Ashleigh and Sophie Underage and Pregnant

We've always been close friends.

-We've had arguments over boys.

-We've had a lot of arguments over things like that!

I'd class Ash as my sister, always have done.

If she's ever upset, she always comes to me and I'll go to her.

When I was eight weeks pregnant, she found out she was pregnant.

It's nice to have Ashleigh pregnant as well.

It's really nice to have the support.

I'm 16. I'm 31 weeks pregnant.

This is the keepsake box, innit, that we're going to give to him when he's older -

scans, and...like, the pregnancy test.

It was from Poundland.

16-year-old Ashleigh is having a baby with her boyfriend of two years, 19-year-old Ryan.

'He was the first person that I proper fell for.

'I thought he was different to any other boy.

'Like, never lie, hurt, cheat - anything like that,'

but once we found out I was pregnant, things started to get a bit... hilly, in our relationship.

His arm, his elbow...

'It's on and off, really now.'

We don't really speak as much as what we used to and we argue loads.

Ashleigh was on the contraceptive pill,

but after suffering too many side effects

decided to stop taking it.

Everybody was saying to me, "Oh, it'll be all right because it builds up a wall round..."

something, that stops...obviously, you getting pregnant

and it'll take a while for that wall to break down, sort of thing,

so it was, like, a shock.

I was one of them ones, "Oh, it ain't going to happen to me."

There's a picture to show you that he's a boy.

You were really happy. You were shaking, weren't you?

Really happy.

They've already settled on the name Jayden for their son.

When I found out she was pregnant... Well, I was over the moon.

I didn't know what to think at first, telling my family and what they would think,

but I really was over the moon.

Ashleigh's mum lives abroad,

and her dad with his new family in Portsmouth,

so she lives with her six-year-old brother Levi

and her grandma Anne in Norfolk.

I like flour.

My grandma's been there from day one.

I don't understand how she does it all.

She had four children of her own and then taken on...

one of her children's children

and then taken on another one.

She's not really had no life of her own.

Being close to her gran made it hard for Ashleigh

to break the news about her pregnancy.

I rang up and I said, "I've done a pregnancy test and it's positive."

You're getting lower and lower and lower, and fuller and fuller out.

Obviously, she wasn't impressed at all, because of my age,

and she laughed at first and said,

"Right, now you and Ryan have really got to buckle down.

"It's not just about you two any more.

"You've both got to basically stop the arguing, stop being so selfish."

I think she was then worried about me having my baby

and clearing off and leaving my baby with her, so then she's got another responsibility,

which I wouldn't do anyway.

I'm really looking forward to the responsibility of looking after him.

I'm actually excited even about changing his nappy and things like that,

because I know it's me who's caring for him

and making sure he's safe and OK.

I'll let him know that I love him and I'll always support him.

I ain't going anywhere. I'm not just going to get up and leave him.

Something that I never really had.

When Ashleigh was just eight weeks pregnant,

best friend 15-year-old Sophie,

decided she too would buy a pregnancy test

and took it in the nearest place -

King's Lynn Bus Station.

She come out the toilet, passed me the test,

and it had two thick, dark lines. I was like, "Ohh!"

-Passed it to her...

-And I screamed.

-You ran out and sat there.

I came running out, "I'm pregnant!" to Connor,

and he didn't believe me.

THEY LAUGH

Connor is Sophie's 17-year-old boyfriend and father of her child.

They're having a boy and have already named him Charlie.

She showed me the test because at first I was like, "You're not pregnant,"

but when I found out she was pregnant, I was shocked -

I just...couldn't believe it.

Sophie's mum Tammy was at work as a care assistant

when she receive a text message.

My phone went and that was a message from Sophie,

"Mum, please don't be mad.

"I've just taken four pregnancy tests and they've all come back positive."

I didn't know whether to laugh, cry. I felt a bit hysterical inside.

She screamed and cried.

She felt disappointed because I'm not going to experience, like,

the teenage stuff like going out nightclubbing and stuff.

Midwife's told me that Charlie's hands are like that.

He's engaged, so he's going to come out looking like Superman. That's going to be painful.

Don't worry about the pain. As long as Charlie comes out fine.

You can scream as much as you want.

