Name:	Rachel D
Online Name:	enter here
Country:	USA
State:	California
Age:	18
Your Birthday:	January 25, 1982
Your Due Date:	October 6, 2000
Hobbies:	Reading, Coloring, and spending time with my friends and family.
Special Talents:	I wasn't born lucky enough to possess any.
Do you work? If so where/doing what?	No, my job is to get my college degree.
What is your living arangement?	I live with my parents.
Are you still in school?	Of course, I'm afraid if I left for a little while, I would never go back.
If your not in school what are your plans for continuing your education	enter here
Are you keeping your child? concidering abortion or adoption?:	Yes, I'm going to keep my child. I'm pro choice about abortion but feel it's the wrong decision for me. And, after carrying this baby for so long, I couldn't give him up.
Is there anyone else involved with making this descision? (your parent, child's father)	No one else really helped me decide, I new even before I got pregnant what I would do if it ever happened.
Is the unborn child's father involved? How is he involved?	He likes to think that he is involved but only to make himself look good in front of others. So far I haven't gotten anything from him for the baby.
If he's not involved, why not?	I would like to know the answer to that one too. He says that he wants to be involved but everytime he has the opportunity he throws it away.
Was it the first time you had sex?	No.
Were you and the father a couple?	Yes, we were together but were in the process of saying goodbye to eachother because he was leaving for the army.
Are the two of you planning mariage as a result of getting pregnant?	We were at first, but I didn't want to get married just cause I was having his child. Besides, from his attitude lately, I would be misserable and so would he.
Were you using protection against pregnancy? If yes, what kind?	Yes, I was on the pill.
Did either of your parents know the two of you were sexualy active?	My parents didn't know. I have no idea if his father knew or not.
Were you trying to get pregnant? Please explain:	No, I wasn't trying to get pregnant. I always new I wanted to be a young mom but I was thinking 24 or 25, not 18!!! Oh well.
Were you using protection against STDs?	We had been together for awhile so eventually we stopped using condoms. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!
Did you know how you would support this child? Support yourself?	I thought that my bf and I would raise this child together. It never really crossed my mind until I was faced with it on my own.
Have you been to a doctor for prenatal care yet?	Yes, I go every time I have an appointment.
Any health problems during this pregnancy?	So far no health problems. I get my blood glucose tests back this week though, so we'll see.
Has this pregnancy been emotionally difficult?	Yes. I have had my life completely turned upside down and have to figure out a way to make it right again. Slowly but surely things are coming around though and looking up.
Do you have any support at home? (family, friends)	My parents are a huge support. They are the ones who pulled me along and forced me to look at the positive side of everything. Without them I would be lost right now.
What has been the most difficult experience as a pregnant young woman your age?	So far the most difficult thing has been to watch all my friends leave for college. I was supposed to leave too but now I can't.
Is your family being helpful/supportive?	Them and a few friends are the only ones who are supportive with this. Oh, and my ex-bf mom and sisters.
Are you on public assistance?	Right now I am. I had to get insurance for my baby and needed some money to buy things for the baby. I will be off of it as soon as the child support checks start coming in .
If so, how does that make you feel?	At first I felt really embarrassed. But, my parents support me and my friends don't care. That helps.
Is the father's family involved with the pregnancy? Emotionally, financially, or both?	His mom and two older sister's send me things and keep in touch. His father hasn't talked to me since Feb. His parents are divorced so it's not like he feels obligated to see how I'm doing.
Do you feel accepted by people your age since you've become pregnant?	Only with a few people. Everyone else just kinda assumed that my life is over which is so far from the truth. I think that my life is just beginning.
Do you still have the same friends?	No, all the people I used to hang out with kinda left me alone since this whole thing started. It's good though because it has brought me closer to my grade school friend who I only used to see sometimes.
What do you feel is the general public perception of your being pregnant at the age you are?	I have had people say they feel sorry for me, or say "oh you poor thing." I don't know why, maybe I'm wearing a sign that says, "Please, take pity on me." I do know that any time I go anywhere with my dad and it's just me and him, we get some weird looks. We know what there thinking and it makes us laugh. :o)
How are you treated in public? (doctors, grocery store, mall, etc..)	A lot of people stare. Sometimes kids my age who I barely know will come up and say hi and ask a lot of personal questions. I hate it when they think that they can feel my stomach without asking. Also, everyone is an expert and knows that I won't have my son on his due date etc.
How did you feel once you realized you were pregnant?	I was scared, but a little relieved too. I had been trying to change my party ways for a few months. I now know that it was because I was still hanging out with the partiers and trying not to party. Yea right!! I knew that my life would only change for the better and for that reason I was happy.
Any regrets?	Some, like having to finish school quickly and not being able to participte in road trips or other stuff that kids my age are doing. But, I've realized that is not what life is all about.
What are your personal goals? (goals for yourself as an individual NOT as a mother)	I want to get my four year teaching degree. I plan on becoming a teacher at a prison. I know it sounds bad but you get paid more and if you push a button like 5 officers come running to your aid. With the way school's are now, it's scary to be a teacher. Believe it or not I will be safer inside a prison that in a public school. I want to have a nice house and nice car and be living happily. And I want to show the sperm donor that I don't need him, I can do this on my own.
Have your goals changed since you've become pregnant?	Yes, before I got pregnant I didn't know what I wanted to be or anything. I was only living from day to day and didn't look into the future.
Do you feel that reaching your goals will be more difficult now that your a teen parent?	I don't think that they will be more difficult, I just think it will take a little longer.
Do you know anyother young moms?	Yes, but they are not the kind of people I would get along with.
What would you tell a (school age) 12-18 year old girl that wanted to get pregnant?	That she's crazy. It seems easy to everyone until you have to face it. I would ask her to name everything she loves doing and then take all that away or try to do that with a child in tow. It's worth it to wait.
How do you think being a Young Mother will change you?	It's definatly made me grow up real quick. My mom said I have gone from 18 to 30 in a matter of months. I think I will be more responsible in my decisions about life and my future.
How do you think society looks upon teen pregnancy in general?	I think that society has a really poor out look on teen pregnancy which I fell is wrong. Look back 50 years, it was normal to have children at this age.
Why do you think there are so many teen parents?	I think because teens are poorly educated about sex. I know that my high school never had a program for safe sex because they felt that talking about it was promoting it. I also feel that teens are quick to fall in love. I know that I was, more than once. I really did love my ex, and it breaks my heart because I thought he loved me, but obviously he really didn't.
List 3 Pro's to being a teen Mother?	Having someone to always love you. Knowing that you accomplished something many people dream of, having a child. And being able to bring a life into this world and surrounding it with hope and love.
List 3 Con's to being a teen Mother?:	Taking longer to accomplish certain goals. Never again having to make a decision that will affect only you. And knowing that whenever you go out, people will look down on you.
What do you expect to get out of being a member of Young Mothers?:	I hope to get some support. I have been a member of other sites and either no one talks or there are constant fights breaking out.
Today's Date:	August 20, 2000