I became a mum at 14 and drank during my pregnancy – my daughter gets trolled for it but I’m not ashamed

HANNAH Downs was just 13 when she asked a friend’s mum to get her a pregnancy test. That same day she took the test to discover she was pregnant and, with little sex education, drank alcohol having no idea that it could cause damage to her unborn baby. Hannah gave birth to her first child aged 14 and, now 25, the mum has four kids Credit: Cover Images The childhood sweethearts tied the knot when Hannah was 16 Credit: Cover Images While it might sound like a disaster waiting to happen, Hannah, from North Carolina, US, gave birth to a healthy baby aged 14, and went on to marry her childhood sweetheart, Noel, two years later. She is now 25 and nine years on the pair share four children: Adalynne, ten, Noellie, six, Alfie, three, and Octavia, one. Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter Thank you! Despite becoming parents so young, the couple remained together and built a stable home for their growing family – and while it might sound like the perfect fairytale ending, Hannah has spent the past decade dealing with negativity and hateful comments. She said in a TikTok video: “Just today somebody had something along the lines of, I shouldn’t be proud of it. She has faced criticism online for sharing the story, but says she was a vulnerable child who did not understand the dangers of drinking during pregnancy Credit: Cover Images Hannah says her childhood showed her what she wanted to do differently when raising her own children Credit: Cover Images “I am not ashamed of my daughter, and I am not ashamed of myself.” “My daughter that I had when I was 14 literally saved my life. “I just know that if it hadn’t been for her, I would not be here and I would not be living the life that I am today.” But it is not just Hannah that trolls target. Most read in Fabulous She said: “A lot of people will come on that post and make really nasty comments, not just towards me but towards my daughter as well. I think that is really silly and unnecessary. “I’m not going to hide her; I’m not going to hide that part of my story.” In spite of the hateful comments, which tell Hannah she should be ashamed for giving birth at such a young age, she hasn’t let it get to her. Now, Hannah works two 12-hour night shifts as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at her local hospital every weekend. She also babysits for several families and creates social media content, which has grown into a full-time business. “During the week, I’m a typical stay-at-home mum,” Hannah said. “I take the kids to sports, manage the household, do the grocery shopping, clean and handle everything that comes with raising four children. “On weekends, I work two 12-hour night shifts from 7pm until 7am, usually running on about four to five hours of sleep while my husband helps keep everything running at home. Even after getting off work on Sunday morning, church and family time remain priorities for us.” As a CNA, Hannah cares for patients during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Her duties include taking vital signs, checking blood sugar levels, repositioning patients and helping them bathe, eat and move safely. “My role is centred around providing hands-on patient care,” she said. “I also make sure patients feel safe and cared for.” Which areas of the UK have the highest rate of teen pregnancies? Middlesbrough (43.8) St Helens (37.1) Halton (34.9) Hartlepool (33.2) North East Lincolnshire (33.2) Blackpool (32.9) Hyndburn (32.8) Kingston upon Hull (32.7) Norwich (31.3) Salford (30.7) Source: ONS Hannah chose night work so that she and Noel could work opposite schedules, ensuring one of them is always with their children. Noel, 26, spent several years working as a car technician and is now a life insurance broker. “Working nights means we don’t have to rely on outside childcare,” she said. “I also enjoy the different pace and the opportunity to provide care in a quieter environment.” Although the arrangement works for the family, balancing three jobs, four children, her marriage and a home can leave Hannah exhausted. She said the hardest part is the guilt she feels when she does not have enough energy to do everything she would like with her children. “I’m often exhausted, and sometimes I don’t have the energy I wish I had to play and do all the fun things with my kids,” she said. “I’ve had to learn that taking care of myself matters too, because I can’t pour into my family if I’m completely running on empty.” Hannah’s family life today is very different from the childhood she has described. She grew up without positive role models and was surrounded by relatives affected by drug addiction. According to Hannah, her mother and several of the siblings who lived with her struggled with addiction. Her mother died three and a half years ago, and Hannah has also lost a sibling to addiction. Hannah experienced abuse during her childhood, left school in seventh grade and received very little education about sex or contraception. She was 13 when she suspected she might be pregnant, although she does not recall whether she had missed a period. Hannah went to a friend’s house and asked the girl’s mother to take her to buy a pregnancy test. According to Hannah, the woman agreed but also bought the teenagers a case of alcoholic drinks. Hannah drank with her friend that night before taking the test the following morning and discovering she was pregnant. She has faced criticism online for sharing the story, but says she was a vulnerable child who did not understand the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. “I had no clue what foetal alcohol syndrome was,” Hannah said. “I had no clue about any of those things because I was 13 years old. If your guess was that I had no good role models, you would be right. I had zero good role models.” At the time, Hannah and her friend considered the woman a “cool mum” because she allowed them to do almost anything in her home. Looking back as a mother herself, Hannah now sees the situation differently. “At the time, I thought she was a cool mum,” she said. “Now, as a mother, I know she was not the safe adult that I needed.” Hannah later ended the friendship and is no longer in contact with the woman or her daughter. After falling pregnant, Hannah was emancipated from her family and married Noel, the father of her daughter, at 16. Hannah believes their relationship has lasted because they understand that love requires daily commitment, particularly during difficult times. “Love is not just a feeling; it’s a choice we make every day,” she said. “We’ve learnt the importance of forgiveness, grace, communication and choosing each other even during the hardest seasons. Most importantly, we’ve kept God at the centre of our relationship, which has been our foundation through everything we’ve faced.” Hannah says her childhood showed her what she wanted to do differently when raising her own children. “I saw first-hand the consequences of certain choices, and that shaped the kind of mother I wanted to become,” she said. “My past motivates me every day to create a different environment for my children – one filled with love, stability, faith and support.”