We were both disappointed that she was pregnant,

because we'd have liked them to spend some time enjoying themselves

while they were younger, but at the end of the day,

that's our first grandchild and we're excited

and I wouldn't have it any other way now.

Oh! He keeps kicking my boob up.

Sophie's pregnancy came at the end of a three year spell of difficult behaviour.

I was 13 when I first started having sex.

I got kind of pressured into it. I should have said no but I didn't.

I didn't really understand what was going on,

so I just went with the flow.

After that experience, I changed completely.

I was just too much into boys.

When I was 14, I started sleeping around a bit.

I was a complete...nasty person.

I used to swear at my mum. I used to tell her that I hate her.

I would start on people who walked down the street for no reason.

I caused a lot of chaos.

-You've probably got...

-Wind.

That's four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

At 15, Sophie left school before she'd taken her GCSEs.

-At least I never had the police on my door with you.

-Once at school.

-I hit that girl with a crutch.

-Oh, yeah, I forgot about that one.

It's just not even funny. You just put me through hell.

You put them people through hell, her parents.

She pulled my hair, so I whacked her round the head.

That doesn't make it right. Two wrongs don't make a right and you know I've always said that.

The way you spoke to these teachers, I never brought you up like that.

I just don't... I still don't understand it, even today.

SHE LAUGHS

It's really not funny.

You need to learn to deal with your anger and your issues in a different manner.

-Can you take your go on Scrabble now?

-It's my go?

-It has been for two hours.

I caused Mum to have a breakdown.

The amount of times she's walked out crying, she's screaming at me...

Sophie had been a really, really difficult girl. I got a job because she'd been so difficult.

I needed my space away from her and away from the home.

I just needed some time, like, for me,

and I went out and got this job and I kept thinking to myself,

"The next step, she's going to be pregnant."

That's 45...

I just hope it's going to be positive from here on.

I just want you to be good mum and set a good example to Charlie.

-Sophie, you're not even listening.

-Have you seen the cat in the box?

I've seen the cat in the box.

I want him to grow up knowing that education...

-..is boring.

-No, it's not.

It's only you who can make the right choices for your boy

and you need to make the right choices.

Hi, Ashleigh. Have a seat. Thank you.

Ashleigh is now 34 weeks pregnant

and is seeing her midwife every two weeks.

-Do I need to pull my arm out?

-No, that's fine.

Ryan is working hard as a bin man to support Ashleigh,

but their relationship is still rocky.

Thank you. That's fine.

-I haven't supported her as much as I should do.

-No, you haven't.

As I said, you've been all right financially, paying for things baby needs,

but you haven't physically been there for ME.

I'm going to try and be round here more.

No, it's not really that, is it?

Well, it's not that - it's being honest with you stuff, not being an idiot.

-Keep lying, and...

-I used to lie.

-Well, no, the last time you lied was not so long ago.

-I didn't cheat on you, though, did I?

-Yeah, you did.

No, I didn't physically go out and sleep with no-one else.

No, but you've done a lot of other things,

so don't make it out that you were innocent, because you know it was cheating.

I'm not having baby round that sort of environment, arguing, shouting,

because that's not nice for anybody to be in, let alone a baby.

Only half of teenage mums are with the father of their child when the baby is born,

and just a third are still together when the baby is five.

I want to be in both their lives - baby's and Ashleigh's.

I love them both.

Hopefully, I will be a good dad.

I'll try my best to be a good dad.

That's fine, Ashleigh. I'll just give you a tissue.

I personally think he's just going bored of it

and he'd rather be out doing better things.

I hope he proves me wrong.

See you later, babies.

Round the corner, things are looking more promising for young couple Sophie and Connor.

They now live together in Sophie's family home

and have recently got engaged.

He's completely different from the guys I've been out with,

the rest of them just wanted one thing,

and when they got it, they went, but he's stuck with me.

I always wanted a baby at a young age,

but I didn't want a baby with anyone else apart from Connor...

and it happened!

We could never get condoms to fit so we couldn't really use them.

We were just using the pull out technique.

Connor goes to college three times a week

where he's re-sitting his GCSEs.

Sophie has been out of school for nearly a year

and is now 30 weeks pregnant, so she spends all her days at home.

