Teen Pregnancy - Susie's Story

Susie was (is) an adorable girl, very bright. Her large family was deeply involved in the Methodist Church. She had been a cheer leader at her high school.

Her family didn't like her boy friend at all. They were convinced he was a loser and that their daughter deserved better. When Susie told her parents she was pregnant, they hit the roof. So she and Ed ran away. She was 16. She soon learned, to her disappointment, that Ed, too, was less happy about the pregnancy. But they continued living together.

When she was about 7 1/2 months pregnant, SUsie enrolled in the special class for pregnant students. She had passed her high school proficiency exam, but she decided to come to school because of the prepared childbirth instructions, prenatal health discussions, and the parenting class.

One day she commented:

I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mother, especially since Ed doesn't really want a baby. But I'll not decide until it's born.

Susie did decide to keep Letitia -- until she was nine months old. She finally decided at that time to give her daughter up for adoption.

A year later she shared her experience with the students in the special class:

I feel giving up Letitia was the best possible decision for all of us. I'm still in contact with her and with her family. I know this is unusual, but for me, it's best. Especially now, during the holiday season, I have to know what is going on with her life.

People ask how I could do this, how I could give her up after being her mother for nine months. Well, I feel I was a very good mother, but I was able to put her in a home with a better atmosphere. I gave her to people who are raising her even better than I was.

It was like an answer to my prayers the day my mother's friend called. I was feeling low, and I started talking to her. I was crying, and suddenly she said, "Susie, I know a family who might be interested in adopting Letitia. Let me call them and see how they feel." I told her to go ahead.

Two hours later she called me back adn said,"These people want to meet you and Letitia, and they're interested in adopting her." Then she told me more about them. I had already heard of them through my Mom and Dad who knew them. They had two adopted children, five and eight years old.

Ed, Letitia, and I went over to see them. At that tiem Ed and I weren't getting along. He was not ready to be a father, and I thought our relationship was ending. I knew I didn't want to raise Letitia by myself.

We talked with them and with their children for hours. We were really impressed. They were down to earth people, family oriented, and they seemed super excited about taking Letitia. So we left her there that day and that night. We went back each day for four days, and she seemed to be adjusting. It was hard for me. I would go home and cry and cry and think, I can't do this. But I had to bring myself to reality.

When you're pregnant, you get into kind of a fantasy world. You're not realistic. When I was pregnant, I "knew" things would work out with me and Ed. I "knew" my family would help me, and that it would get better. But it really doesn't. You just have to bring yourself to reality before you can go ahead and make the decision that's best for you and for your baby.