*WAYS WHICH CAN BE USED BY TEENAGE MOTHERS TO FIGHT STIGMA,STRESS AND DEPRESSION*
*1.Count your pregnancy and your baby as an early blessing*
As a teenage mother interpret your pregnancy and baby as the biggest blessing which God has granted you.you will gain courage and feel encouraged to go on with life.This reduces stress and stigma.
*2.*Accept it and go on with life motivated**
Any teen mother or father should not live in denial of the pregnancy and the baby.you will be tempted to procure an abortion if live in denial.accept it and start adjusting to become a mother or father at your age.you will reduce stress related to denial.
*3.Live happily and enjoy life as it comes*
Keep your happy mood to strike a balance emotionally.you will find yourself happy with your life.The bonding between you and your baby will be kept strong.you will upbring a strong and healthy baby who does not have challenges.This reduces stress and stigma
*4.Get better medical and health care access*
Don't hide your pregnancy,disclose it early to your parents and your guardians.Ask for forgiveness from them.say sorry and it will heal them emotionally.
Tell them instead of aborting your baby to die,you opted to speak it out.They will sympathise with you.report even whoever who impregnated you so that you can be start going to clinic for the sake of your medical check ups.Your life and the life of your baby will be taken care of.Doctors will advise you the meals you are supposed to take.you will end up giving birth to a baby who is healthy.You will be motivated when you see your healthy baby.This reduces stress and stigma.
*5.Avoid people who criticise you completely.*
Holy pretenders who stereotype you with all sorts of criticism are not people you can hang around with.They will offend you.if you avoid them,you will not be stressed.Eliminate your worry by dismissing questions like ' *what will people say or think about me?'* from your mind.
You will live a stress free life.
*6.Listen to a mixtape of the music or a movie you love most.*
As a teenage mother or father listen to music,watch a movie or rib cracking jokes.This will maintain your jovial mood to eliminate any stress.
*7.Change your environment if need arises*
As a teenage mother or father if you realise the environment you are does not support you socially and their work is to abuse and treat you as a bad example, look for another place to go and live.you will realise you have reduced a lot of stigma and stress which could have been propagated by stereotypes
*8.Go back to school to build your future*
As a teenage mother or father,when your baby is about 3 to 6 or even one year,resume with your education to reduce stigma and stress related to being described as a 'drop out'.work hard to achieve a better grade which can enable you to create or get a better job for your children.
*9.Avoid taking alcohol to relieve stress*
As a teenage mother or father,don't take alcohol as a way of postponing stress.you will end up messing up again and have health problems like cancer,liver cirrhosis.
Avoid abusing drugs and this will reduce stress and stigma related to taking alcohol and parenting
*10.Choose your friends wisely in your situation*
In some instances if it means losing some of your friends especially those who think you have lost your value and integrity,you have got to drop them and replace with people who encourage you.you will realise you are fighting stress completely.
*11.Always live close to your baby*
As a teenage father or mother even after going back to school,ensure you are closer to your baby so that you can monitor and breastfeed. You will notice that you have avoided stress related to regrets of asking ' *How is my baby at home which I left him or her '*
*12.Surround yourself with the right mentors*
Get connected to people who can teach you parenting so that you can bring up an healthy baby.This guidance will relieve you from stigma and stress related to straining to source any information related to parenting
*13.Ensure your baby is safe always*
If it means working to support your baby do it.Ensure the person who impregnated you is taking care of your baby if he has the ability.if you are not able request your mum,Dad or Guardian to taking care of you and your baby.parents who are reading this,don't be quick to curse.infact that baby is your grand child who can become the source of your pride in future.
By Cosmas Mbolu
- An author and the Managing director superscholar publishers limited