I'm home alone, I'm bored, so I'm stuck on Facebook.

My dad has asked me to, like, fold the washing. I just know, in about

an hour and a half when Connor gets back, he'll do it!

Make me a sandwich.

I normally wait until he gets back from school to get something

to eat because, well, I can't be bothered to make it.

I've always been lazy, before I was pregnant.

Thank you.

When I come back to the house, if the hoovering needs doing, I'll do that,

if there's washing up or the animals need feeding,

I'll just crack on and do it.

Sometimes I feel guilty watching him do it all by himself.

But it's not worth me getting up and doing it because I'd just moan.

I'm glad it's him. She's been with many a...

SHE SIGHS

Many a lad has been through my door, erm, visiting.

I'm just glad it was Connor.

I think Connor's going to be a really good dad.

He loves him already and he's said that he's doing night feeds

and I'm not allowed to touch him.

But Connor's not the only one that showers Sophie with love.

I have been very overprotective of my children,

I've not let them breathe sometimes.

With Sophie I kept her on such a tight leash,

I think that's why she started rebelling.

Even last year, we went to panto, I still want you as children,

I still want to wrap you up in cotton wool and protect you

and I still want you to be my babies.

Oh, it's hard, you kiddies growing up

and you're going to just like be gone.

One minute I'm like, "Clear off, you treat this place like a hotel,"

and the next I'm like, "Come snuggle up to your mum,"

and I never want to let you go.

Oh, no!

Ashleigh is now 38 weeks pregnant,

while best friend and neighbour Sophie is just seven weeks behind.

-I've never seen one of these.

-No.

So they've decided to get prepared by watching a birthing video.

-That looks painful.

-Yeah it does, doesn't it?!

Oh, no, I've never seen nothing like this.

Connor and my mum are going to be my birthing partners.

Connor probably will end fainting or running out the room, but my mum,

she's seen babies being born so she'll be fine, I know she will.

What about if ours is like really fat?

Since I've been pregnant, I have lost my dignity completely

so I'm not worried about people seeing my bits.

I'm more worried actually about Connor seeing them.

Urgh!

Meanwhile, the boys are in the pub, also thinking about what lies ahead.

I never thought I was going to be a dad as a teenager, not at all,

I thought it'd be like going into my twenties or something.

I was going to say thirties for me.

Yeah, I would say twenties because it's a big responsibility,

but I'm pleased that we are having a baby.

-It is exciting.

-It is going to be exciting.

I'm scared about the labour.

I'll probably freak out and collapse.

I'm dreading labour because Soph moans when she's got a headache,

-like, real bad, let alone labour.

-My mate said the other day that cutting through the cord

is like cutting through a sausage. That's not too bad.

I got told it's like cutting through rubber.

I'm not really fussed what it is, just get it over and done with.

I weren't even going to consider an epidural but by the looks of that.

Oh, now it's out. Awww.

Now it's getting closer, you've only got a couple of weeks, it's now...

getting really scary because it's happening and there's no way out now.

It is scary, especially after seeing that.

-It changes you doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-You have to grow up.

A lot of times I've been an idiot and let her down

but that won't happen again. No way.

Best thing to do, when you see her, ask how she's feeling.

If there's anything she wants to talk about.

I always asked how she's feeling, I used to.

Just ask her if she wants to talk, if she's got any problems,

if she wants to talk about anything.

There's going to be minor arguments, you're going to get stress,

because as you said, sleepless nights.

But I mean like, there's no point in having a full blown argument.

Especially not in front of the baby anyway.

It's nearly Christmas and Ashleigh is now four days overdue.

My Christmas present, which Ryan got me from Jayden.

It's really pretty.

So cute.

It's lovely.

Since Ryan's chat with Connor about relationships,

things have moved on for him and Ashleigh.

How are you and Ryan getting along?

We haven't had one argument in three days!

Three days without an argument, without a bicker, without anything.

Not even a dig?

Nope.

I'm telling people the same as he is,

that we're in a relationship with each other.

A physical relationship.

Eww!

Do you want another baby after Jayden?

Not straight after, I don't, no.

That will be when me and him are like proper close again,

financially stable, got our on home.

Do you want another baby?

Yeah, I want one straight after.

Right, baby girl, I gotta go.

