its really horrible! so many people i know are having babies and it makes me jelous. i even got annoyed (and a bit depressed) because i chick i dont like much has taken the name i want for a little girl. HOW DO I STOP THIS MADNESS!!!!!! I have a live, and i have just started to live it. i want to travel and have fun. but my mind and heart is saying kids.. kids.. kids..

If you have a friend or a family member with a young one..I would suggest that you take the child on for 3 days..just you and the kiddo...after that, see how you feel and check back with us. being a mom can sound like a good idea..but the responsibilty is often unexpected.

Well, you could think of all the stresses that would go along with having a child, perhaps especially at that age. But I don't know for sure if you wanting a child is a bad thing. O.o

Wait until you have graduated High School and have gone to college and gotten a degree and a good paying career with full benefits before even thinking of having a baby like about 10 years from now when you are 28 cause a baby is not just for a shorttime a baby is for a lifetime.

Well all I can say is take it slow. Be sure of your feelings with him and see what he thinks about it. You are a little young but if you think your ready then go for it. Follow your heart. Do you plan to go to school again?

Go to a Kmart or Wall Mart on a Saturday morning. Look around. It will make you never want to have kids.

buy a puppy and after its about 4 to 5 years old then you can think of having a baby

Get a dog. Seriously!! I wanted a child so bad at a young age. When I went off to college, I bought a dog. It kept me child free for years!! They are like a 2 year old until they die!! Not that I won't have more dogs... but I'll wait until my kids are potty trained... and old enough to help care for it!!! Either that, or borrow a friends kids for a long weekend or better yet a week... trust me they would enjoy the break!!. Try out some parenting.. not just the fun stuff. The discpline, the middle of the night wake ups, the setting boundries, try taking them shopping for food and keeping their hands to them selves!! Try getting them to eat healthy meals!!

Well, if you posted this question it's probably because you're second guessing yourself and are having some doubts. Try it out with a puppy, or take a week off from work and watch somebody's kid(along with all the housework). Then make up your mind.

You say you NEED to quit thinking about it... but do you really WANT to get out of that mindset? Don't let people tell you what you should and shouldn't think.. You and your partner should decide. Why does society get to determine when the prime time for YOUR baby making should be? Given the small bit of information you've entered, about a relationship (assuming he wants the same thing), job, and support, I can't think of a reason in the world why it would be a bad thing for you to have a baby at any age you want.

Well for starters, you can come watch my kids for a few hours. That might change your mind. But on a more serious note, I was a teen mother. I love my kids and wouldn't change it for the world but I also wonder about all the things I missed out on. Life is short, live it how you wish, but remember once you have kids, there is a whole other life you need to worry about. No more doing things for you. Its all about the baby. Every decision you make will have a effect on this other being. I say if you want a baby, have one. At least your 18 which is considered a adult. But If I were you, I would wait until you know your relationship is strong enough to last forever, and you are fully ready for the responsibility of caring for another 24/7.

Some great advice as always from fellow ABers! Another thing to keep in mind is that it will be better for you and the child to wait a bit and have some time for yourselves and get a few more years of experience under your belt. Also remember that children are a full time job themselves so you will have few private moments or chances to get away for the next 18 years or so.

1) Buy a plant and nurture it 2) Get your own place (move out of mom and dad's) and get a taste of adult life with bills and deadlines and responsibilities. 3)Get a puppy (they are FAR more needy than cats!) and make yourself responsible for EVERY aspect of its care from feeding to vet bills to play time to poop scooping. 4) Feed your nurturing nature by doing volunteer work - either at an animal shelter or a pediatric hospital. 5) Take a part-time job in a day care or nursery to see what it is like to be around little ones ALL THE TIME. 6) Take a look at the statistics about teen pregnancy - they are not pretty. 7) Consider what you would do with that "good full-time job" once the baby is born. 8) Look at your life and determine what it is that is missing that gives you this sense of longing for a baby. I guarantee you, it is not the baby itself. 9) Get a hobby or take a class. Better your mind and better yourself - you will be a better parent if you are well-rounded. 10) Keep telling yourself you are only 18 - stress that word "only". I know 18 FEELS like you are an adult - but your are just crossing the brink to adulthood. There are sooooo many other experiences you will go through in your early twenties that will help you be a better parent later on. There are so many experiences you DESERVE as a "young adult" that you would miss out on - don't deprive yourself of those opportunities. You have 15 to 20 years ahead of you for having a baby - take care of the stuff you can only really enjoy at 18 and 19 and 20 and 21...then examine your situation again.

