When I found out I was pregnant, all I could do was cry. I cried everyday for a week and back. I felt like I had failed. This wasn’t what I had wanted. Even though I was at a loss as to what I wanted to study, I felt like I had ruined my plans for the future. My initial reaction was to have an abortion, something my boyfriend was against. He would beg me to wait, to check our options, but I felt firm in my decision and even called to make an appointment. Weeks passed, however, I couldn’t bring myself to act. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. One day, as I was taking the bus home, I looked up and asked the universe: “What am I going to do?” and as if it had heard me, I saw a billboard sign that said: “No matter what your problem might be, you can do it.” And just like that I decided I was going to be a mom.
Pregnancy was the best experience of my life. To be able to feel life growing inside of me was so astounding. Every time the baby moved or kicked inside of me, I’d pat my belly and smile. I’d sing to her, read Dr. Seuss in funny voices, and while I’d be sleeping, my boyfriend would talk to her and she would move so much! I just couldn’t wait to have her in my arms.
Anastasia Sofía was born on November 2nd, 2015, just after 13 hours of labor. The day I brought her home from the hospital, reality set in and I started to feel anxious. I knew nothing about taking care of a baby! I feared that I would fail everyday, especially when I had other moms judging me for every single thing.
Fast-forward a year, and I’ve got this whole mother thing down. Also, my grades have improved and I finally discovered what I wanted to study: Languages. My baby has become my motivation for everything, and I feel like I have grown enormously because of her. Of course, as she grows older, there will be new things to learn and I’m willing to grow with her, every step of the way. So I say to any young woman who has just found out they are pregnant: it is your choice, and only yours what to do with your pregnancy. Nobody should judge you for deciding to be or not to be a mother. And to those mommies-to-be and the new mothers: I say it is going to be ok. Everything will seem hard at first, and trust me it may will be, but that’s because it’s something new. Once you get the hang of things, everything falls into place and begins running smoothly.