Every parent has high hopes for their children. They aspire that they can go to school- be successful in their chosen careers and marry the right person for them. Their hopes are usually shattered when they hear that their young girl is pregnant- their baby girl is going to be a teenage mother. Just the thought of it, as a parent having your teenage daughter pregnant is just ripping your heart out open. You know how it is to be a parent, it’s not easy and the least you want is to have those complications in the shoulders of your little girl.
The teenager is just barely a child and soon a great responsibility will be put on her. A lot is at stake for her – her physical health, her emotional well-being and long-term challenges in taking care of the baby. Her objective of finishing college will be temporarily set aside. Then there is the stigma put on the young mom and her family. Are the parents too loose on their daughter? Was she not taught good behavior and values? Is the daughter having multiple boyfriends? For some early sex means STDs, infections and promiscuity. Then there is the question about the father of the child.
Will he offer marriage, will she accept it, or will she raise the child alone. How about the expenses of mom care, childbirth and rearing of the baby? Formula, vitamins, diapers cost a lot nowadays. Is the teenage mom giving birth in a hospital or in the home? Then there is the issue of abortion. The teenage mom might want to continue with her present teenage set-up. Continue with the joys of high school life, and would like to put the baby out of the way. Just too much responsibility is ahead of her. Abortion is an option but this decision can haunt the teenage mother for the rest of her life.
The guilt of abortion may be too risky to take- and may even break her as a person. For families having problems of teenage pregnancy, it is best that the family stand by the teenage mother. It is best that the teenage mother is given emotional support. Both the mother and the child will be affected emotionally if she is left alone to suffer the hardships. Anyway, the stigma will be erased sooner or later and the mother and child will be welcomed in society. Who could resist the charm of a new-born baby? The Teenage Mother could learn how to care for herself and the baby through books in the library or articles in the internet.
What to eat to nourish the baby and herself, the stages of development of the baby in the womb and its growth when it is out in the world. Too much stress and pressure can cause permanent damage in the mother’s health even in the future and can affect future pregnancies like high-blood pressure, anemia and infections. The baby’s mental and physical development can also be adversely affected when it is affected by too much stress. Some can be born prematurely or will have low birth weight. So it is best that both mother and baby to be well supported and loved by the people around them.
Being a teenage mom is all about damage control. Yes, it may seem too much to handle in the beginning but as long as the whole family supports and do what is right, being a teenage mother may not be as bad as it’s gonna be. No matter how it comes along- carrying a baby is always a gift.
The author of this article Ruth Purple is a Relationship Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Ruth recently decided to go public and share her knowledge and experience through her website http://www.relazine.com. You can sign up for her free newsletter and join her coaching program.
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