Whoah! Slow down! You're only 18 years old... You have the rest of your life... Having a child is a 18-year (minimum) FULL-TIME commitment.. It is demanding of all your spare time and money.. Take some time to think about it and what you want out of life... Don't make a rushed decision... Everyone I know who had a child at such a young age admits that they were not ready....

ive been in a steady relationship for the last year in a half and i just got done with the whole wanting to have a baby thing i think its cause we had been together so long and we had already experenced allot together i wanted a new adventure with him and a new life but i thought about it and thought about it and came to the conclusion that my life wasent fully lived yet there was soooo much i still wanted to do and my life wasent that stable yet i thought about how my life right now and the things i do would effect that baby. . .and as hard as it was i dident make that dicision for myself but for the baby

this is a hard one. you and your partner need to sit down and have seriously had a chat together. mabye he wants a baby too?

If you have any friends or family members with babies I would suggest asking if you can come stay for the weekend and take full responsibility of caring for the baby day and night with them supervising of course. That will give you a sampling of what it is like to take care of a baby. It is NOT the same thing as having your own but will give you a general idea. If after doing this you still want a baby then I would do some serious evaluations of your financial situation. Talk to people and find out how much it really costs to raise a child. Actually talk to people about all aspects of parenting. Not would they do it again but what challenges do they face. Also you need to talk to your significant other. How do they feel about this? Are they supportive? My answer may seem to focus on the negative but it seems you already know the pros of having a child you also need to take into consideration the responsibilities.

Probably nothing will take that thought out of you head. But you certainly sound like a mature 18 year old. I certainly wasn't at that age. I got married at 21 and had my first child at 23 in grad school. She is grown now and I have grandkids which are wonderful because you can give them back. I don't regret having her but I now know I should have waited (or in fact, blush, been more careful with BC). Maybe this will help......make a list of things you want to accomplish, like travel, and think how having a child will make that difficult. Maybe planning out all your goals including having a kid and then prioritize them. I had a patient who had a baby at 17 and went to college, grad school and is now teaching, married,and doing very well and she did it without a partner (except the married part). So anything is possible, just difficult. Good luck

Find out why you want a baby so bad, what need it is trying to fill out that you have. Then move forward and give of yourself to a project, volunteer your time, help a friend do something major. Get involved with something that doesn't focus on you. Unless you are ready to get married and have a father for your child and your husband is ready for a child, it wouldn't be fair to this little person to bring him or her into the world.

Typically, when someone of your age wants a baby it's moreso to fulfill a need within yourself. If you list out the reasons why you want one, are they mostly for things the baby will do for you or things you will do for the baby? Dr. Phil once said "don't bring a baby into this world who automatically has jobs" For instance, the baby should not be excepted to bring you self esteem, to give you a purpose, to help your relationship, etc. Think about it. And then don't have any kids until you are at least 30! :)

I had my first at 22. Decent job and it was hard. I suggest that you go to college and have a good time first, live life, travel do the things you have always wanted too first. Because you will be tied down for the next 18 yrs. Children are awesome!!! Just wait...

well you may have a full time job and be in a 2 year relationship but if you really think about it do you want to live your life before you have a kid ? maybe buy stuff you want ... pay bills move out live on your own ... you can have a baby later in life and live now to the fullest. yeh they may be cute but being up all night crying babies all night sick babies ... fevers throw up . .. you need to think about everything that can happen its not all giggles

i had to answer this question ......Im 18 i was 17 when pregnant, had a perfect boyfriend was with him since school(15) this isnt ma life story but seriously you should wait i know nothing i say will change your mind if you have got it set on something but i have lost my boyfriend due to the stress of having a baby, i have got family around and i had loads of friends that were interested when the baby was 1st born and then after a few times of saying you cant go out coz u ent got a sitter they start to drift and i never thought my friends would do it but hey you know who ya mates are,my family are there for me but they cant do everything for me it is my child, your have to do it yourself,babies are for life even when they are adults they still need there mums,i know its all cute clothes and names cuddling them and so on but you have to think of every two hours feeding and that is during the night aswell then when you wake up in the day people say sleep when the baby sleeps but you have 2 make bottles clean up wash baby clothes get yourself clean then the baby will be awake,its not all cuddles and kisses,i know you will know all of this because obviouly you have thought about it but please please take my advice and wait untill you have seen the world, gone to parties, driving, good job, at the end of the day it is your choice and your life but you have to think that it wouldnt be just your life changing it would be your partners and you would be bringing a baby into the world are you really ready for that another life needing you to feed him/her washing them, change nappies get up with them the night when you are really tired to help them coz their teething and they dont know what the pain is,trust me you should enjoy your life you have years to have a baba x x take care hope whatever you do goes well :)

Get married, and finish college first. The good job you have now, may not be good enough in the future to support a child if daddy leaves. I know you don't want to think of that but it happens. You said you have support from friends/family, but a child is something you need to be able to do without that. I know you will have help, but don't rely on it.