Be a good girl.

Drive careful.

At Sophie's house, neither she nor Connor has a job,

so money is becoming an issue.

Dad, Malcolm, works full-time as a courier.

Tammy and I work as hard as we can.

Tam will do extra shifts at work.

Me, I'll do as much as I possibly can to try and get some extra money.

I do go out on Saturdays,

I go out on Sundays, I go out on bank holidays. It is hard,

but I'm prepared to do as many hours as I can to help my family.

See you later, bye-bye.

It's not just Sophie, Connor and the baby that need feeding.

Sophie's 17-year-old brother Jake is also still living at home.

I've got to pay £20 a week for keep, which I thought was fair enough,

but Connor and Sophie sit at home all day,

and doesn't have to pay nothing,

while I'm at work, busting my ass for 45 hours a week on £3.60 an hour.

That's the only thing I'll probably do today, feed the fish.

My mum and dad have spent a lot on me, Connor and baby.

I still can't believe they re-mortgaged the house to help us.

They've bought us the pram, they're bought most of his clothes,

his cot blankets and cot sets.

They've really helped us a lot.

Mum, Tammy, is also working as many shifts as she can.

I'm shattered, what with full-time work

and trying to keep on top of things at home, trying to run the house,

trying to do the food shopping and the washing.

That's just very, very tiring.

You can lie down all day.

I can't.

You ain't got a job to go to.

-I clean the house.

-How much of that do you do without a fight?

-Not a lot!

-I done it this morning!

-Only because you had to.

With everyone around her working so hard,

it's made Sophie question her decision to leave school last year.

If I could go back and tell myself to try hard at school, I would have done.

I've not got a good record, so that'll stop me getting jobs.

It's a shame how I used to behave

because, thinking about it, me and my mum would have been more friends,

and I would have a lot more friends,

but I guess you learn from your mistakes.

After my baby is here, I'm going to try and get into college

to do cooking, because that's what I've always wanted to do.

BABY CRIES

Six days after her due date, Ashleigh finally went into labour.

Oh, he's peeing! He's peeing!

Ryan was by her side when she gave birth to their son, Jayden.

Get his wipes out.

I knew it was going to be painful pushing a baby out,

but I didn't know what I was letting myself in for!

That was the worst pain I have ever felt,

especially when they get you to touch the baby's head as it's crowning,

that burnt so bad, that burnt, that really burnt.

I had to have stitches as well, didn't I?

Yeah.

I had a second degree tear, so it was a really bad tear,

and I bled absolutely loads.

I thought I was going to faint, but I didn't.

After cutting the cord and having a hug with him, I felt closer to Ash,

I felt closer with him.

It felt great.

And then giving Ash a big old hug and saying, "Well done."

I think she did really well,

even with all the screaming and shouting, bless her.

Since coming home, Ryan's been staying for a week

to help out while Ashleigh's gran is on holiday.

It's been great.

I've been getting used to getting up early.

Looking after him, looking after Ash,

because she's still sore from having stitches and everything.

Last night was the worst night we've had.

He wouldn't settle so we're both tired,

so we were both getting arsey with each other.

I think when I haven't got him to help,

I am going to find it really, really, really hard,

especially if it's like last night.

If it's like last night, I don't know what I'm going to do.

While Ashleigh and Ryan get used to sleepless nights,

Sophie is having a night to remember.

A week after her due date,

she finally went into labour.

Hold your breath and push down.

She found the first 12 hours so difficult,

she decided to have an epidural.

Nearly 24 hours after her first contraction,

Sophie gave birth to her little boy, Charlie.

Look!

He's trying to cry but he doesn't know how to.

He's getting there.

Back at home, memories of the birth are still raw in everyone's minds.

She got a little bit anxious when the pain kicked in.

It got to the point when she kept asking for a caesarean,

forceps, whatever, just get him out.

To see your daughter in that pain, or your son, no matter what,

to see your child in pain like that, it kills you inside.

I must admit, there was one point where I was very, very scared.

I was trying my hardest not to cry.

I just didn't know what to do,

there was nothing I could do to help her.

Luckily, we had her mum there and she was keeping her calm.

Stick your finger in and see if he's hungry.

