The youngest new mother's you've seen

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Specializes in OB (with a history of cardiac).

We just recently had a 14 year old on our unit. I'm sure for some of you that's not uncommon, and I was warned that in our hosptial especially, it's not uncommon (I think there might have been a 13 year old one time too, some time back).

I was talking to another nurse about my age about it, and when you really think about it...I mean I brought the girl some water, she wasn't my patient, but she needed some water and I walk in her room and she was watching like...Nickelodeon or Disney or something. It just brought it home that when I was 14 I was in the last half of 8th grade for petesake! High School hadn't even started yet- "life" hadn't even started yet, I was barely a teenager- just teen enough to sport the grunge look so typical of 1994.

So what's the youngest you've seen? I realize age is just a number, of course and this young lady we had was actually pretty sober about the whole thing, good on her.

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Specializes in ED staff.

I work in the ER. Had two little girls show up in the ambulance bay, I opened the door for them to see what they needed. The taller one said, "my water broke." She opened her coat to show me her big belly. I put her in a wheel chair and stopped to call L&D to advise them she was coming up. I asked, name, due date, who is your doctor and what's your age? When she told me 13 it just broke my heart. I then thought OMG this child is here with her sister who is 11 or so. Where are the adults??? Granma brought her and was parking the car. Sad.

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Popped online for a moment, and ironic...my patient tonight is 13. In 7th grade and it's been a long, long night!

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we had a 12 year old not too long ago... is just soooo sad

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Specializes in labor & delivery.

My youngest was 14...wore spongebob pj's and watched Nickelodeon with her 16 yr old boyfriend. Very sad

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Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.

The youngest I've cared for personally? 12. The youngest in a hospital I've worked in? 9. She colored after her epidural was placed. 14 year olds aren't uncommon at all around here. And I've gotten used to seeing ADULTS watching Sponge Bob. I just want to shake my head. Have you ever walked in and found your laboring patient sucking her thumb? That will make you take a step back.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
The youngest I've cared for personally? 12. The youngest in a hospital I've worked in? 9. She colored after her epidural was placed. 14 year olds aren't uncommon at all around here. And I've gotten used to seeing ADULTS watching Sponge Bob. I just want to shake my head. Have you ever walked in and found your laboring patient sucking her thumb? That will make you take a step back.

I think the youngest I've taken care of personally was 13 or 14, but we've had 10- and 11- year olds on our floor.

I've had 18-year-old patients that still suck their thumbs, though. Always find it odd, and wonder if they do it in public as well, or if it's restricted to 'private' environs.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I took care of a baby once whose father was 10. The mom was 11 or 12: I don't remember exactly.

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Specializes in L&D.

Im not an OB nurse, Im a student, but Im also a social worker, and the youngest I've seen come through the system was a 12 yr old who was pg. She was raped. It was one of the saddest things I'd ever seen. She was such a child, her hair was up in pigtails. Ill always remember that.

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Specializes in ED, trauma.

I worked in an ER where we sent anyone over 20 weeks to OB/GYN floor. A young girl presented with c/c lady partsl bleeding. She had just had her 11th birthday a few days prior, and the ER was incredibly slammed with codes and other things, so she was unfortunately placed in the hallway, with blood clearly visible on the front of her jeans. I brought a sheet and assured her we would get her a room soon, and when the registrar asked mom to sign consent she replied "It's her baby, let her sign."

My jaw dropped. I asked how far along she was and when I hear she was 26 weeks, I panicked, tried not to judge and quickly asked the ED tech to take her upstairs on the stretcher. She delivered that night, a baby boy who was transferred to another hospital with a NICU.

I don't think I'll ever look at middle schoolers the same way ever again. My heart breaks for these children. I wish things like this were the exception, but it seems they are quickly becoming commonplace to see such young mothers - something that should NEVER happen.

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

I don't think I've seen younger than 15, but tonight I saw a G8P2 who was 22. Aye aye aye

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Specializes in OB (with a history of cardiac).

NINE?! Wow. That's just...amazing, wrong, twisted... a little child with a belly like that. It's a sad statement for several reasons: first of which, what in the heck are kids up to these days?! When I was nine we were just starting to exit the Barbie/My Little Pony scene...but then again I've seen this generations "dollies" Bratz, and Bratz Babiez (congrats, your Brat had a brat). Secondly, if nine year olds are getting pregnant, then they must be menstruating, so it begs the question, what's the average age now for menarche? What in the world are they pumping into our foods and our environment that is making little girls into women before they should even be done playing with toys?!

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