DONT DO IT! Im a 20 year old SINGLE MOM! I was in a relationship for two years before i had my son and i regret not being SAFE! i was in a great college, had a promising future, and got pregnant, i took advantage of being a teenager and having free time i thought that what i needed was a baby, and i got one and i regret not living my life before im not saying that i regret having my son, he is the best thing that ever happened to me, but i regret not living my life, now i dont have time to do anything for myself, when ppl my age are going out and having fun , i cant do it school will be much harder now, struggling between daycare and working and getting a degree to get a better life for my son, its much easier to get ur school done when u dont have a little one to take care of! so PLEASSSSSEEEEE TAKE MY ADVICE! Finish school, because if u dont have a degree u will NOT MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF A BABY! when u do have a baby he or she deserves the world, and u cant work a full time job with a baby at least both parents cant, and u wont want to be away from it i moved out when i was 19 to have my son it takes about a good 1000 or more to support a house plus bills and a baby u have to think about insurance, food, bills, theres car insurance and electricity and renters and tons of others, if u are living with ur parents take advantage of it , u dont have to pay rent or bills! and when u have a baby it is not ur friends and families responsibility to take care of it! please get ur education first and then decide on whether or not to have a baby when you are financially stable, if your bf loves you he will be willing to wait until then :) ive been there too and went thru with having the baby, take it from me, its not easy live your life, you are young, go enjoy yourself and your free time! :)

WELL BABYSIT FOR A WHILE OR GO HELP OUT IN ACHILD CARE IT'S NOT EASY TAKING CARE OF A BABY I HAD MINE AT 15 AND IT WAS REAL HARD SO JUST TELL YOUR SELF IM GOING TO HAVE MY KID WHEN I HAVE ENOUGH TO OFFER HIM OR HER WHAT SHE/HE WANTS IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAD A RELATIONSHIP OF 2 YEARS WHEN I HAD MY KID I HAD 4 YEARS WITH MY BOYFRIEND AND WELL NOW WERE 7 YEARS AND OUR DAUGHTER IS 3 YEARS OLD

I am 18yo, in a very stable relationship for the last 3 years, my partner is 30yo and he is the best man i have ever met, And i feel the same way u do, i want a baby so bad, my friends just visited with there kids and i could not put them down.. But i have a fertility problem and the doctor refuses to help me with it, is that legal... I haev told my mother because i was unsure if i was supposed to feel this way and to my surprise she was very supportive.. Is it so wrong that we dont want to get drunk and make fools of ouselves for 10years b4 we have children, i have a good eduacation a steady income and yet when i say we are trying for a baby i get the most disgusting looks.. It makes me depressed, what should i do? I think we should embrace the way we feel, i know since findind this site that i shouldnt b ashamed about the way i feel.. :)

Did your mom have you young, why would u want a child now. Are you lonely, bored or what. If you wait you will much more to offer your child to have a child now is probably out of your desire(greed). plz dont take offense just think we should find ourselves before we learn others(babies).

realize it's only hormones. Get some hobbies or pets, go donate your time to causes that benefit children, then you get to use up some of that maternal energy you have and support a good cause.

GET A PUPPY!!!!!

hey..... the people in this forum probably gunna think im being stupid but who cares haha Im 18 years ov age. Have a very stable well payed job. Am in a very happi relationship and would love nothing more than to have a baby. At the moment i am goin thru a "am i arnt i" stage as i think i may be pregnant. If u want a baby more than anything in the world then go for it. This is YOUR life no one elses. Its ok for other people to tell you what to du cos it aint theyre problem xxx

IF he does not want kids yet, then it is best not to. This stable relatinship that is built on trust could die if you foolishly trick him by getting pregnant. Not that you would... There are dolls around that imitate babies. They cry at unreasonable hours and are hard to settle. The Nanny had them in the show when Fran & Max were having twins. Sounds like agreat idea. Teenagers in high school in Australia have them for a time, to look after, to try & bring the teenage pregnancy rate down. It is a thought. Minding other people children is okay, but, you know after wards they go home. They are not exactly babies either, that need feeding at all hours of the morning, nappy changing etc. There is also the costs. Work out how much it would cost to have a baby per week and try putting that aside for a few months. Babies are not cheap especially as they get older. Hope this does help and if your darling changes his mind then go for it. I wish you all the best with the decision you make.

