancy

My teen pregnancy story:

I sat in the poorly lit waiting room in the cold plastic chairs. My mother was next to me. She took me for my routine pre natal visit. I was eight months pregnant and nineteen years old. I was terrified and excited all at the same time. I would be a single mother, a teen mother, a mother that still lived at home with her mommy. I was stuck somewhere between childhood and becoming a woman, and I was about to give birth. Less than a year ago, I was drinking every night and doing things that make me look back now and wonder how I could have been that stupid.

I got dirty looks from many people, and most of my friends were not even allowed to talk to me anymore because I was a bad influence.

This wasn't me, how did this happen to me? Me, the girl that wore a ring and pledged that I would not have pre marital sex. Me, the girl that went into the military and vowed that her life would be better than all the other girls she grew up with. I was on the high honor roll, in the drama club, tutored kids that needed help, and was the captain of my cheer leading squad. But here I was, with my medical discharge from the service, my memories of high school, and my supportive mother, watching me go right down the path that she never thought I would be on.

They call my name and we follow the receptionist to the office where I take off my clothes and wait to be seen by the midwife. I had had a few complications due to my age. I had four weeks left and was getting anxious. My family threw a great baby shower for me the Saturday before. I was examined and the midwife looked concerned. My mother pointed out that my legs were swollen and mottled, meaning that they were holding a lot of fluid. The pre-eclampsia that I had was getting worse.

I listened to my mother and my midwife talk for a few minutes and then my midwife turned to me and told me that she was going to induce labor that day. I was excited, I was going to see my baby that day! I didn't have to wait any longer. But then she let me know that this was not all great and the reason for this was because my baby and I were both in danger.