Teenage pregnancies can be incredibly emotional. Natalie Shay knows this all too well, as she became a mother at the tender age of 14. Despite the option of having an abortion, Natalie made the courageous decision to give birth to her daughter and shoulder all the responsibilities herself. Four years have passed since then, and she recently shared their life journey on her Instagram profile.
"At that point, I didn't see any future for myself. I didn't know if I would finish school, and I didn't know if I would be able to raise a child. Everyone doubted me," Natalie Shay revealed over four years ago in one of her YouTube videos.
Instead of succumbing to self-pity, she took the criticism as motivation. Natalie was determined to prove all doubters wrong and show that she was capable of overcoming the challenges ahead.
From the very beginning of her pregnancy, the 14-year-old shared every stage of her journey on Instagram, and tens of thousands of people followed her struggles and experiences. Today, Natalie, now 18, boasts almost 60,000 followers on social media, with an impressive 130,000 subscribers on YouTube. She openly acknowledges that being a young mother is far from easy, but she remains steadfast and resilient. Last year, she successfully graduated from high school, and now she works as an influencer.
On Instagram, Natalie often shares heartwarming photos with her daughter, Rylah, now four years old. These posts reflect her pride and happiness as a devoted mother.
"You show me what true love is... You saved me and made me a better person. I am extremely grateful to have you in my life, Rylah. You are my best friend, my mini version, my whole world," one of her heartfelt captions reads.
