| Teenage pregnancy and parenting are often conflated within the literature, and extant literature tends to focus on pregnancy prevention, postpartum or negative life outcomes of the teen and her child(ren). This phenomenological study addresses the gap in the literature related to the essence of the adolescent mothering experience, based upon the shared narratives of adolescent mothers themselves.;Based on thematic analysis of 5 current and 7 former teen mom interviews, findings present three overarching themes descriptive of the adolescent mothering experience: the power of affective experiences, experiences with systemic factors, and influences of developmental factors. Guiding concepts from Ecological systems theory and Psychosocial theory of human development are leaned upon for analysis. Participants highlight that: the maternal affective connection and emotional support are seminal aspects of the teen mom experience; autonomy and goal attainment are desired; and motherhood is experienced as both meaningful and mobilizing. All participants experienced shame, stigma and judgment from greater society and sought to prove the negative stereotypes regarding adolescent motherhood wrong. The collective experience of living as a teen mom was described as "something to prove". The raw narratives of 12 teen mothers who eagerly offered recommendations to enhance the lived experience of teen moms as they interact with various levels of the social system, were invited and accessed. |
