Interview With Maci From 16 and Pregnant

MTV’s 16 and Pregnant debuted this week, following the lives of teen mothers from pregnancy through birth. Each of the 6 episodes devotes one hour to a unique mother, showing the consequences, benefits, and drawbacks of her decision. Reality Roll Call had a chance to speak with Maci, 17, one of the subjects of the show. Maci got pregnant at 16, and MTV started filming her when she was in her third trimester,  until her son Bentley was 3 months old. Here’s what Maci had to say about the filming experiencing, and what it’s like to be a teenage mother:

MJ: Do you feel that being filmed all the time made you see yourself differently?

Maci: No, not really. Since everyone else was already in my business, I just went along with everything and it wasn’t that weird to have crews following us. They actually became part of the experience.

MJ: Tell me a little bit about your decision to keep the baby.

M: From the very beginning I never considered adoption or abortion. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I was like, ok, let’s go. None of the other options were something we even considered.

MJ: What do you feel are the advantages of being a mother at 16?

M: You definitely learn more about life a lot quicker, and I feel like I have more energy to take care of a newborn baby than an older person might. And, you also get your body back really quick.

MJ: Its hard being a teenager anyway, feeling like everyone’s judging you. Do you feel people judge you more because of your decision?

M: Of course they do. I’m kind of known as “that girl with a kid” rather than just being Maci.

MJ: What was your favorite part of doing the show?

M: I loved seeing how a show is put together, and what you have to go through to be on TV. Knowing how everything works and seeing yourself on TV is pretty cool.

RRC: Is there anything that you look back on and say, “Wow, I wish I hadn’t done that on TV,” or anything that you wish you had done just to show another side of yourself?

M: I definitely feel like I stand up for myself more in my relationships than is portrayed on the show. I wish that had come across more clearly when Ryan and I were having issues and I was dealing with his behavior. Otherwise, no- I feel like everything that happened, happened for a reason. Ryan and I both learned a lot from what we went through, and we’ve both grown so much from it. So, I wouldn’t change anything I did or said.

MJ: What does the future hold for you?

M: Right now I’m a stay at home mom for the summer. I’ll go back to school in the fall and continue doing what I need to do. Ryan and I have plans to get married on Oct. 3rd. And, ultimately, I want to write a book about my experience as a teen mom, and I’d also love to open a restaurant.

MJ: What advice do you wish you had received?

M: I think I got all the advice I needed. Both of our mom’s are very supportive, they let me know everything beforehand about what to expect. I was pretty prepared when Bentley came. The best piece of advice I got was to nap when my baby naps.

MJ: I know abstinence education is a big part of the political debate right now. Was it practiced at your school? Do you think it’s realistic?

M: I remember having one class on abstinence when I was a Freshman, it lasted a few days long, but that’s the only time we had it during high school. I don’t really think abstinence is realistic- people are going to do what they’re going to do, when they want to do it. It’s a personal decision. Sometimes abstinence has an impact and sometimes it doesn’t. I was the one who held out on having sex longer than anyone I knew, and I was the one who got pregnant.

MJ: If you could go back, what would you have done differently?

M: I don’t regret anything now, since this is the situation I’m in. Now, knowing what I know and seeing what my life, I wouldn’t do anything differently. What happened to me has made me happier. Even though it’s very hard, this is the best thing for me.

I would say though, that I hope this series reaches other teens and helps them understand what you really go through when you’re a teen mom. Its hard work. For teens who aren’t in this situation, I hope they protect themselves. And, for young girls who are pregnant, I hope that they see my story and understand that there are options for them. It can be done, and you can still find ways to be happy.