Your Lines: Sarah of The Mom Life

I love finding fellow young bloggers and I was so excited to connect with Sarah. She just launched her own blog at The Mom Life, where she’s sharing her life story as a former teen mom turned banker, vegetarian, and runner. Be sure to visit her at The Mom Life!

Tell us about yourself:
My name is Sarah, a single mom of two little beauties. I became a mother at the age of seventeen and again at nineteen. Although I dropped out of high school, I obtained my GED and currently have a full time job in the wonderful (not) world of banking. I love to run and blog in my spare time and just recently became vegetarian. I’m a huge Boston Celtics and New England Patriots fan. I have a tattoo on each of my forearms with my children’s name on it: my daughter has her name with ballet shoes and my son has a bird with a crown, symbolizing a prince.

What was your reaction to finding out you were pregnant?
It didn’t seem real. I was a senior in high school and had my friend ask the school nurse for a pregnancy test. I took the test in the bathroom while my friend waited for me. I remember I was so shocked that when I walked out of the bathroom, I stumbled into one of my teachers, and it was embarrassing.

Your boyfriend’s?
He asked if I could get an abortion.

Did you consider adoption or abortion? What made you decide against it?
I’m prolife and couldn’t imagine giving up my child for adoption, so there were no other options.

How did you tell your parents? What was their reaction?
I think my mom found out by snooping through my room and finding pages I printed out about information on pregnancy. She forced me to take a pregnancy test that night. She didn’t talk to me for a few days after that.

Did you get married? Why or why not?
I did but we divorced over a year and a half later because of verbal abuse and infidelity on his part.

How about physically? What baby gear do you recommend for new moms? Any helpful resources (like favorite websites, blog, or online stuff for moms?)
Stock up on diapers durning pregnancy. And lotion your belly religiously, something I didn’t do and wish I had.

Did you use government aid, like Medicaid or WIC?
Yes! WIC was a godsend because baby formula is so expensive. And after becoming pregnant I could no longer be on my parent’s insurance so Medicaid was the only option left.

Do you have any thoughts on breastfeeding v. bottle feeding?
I only breastfed for one month with my first child. If I could do it again, I’d breastfeed for longer and enjoy it. Not to mention it’s very healthy for your baby and formula is expensive and not nearly as nutritious.

What surprised you the most about giving birth?
How long it took to recover after. And you poop when you have a vaginal birth.

What surprised you the most about having a baby?
How it’s made me a morning person, which I actually like.