I got pregnant at 14 & now I’m a mum-of-5 at 24 – people say I should be ‘ashamed’ but I’m not
A MOTHER has revealed that she first got pregnant at the age of 14 and now 11 years later, has five children.
LaNya Simone, a content creator with 16,200 followers on TikTok, explained that people think she should be "ashamed" of her teen pregnancy, but she won’t listen or let haters get her down.
Opening up to , on an episode of My Extraordinary Family, LaNya and her husband Tyrin, 27, got candid on their big family.
LaNya first got pregnant during her teenage years with her eldest son Princeton, who is now eight.
LaNya and Tyrin then went on to have Messiah, six, Legacy, five, Treazure, three and one-year-old Treu.
The busy mum, who was originally in "disbelief" when she first found out she was expecting, confessed: “I’m 24 and I have five children.”
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When it comes to their day-to-day life with five children, Tyrin said: “Imagine every day you had a tornado on the way.”
He then elaborated: “It can be, at times, a little draining, but it has its moments - there’s a lot of love and caring about each other.”
To this, LaNya chimed in: “You’ve got one kid that’s always crying, one kid that’s always into something, another kid that can’t ever find socks or shoes.”
LaNya shares her life as a mum-of-five on TikTok and has had a mixed response to sharing her story.
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She confessed: “People have said ‘why would you do that?’, ‘she’s really ruined her life’, ‘that is really not a good look’.”
Not only this, but she then explained: “I've had [people saying] that getting pregnant at 14 is not it, and that I should basically be ashamed of having five kids at the age of 24.”
And whilst LaNya has been accused of “glamourising teen pregnancy”, she clapped back: “I don’t like that. I’m not.”
But despite the rude remarks, the mum-of-five won’t let these types of comments get to her, as she added: “It doesn’t make me feel bad.
“It just makes me feel like everyone should mind their own business.”
UK Teen Mum Statistics
Teen pregnancies in the UK have been decreasing considerably since 2007...
The under-18 conception rate has decreased considerably since 2007, reports .
Between 2007 and 2021, the under-18 conception rate in England and Wales decreased by 68%, from 42 per 1,000 women to 13 per 1,000 women.
This resulted in 13,131 under-18 conceptions in England and Wales in 2021.
Despite the hate, the couple said their families are very supportive of them and though LaTonya - LaNya’s mum - said her daughter getting pregnant at 14 was initially ‘upsetting’, she now thinks they are great parents.
LaTonya said: “They are doing a great job and I’m so proud of them.”
Social media users react
But YouTube users were left totally divided by LaNya and Tyrin’s story.
Whilst many were complimentary of their family, keyboard warriors were out in full force.
Can we not show or glorify teen pregnancy...no point or purpose
YouTube user
One person said: “The house is clean. The kids are clean and well behaved. I don’t see a problem at all. The kids look like they are loved and well taken care of. These young parents are doing a great job!”
Another added: “All I see is a beautiful and well taken care of family. So what, they started young… and they didn’t give up. It’s beautiful.”
A third commented: “I don't condone teen pregnancy. With that being said, since they are both grown adults now with five children, I am happy that both of them are working together to create a stable family, and they still love one another!”
Here's why I love being a young mum
Tracy Kiss, who fell pregnant at 19, has revealed what she believes are the pros of being a young mother.
The personal trainer and blogger, from Buckinghamshire, believes women who give birth in their teens make BETTER mothers than those in their 30s.
She claims young mums snap back into shape quicker, have more energy and relate more easily to their children, meaning they're better behaved and happier.
Tracy told Fabulous: "Women who become first-time mums in their teens make better parents than those in their 30s or 40s.
"I believe if I'd been 10 or so years older before becoming a mother then I wouldn’t have the relationship I have with my children now.
"For a start, being older I would have had less energy and therefore less patience.
"I wouldn’t be as enthusiastic to speak to people after months of sleepless nights as I was in my teens.
"My body snapped back to its pre-pregnancy size through fitness post-birth, which in turn gave me the confidence to date and find love again. I’ve never been happier than I am now at the age of 30 with two children.
"If I’d have been alone at 40 with a newborn baby I’d be more tired, less happy with my body, less energetic and far more stressed from the shock of living my life for myself instead of putting others first. Sometimes age and the innocence of ignorance is a good thing.
"As a teen mum I just got on with it, found my feet and became responsible and capable because at the time I didn’t know any different."
However, at the same time, someone else wrote: “Can we not show or glorify teen pregnancy...no point or purpose.”
A second chimed in: “Use contraception."
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Whilst another slammed: “That’s ridiculous.”
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