I’m a teen mum & motherhood has turned my life upside down…it’s so challenging & all I do is stay at home & keep crying
IN TONIGHT’S episode of the new series, Teen Mom UK: Next Generation, we saw five new teen mums be completely honest about the struggles of motherhood, as they shared the highs and lows of parenthood.
When it comes to tears, tantrums and totally adorable babies, these five lovable UK mums have got it sussed.
New to our screens and to parenting, these young parents lifted the lid on the highs and lows of teen motherhood – the drama, heartache, joy and everything in between.
There were arguments, tears and babies certainly weren’t their only challenge, as baby daddy drama, family feuds and mothering missteps are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the challenges these girls face.
In tonight’s programme, the second episode of the new MTV and Paramount + show, we saw Isha battling motherhood.
The now 19-year-old Valleys girl from Wales opened up about her mental health since becoming a young mum, as she broke down in tears amid her anxiety struggle.
A traumatic birth and aftermath sent her anxiety through the roof and now, mother to six-month-old Arlo, she has felt the struggle of being a young mum.
Isha revealed: “My life is constantly hectic, but I love parenthood, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“I got together with my boyfriend Jamie two years ago and now we live with baby Arlo. I can’t believe how much my life has changed, my world has literally turned upside down.
“Arlo is six-months-old and is making great progress, sleeping more and smiling, but he can’t exactly have a chat with me.
“Being a mum at home while Jamie is at work is quite lonely. Looking at the same four walls everyday, I find it very difficult.”
Isha explained that she has barely left the house since giving birth to her son.
She added: “I feel like all I do at the moment is stay in the house and look after Arlo.
“I just haven’t been in the right headspace to do anything else.
“Recently I’ve been really stressed and so that’s where my anxiety comes in.
“It stops you from going to places sometimes and it’s started loads of arguments between me and Jamie.
“I love Arlo to bits but I need some adult conversation.
“My mum’s house is a nightmare to get to, but I’m desperate to see her, she’s the only person I can talk to when I feel like this.
“Moving away from my village when we had Arlo was really hard and I hate how much effort it takes to get a cwtch from my mum.
“My mum is everything to me.”
Isha then got the train with her son to visit her mum, Julie.
Opening up to her mum, Isha revealed: “I’m knackered, I didn’t sleep last night.
“I was in bed and I just felt really restless and panicky, like a panic attack.”
Clearly struggling, the young Welsh girl started crying and continued: “I know I’ll be alright, it’s just my hormones.
“I just feel like my hormones are all over the place.”
Julie then added: “You went through a lot.”
Postnatal depression
Postnatal depression is a type of depression that affects parents after they have a baby.
The major depression is triggered by childbirth but is much more severe than just the “baby blues”.
It can also occur following a miscarriage or stillbirth of a baby.
Many women can feel emotional and anxious after the birth of their child, commonly referred to as the “baby blues”, this will only last for a few weeks after giving birth.
If these symptoms start to last longer the NHS advises that you could be suffering with postnatal depression.
The symptoms include but are not limited to: a persistent feeling of sadness, lack of enjoyment and loss of interest in the outside world, as well as your baby, and a lack of energy.
These signs can build up gradually so a lot of people don’t immediately identify that they have postnatal depression.
After this, Isha explained: “After having Arlo I fell really ill with infections – falling ill and being in hospital really set my anxiety off.
“Obviously it is a really sore subject to talk about as it still affects me every day.”
Julie then chimed in: “You nearly died at one point in hospital. You’re very lucky to be alive.
“You’ve got to give yourself some credit, look at what you’ve achieved.
“The more you do things and speak to people, the more confident you’ll get.”
Isha later reflected: “Seeing my mum always makes me feel good. But I dread heading back to our little house and feeling lonely and down again.”
Later on in the episode, Isha explained that her boyfriend Jamie convinced her to go out for the evening.
She said: “I’ve been feeling really lonely and anxious recently.
“The only time I go out is when I go to see my mum.”
Don’t suffer in silence…
PND: THE FACTS
- It affects one in 10 women within a year of giving birth
- PND can last from three to six months without treatment
- One in four mothers with PND are still depressed when their child is a year old
SPOT THE SIGNS
- A persistent feeling of sadness and low mood beyond the normal “baby blues”, which tend to last for the first week to 10 days after birth
- Lack of energy and constantly feeling exhausted
- Feeling that you’re unable to look after your baby
- Problems with concentrating and making decisions
- Poor appetite
- Feelings of guilt, hopelessness and self-blame
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Thinking about suicide or self-harm
FIND HELP
Talk to your GP or health visitor and/or the following charities…
- Pandas Foundation UK, Pandasfoundation.org.uk, 0808 1961 776
- Association For Post-Natal Illness, Apni.org, 020 7386 0868
- Tommy’s, Tommys.org, 020 7398 3400
Isha added: “My boyfriend Jamie thinks I need to go out and do something fun, so I’ve agreed to give it a go.
“Tonight we’re going to go to the beach to watch some fireworks.
“Tonight is a big thing for me, to come out of my comfort zone, to go to an event and know that we will be back late.
“I need to think positive because the baby will pick up on my vibe.
“So the happier I am, the more happy I hope the baby will be.”
The family met their friends and their baby at the beach and grabbed some food, but baby Arlo wasn’t a fan, forcing the evening to be bought to an early close.
Discussing the night’s events, Isha explained: “Tonight was an absolute disaster.
“I’m such a routine person. I’m going to be knackered tomorrow.
“That can bring my anxiety on as well.”