I found out I was pregnant at 16 in a park loo – I now have two kids at 20…but my parents didn’t support my choice
A WOMAN who fell pregnant at just 16 has shared a candid insight into the realities of being a young mum.
Jocelyn, who has two kids by the time she was 20, begins by explaining how she was a week late on her period and after much convincing, her boyfriend got her to take a pregnancy test.
“We picked up two digital test and went to the nearest park bathroom that we could find,” she says, in a clip shared to TikTok (@jocelyndgolding).
“We cut in half a Gatorade bottle and cleaned it so I could pee in it and check.”
Jocelyn goes on to say how it was her first ever time taking a pregnancy test so she had “no doubt” it was going to be negative.
However, she couldn’t have been more wrong.
“I flipped over the test and in both letters it said, ‘positive,’ she recalls.
“I fell to my knees and Adam had to come pick me up and bring me to the car.
“I was in the most shock I’ve ever been in my whole life…I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t move.”
Jocelyn continues: “Keep in mind that my birthday was the following week and senior year was starting in two weeks, so that was all my brain was focused on – and now I have this life changing event happening.
“It broke my heart when my parents were saying things on my birthday like, ‘never grow up,’ ‘you’re growing up too fast,’ ‘stay my baby forever.’
“I went that whole day miserable knowing that they had no idea.”
The mum-of-two says that almost a month later her mum walked into her room early one morning and asked if she was pregnant.
“I had no idea how she knew but honestly it was the best thing that she came to me because I had no idea how to talk to her,” she recalls.
“Were my parents supportive about it? No! But were they very helpful, yes!”
Jocelyn adds: “The following months I went into a deep depression
that I’ve never felt in my whole life – and it was never about my baby
that made me depressed.
“At the time it felt like my baby was the only one that got me or loved me.
She goes on to say how her boyfriend out his foot down and loved her and supported her – and he’s now her husband.
“The first time I posted on social media I never really wanted to, I just felt like I was forced to,”she recalls.
“Someone within my own extended family actually told everyone that I was pregnant, so instead of letting rumours fly and people make up c**p about me, I decided to go on social media and tell the truth.”
Jocelyn continues: “The amount of hate I got through this app alone
and through Instagram and from my own friends was brutal.
“Honestly, the only thing that made me feel loved or sane at the time
was my baby and husband.”
She notes that she was determined not to let other people’s words affect her.
“But of course people have opinions and say I’m advertising that every teen girl should get pregnant, which never was the case,” she says.
“It wasn’t until after I had the baby and prove to people
that I could be a good mum, that people started to back off.”
The post quickly went viral, racking up thousands of views and several comments from social media users.
“This story is beautiful. I just found out I’m pregnant and my senior year starts in two weeks and I’m so scared,” wrote one.
A second praised: “You are so so so brave, what a beautiful life you’ve built!”
A third commented: “Thank you for sharing your story <3.”
Meanwhile, a fourth noted: “Good for you staying strong and rising above other negative influences! It makes you a better person and an even more understanding mum.”
And a further added: “I love your story!!! Thank you so much for being so brave in sharing!!!!”