It doesn'y sound like a bad idea to me based on what you've said about yourself. However if you have your own place it might be more realistic (maybe you do have your own place all ready) also, ObViOuSlY; as long as he's willing.

i know this question is kind of old but im in the same situation you were in i dont know if you have had a baby yet or your still trying but, im 18 yrs old, i was 17in january when i graduated early, with honors and i had a 4.0, i as well have two jobs, one full time and the other part time of course, i also have my own house, i pay all my bills including rent, electric, water, and i provide food, i take care of me and my boyfriend while he's going back to school to get his high school deploma, but i want a baby super bad too, i know i could take care of one because of all the responsiblities i am handling now, its just that i live all alone in nc with nobody but my boyfriend, and his surrounding family my mother moved to another state, two of my brothers live in another state together and the other two live in another state together, and our father......only God knows were he's at, but the thing they all have in common is that they hate my boyfriend because he dont have a job, and i take care of him and provide a home for us to live in and food they say i deserve better, so if i have a baby with him it'll probably hurt them to their hearts, you know what i mean? im really confused to im trying to figure out if this is just a phase or what, so only advice i can give to you if you haven't yet made a decision is go for what you know, if your not living on your own, and you are just spending money just because and you dont have real responsiblities, wait children dear are a handful and i know this because i have a niece, i have plenty of little cousins and i've had hands on experience with kids everyday i use to work in daycare for about a year, with infants and toddlers. so i know somewhat of what to expect, but not fully because i had those kids during they day for about 8 hours, but the parents had them majority, they delt with the most responsiblities. thank you for taking the time out to read this response to an old blog, its been real.

I know you want a baby now I did to. But I had my first at 17. I thought i could handle being a mom because I always watched my little cousins but it is different when you have your own. I was in a stable relationship to. Until the baby came they don't tell you that kids is mothers responsibility my job was ok at the time besides me calling in when he got sick or the daycare was not open or doctors appointments. You have to make a lot of sacrifices when you become a mother. Don't get me wrong kids are blessing its just when you are ready. I have three now happily married and now starting college but it would have been better if I started school before I had kids. But as long as you have support and you are a strong person you can make the impossible possible.

Get a babysitting job on the weekends. I was a Nanny for about 3 years in my twenties. I have to say that after that I didn't really want one anymore. I was young and realized not only is it difficult to care for these children but the cost of their needs $ wise was huge. That was 14 years ago. I can only imagine how expensive it is today.

When you are a parent, you have to think of your child's needs first. That doesn't mean you don't get to think of yourself at all anymore, but it does mean a lot of sacrifice. Is your situation right now the best you can provide for your future child? Are you ready to make the necessary sacrifices? If so, go for it. If not, why not spend a few years getting prepared? Do you own a home yet? Do you have any savings? Are you physically healthy? Do you have the endurance to be up every night for months (and that is if you have a healthy child)? Do you have the patience to still be kind, even if you haven't had sleep for weeks? Do you have the self discipline to be able to discipline your child, even if you hate doing it? Once you've identified areas you need to improve, develop a plan to get where you need to be. Knowing that your needs are only temporarily deferred and that you are working to get there will make it easier to bear the wait.

I f you are 18, why not to have a baby, it is perfect time for a baby.

Go on a long trip! I'm dead serious hun, you have one life to live so live it with a craving for adventure go on a back packing trip through Europe or volunteer in south America both things you can do for incredibly inexpensive sometimes even free! plus it looks great if your a student or looking for advancement in some companies! i promise if you do this those memories will be the some of the most precious ones in your life. You can always have a baby 2 or 3 yrs from now still plenty young.

You say that you have a good job? Do you have a house? a car? What are your dreams? Do you want to travel? Do you want to advance your career? A baby can wait but if you dont try all of these other things first...you may never get to!!! Trust me...I am there..........I am 39 and miss having time for myself and going out there and making the best of things for myself! I have two children, have always stayed home w them, so theyre father could advance his career and now I do not have one!

Whatever you do, you should not be having sex or thinking of babies until you are about 25 years old. You are not full grown or matured mentally and emotionally.

Watch videos of women giving birth and how big they get. You'll soon snap out of it.