5 teen mums speak out

Lucy was 19 when she fell pregnant with her partner of five months, Chris. She had not long lost her virginity and he was only the second person she had had sex with. Like most girls her age, her first reaction was fear and shock, but an abortion was not an option. 'My friends assumed that, because of my age, I'd have an abortion,' she says. 'The thought entered my head for one night before I decided I would keep it - it was a hard decision though.'

Lucy often felt excluded from the activities that her peers were enjoying while she was pregnant. 'It was hard seeing girls my age all dressed up, when I felt fat and frumpy.' She still finds balancing her social life with motherhood difficult. 'My friends are always clubbing. Even though I manage a night out every two months, I have to arrange a babysitter, can't drink because I breastfeed, and cannot get home too late,' she explains. 'Sometimes the lack of freedom really gets to me and I feel really down.'

At the time of her pregnancy, Lucy, like so many other mums did not feel emotionally prepared for what lay ahead. 'Everyone tells you about the painful labour and the tiredness, but they forget to mention the constant worrying and crying, if you suffer post natal depression like I did.' Lucy received support from her midwife, the same as other mothers, but did not get any specialised support for being a teen mother.

Now Lucy, her partner Chris and their son, Joe, live happily and comfortably. Currently, they are living with her parents, who help Lucy out when Chris works and baby-sit at weekends when Lucy goes to work. She receives tax credits from the government, and is also involved in SureStart, a government run project aimed at parents with children under the age of four. 'It has free baby clubs, exercise classes and offers one to one support which is all for free,' she says.

Lucy plans to go to college to complete a course in childcare, and will then work part time while Joe goes to school. Despite all the difficulties she has faced, she still feels that she has the best of both worlds as a mother and as a career woman. 'In ten year's time I hope to be married, with a gorgeous son, working part time in a nursery, and pregnant with baby number two!'

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