Teen Mom 3: Taking It Slow

Finally, Teen Mom is back to catch us up on the original cast—Farrah, Maci, Catelynn, and Amber—as they struggle with relationships, moving out, and the terrible-two’s. In case you didn’t catch the season premiere this week, here’s what you missed:

Farrah gets a boob job! Hoping to boost her modeling career, Farrah decides breast implants are a solid investment in her and baby Sophia’s future. Her parents are surprisingly supportive…more so than I would imagine most parents of a 19-year-old would be. She says that having a baby changed her body in a big way. I’m not surprised—in fact it’s normal for a woman to gain at least 25 pounds or more during pregnancy. Can you imagine how different your body might look after having giving birth?

Farrah and her mom have also gotten their relationship back on track, largely thanks to therapy. Farrah even wrote up a will in the premiere episode, granting custody of Sophia to her mother should anything happen to her. Like it did with a lot of the girls we’ve seen on 16 and Pregnant or Teen Mom, having a baby changed the formerly close relationship between Farrah and mom Deb. Having a baby doesn’t just affect you; it changes the lives of everyone around you, too!

Maci is still with boyfriend Kyle, despite hostility from Bentley’s dad Ryan. Even after a small scare—she thought that Ryan was falling behind on his child support payments (he wasn’t!)—the two seemed to be slightly more civil than we’re used to seeing on the show. Regardless, Ryan lives up to Maci’s (low) expectations when he asks her if boyfriend Kyle is “slow,” since he says people have been asking. I give props to Maci for just walking away; arguing with Ryan would have been a waste of her time. Maci and Ryan have fallen far from their engagement only a year ago—but the statistics match up; 8 in 10 teen dads don’t stay with the mother of their child.

Amber and sometimes-boyfriend Gary have decided to get back together. However, their couples therapy session doesn’t give me much hope that the on again-off again relationship will stay on for very long.  Even more heartbreaking is Amber’s casual dismissal of her new boyfriend, who appears devastated by her departure. 

Catelynn and Tyler, everyone’s favorite couple, start to make plans to move in together. Following a scary break-in at Catelynn’s house, the two start to re-evaluate where they want to be in life. Tyler tells his mother that giving Carly up for adoption was to improve Carly’s life and give Tyler and Catelynn the chance for a better future. While Tyler’s mom Kim is still against the idea that the teens should move in together, I think Tyler is right when he says he’s no longer a child…once you have a child yourself, you can no longer behave like a kid—you have to be the adult. Tyler and Catelynn should have the opportunity to grow up, even if growing up means bills, rent, and full-time employment. Unlike a lot of teens, they are eager to become independent adults without family support. Catelynn and Tyler gave up Carly so they could build a secure future, and they seem ready to get started.   

A friend of Maci’s had my favorite quote of the episode. Over dinner, Maci sighs, “Why is my life so hard?” The friend replies, “Because you had unprotected sex.” Three in ten girls in the U.S. get pregnant every year. There are plenty of options when protecting yourself from pregnancy and STI’s, so make the choice to protect yourself and find the right method for you.

Have you ever considered what your life would be like if you got pregnant/ caused a pregnancy? Would your whole life be turned upside down or could you deal with it?

Miss Episode 1? You can watch it here and get a sneak peek of Episode 2 here!


This post was written by Kate, an intern for The National Campaign. Kate is a senior at George Washington University, studying journalism and sociology. She loves theater and cooking, and eats mashed potatoes every single day.

 


Take the National Day Quiz!

 
Enter your zip code below to find a health center nearby.
 
 
 

Follow Us
Tweets