Ashleigh and Ryan have been parents for two weeks now,

and Ryan is now living back at his mum's.

I think it's been really hard for her.

Lots of sleepless nights...

and always screaming, how he is now.

What time did he wake up last night?

-He don't just ever wake up once.

-Was you a pain the bum last night?

BABY CRIES

BABY STOPS CRYING Oh, good one!

Actually look what he's doing.

That's what I'm saying, he's just messing around with it again.

-Pass him here, look.

-No, I'm feeding him.

Take it out and stick it back in then!

Don't go mad. If he don't want it, he don't want it.

Yes, he does!

You know when he does that to take it out and stick it back in.

Sorry. Here you are.

Don't tell me not to go mad,

because it's not you who has to wash his clothes and everything, is it?

Maybe because I'm not here to wash his clothes!

He just seems to think that he's got the hard part of it all,

and no, he ain't.

I'm not saying I've got the hard part.

I understand that you get sleepless nights, but I can't do nothing.

I'm not saying you can!

Has he got a cloth or anything?

No, just use my dressing gown.

Fair enough.

Sorry you got a sleepless night and that you're taking it out on me.

I'm not taking it out on you.

You think everything is so pissing easy.

How is everything easy?!

I get back from work and you tell me to hurry up. I'm as quick as I can.

I didn't get back till four o'clock.

You just take it out on me, as soon as I get back from work.

I'm as quick as I can.

-You are such a selfish

-BLEEP.

-Do you know that?

How am I selfish?

You know I can't wait to get up here and look after him, I love to.

I hate stacking the steriliser.

Sophie is also adjusting to her new life as a teenage mum.

Fold that laundry up!

Connor can do it.

-What?

-I said Connor can do it when you go to work.

Sophie, do you mind if I make Charlie's bottles?

No, that's fine.

I should make her do it.

We're actually making Sophie very lazy, all of us.

Yeah, you are!

Not that she cares very much.

As well as a doting grandma, Charlie has a doting father, too.

You're not still tired?!

Connor's a fantastic dad, he's just so loving.

He's just perfect.

It's harder than I first thought it would be.

I don't like changing nappies.

I don't mind putting them on. I just don't like changing poo nappies.

I just can't hack it. I'll be sick.

Our relationship has stayed the same.

It's just so strong and nothing's going to break it.

We haven't started trying for a baby yet.

I'm hoping we're going to start trying

when he's, like, about eight or nine months,

so he'll have someone to grow up with as well.

Having a newborn in this busy house has affected the entire family.

When I first saw Charlie I cried.

I feel the same now actually.

It sounds ridiculous, I know,

but that boy has got so much love around him.

He has brought the family together.

I don't know if I was on the verge of murdering her, committing suicide,

leaving or throwing her out, but now she's turned a corner,

and I love her.

I actually really like her now, really like her.

We've become friends, really, really close friends.

While things have moved along for Sophie's family,

Ashleigh is dealing with some big changes, too.

Me and Ryan have split up completely this time.

At the end of the day, it's not fair on Jayden, seeing his parents argue.

When I say argue, I mean screaming at each other all the time.

I don't want to be with him.

I'm disappointed things turned out like this.

I wish we was together like a family, got our own place.

Despite the split, both are still determined to share the parenting.

Ryan's his dad and it'll always stay like that.

He is absolutely brilliant with Jayden, he loves him to bits.

We need to sort something out so that I can see him more,

so we get that sort of bond.

I don't want that bond to go away.

I want to be there for each other so he can look up to me.

I've asked him if he'll have him one night a weekend,

and then, hopefully, if Jayden grows up like that,

he'll realise he's got his mum in his life and his dad in his life.

He's my world. I wouldn't ever take him away,

I wouldn't want no-one to take him away.

I absolutely love him, I really do.

He means absolutely everything to me.

I've never loved anybody or anything as much as I love that little boy,

and nothing will ever, ever change that.

I will always be there for him.

Next time, we meet Charlotte from North Wales...

Everything's just stressing me out. Everything and everyone.

If we even try and talk, it ends up in a row.

I can't live with her. Not as she is.

..and 16-year-old Natasha.

Look at your mum!

Her boyfriend sent me a message on Facebook, asking for my daughter's hand in marriage.

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