Unplanned & Untold

For almost a year, Kate kept her pregnancy a secret from her professors. As a Student-Mom, she was trying to navigate college while carrying the weight of an experience she didn’t feel comfortable sharing. She also struggled to find a community where she felt understood and supported. That's where Baby Steps was able to step in and give Kate a source of encouragement, connection, and support...

Rachael found out she was pregnant in the BATHROOM of her CHILDHOOD HOME! But an unexpected pregnancy at the University of Tennessee didn't change what Rachael wanted for her future. She was terrified to tell her family & overwhelmed by anxiety about how they would react. Even though they ultimately met her with love & support, she spent so much time fearing what that moment would loo...

An unplanned pregnancy changed Raven’s plans, but it didn't have to change her future. Raven had a goal, & she didn't let anything stand in her way. While raising her child & navigating college, she put in the work to earn her degree in just three years!  Along the way, Baby Steps was there to provide the support & encouragement she needed to keep moving forward.  She didn&ap...

Ansley’s journey is a reminder that an unexpected chapter can lead you somewhere you never imagined. Becoming a Student-Mom came with challenges she never expected, but through every obstacle, she kept working toward the future she wanted for herself & her child. Along the way, her own experience as a mom inspired her to pursue a career caring for some of the tiniest & most vulnerable pati...

Pregnancy & motherhood can bring incredible joy, but they can also bring unexpected changes to your sense of identity & emotional well-being. In this episode of Behind the Blue Lines, we talk openly about the mental health challenges many women experience like postpartum depression, the transition into motherhood, & the importance of finding support through every stage of the journey....

The hardest seasons often shape us in the most meaningful ways. For Janie, her world changed with one pregnancy test. In an instant, the plans she had for college looked different, & the future became filled with questions she never expected to ask.  While that moment marked the beginning of an unexpected journey, it wasn’t the end of her story. What could have broken Janie instead became the...

For many students, college is a season of growth & encouragement. Yet, Stacie found herself facing judgment from some of the very people she expected to support her. Even through disappointment & rejection, she continued working toward her goals & proved that unexpected circumstances don’t have to end your dreams. This week, we're excited to share a dual POV of an unplanned pregna...

Madalyn never expected her college graduation photos to become the talk of her small, Southern college town. When she shared her pregnancy announcement on Instagram, the post went viral bringing attention, opinions, & plenty of conversations she never asked for. But behind the social media posts & small-town gossip was a 22-year-old college student navigating an unplanned pregnancy, single...

At 20 years old, Sharon’s life changed unexpectedly, forcing her to navigate fear, shame, rejection, & uncertainty largely on her own. In this new episode, Sharon shares the pain of losing support from the people she needed most, the judgment she faced carrying a biracial baby in a small Southern town, & the unexpected friends who stepped in along the way. SHOW NOTES: For more information...

Alex was a full-time student at Florida State University, working full-time, & cheering competitively when she found out she was unexpectedly pregnant at 21 years old. Afraid of judgement, she kept her pregnancy a secret from her cheer squad, even competing at 21 weeks pregnant before finally telling her team. In this inspiring episode, Alex shares the pressure, loneliness, & determination...

We have heard many stories in Unplanned & Untold about women who have experienced an unplanned pregnancy while being a student athlete. Today, podcast host, Kaitlyn Willing, sits down with Baby Steps Director of Marketing, Charlton Jones, and dives deeper into that experience, the statistics, and the resources available on this special episode! SHOW NOTES: For more information about the podcas...

Kayleigh discovered she was unexpectedly pregnant during her senior year of college. For six months, she hid her pregnancy from everyone and continued to show up to classes, work, & push toward graduation, all while feeling like she was living two completely different lives. In this new episode, Kayleigh shares her story to remind women that an unplanned pregnancy does not define their worth o...

As a pastor’s kid, Anna was surrounded by strong values & a close-knit family. In her early twenties, right as she was stepping into a new season, her life took an unexpected turn. Anna found out she was pregnant & everything shifted. What followed wasn’t easy. It was a journey filled with overwhelming emotions, uncertainty, & challenges she never saw coming. But through it all, Anna s...

Santee was a freshman in college when a doctor told her something she never expected. She was five & a half months pregnant! During the next few months, she would face a roller coaster of experiences from her water breaking in class to her father passing away. Before she could even take six weeks to recover, she was back on campus determined to finish what she started. A few years later, while...

Andrea never gave up. Through facing an unplanned pregnancy, debating every possible decision for her & her daughter, going back & forth from school & the NICU, & grieving her daughter’s death, she never gave up on her education. She wanted her daughter to have a mother who persevered, & she did! Andrea & her daughter’s story have & will continue to inspire others! SHOW...

Today’s guest brings a story filled with profound love & a strength forged through unimaginable circumstances. Born in Panama & raised between cultures, Andrea navigated a childhood shaped by instability & resilience. While attending Texas A&M, her life took an unexpected turn when she found herself pregnant at 19 after being told she was infertile. This is a conversation about unp...

Julissa found out she was pregnant at just 15 years old. When life took an unexpected turn, she chose to keep moving forward & made the difficult decision to leave her high school to find the support she & her baby needed.  As a first-generation college student & parenting student, Julissa commuted by train to her early classes, balanced coursework, & took care of her daughter. Her...

Kelly discovered she was pregnant at just 20 years old while playing collegiate basketball at a small Christian college. Fear quickly set in. At first it felt like the end of her dreams, but soon she realized this experience would become the very thing that fueled her determination!  With her daughter by her side, Kelly continued pursuing her goals both on & off the court.  SHOW NOTES: For mor...

Today, we have the honor of sharing the story of a Baby Steps Alumni whose journey is powerful, honest, & deeply encouraging!  Abby was part of the Baby Steps at The University of Alabama Hub before it was officially open & her experience as a Student-Mom continues to reflect exactly why the Baby Steps mission matters.  SHOW NOTES: For more information about the podcast or to make a TAX DE...

Today you’ll get to hear the rest of Lauren’s story! Lauren talks about how she unexpectedly found herself at the center of so much attention, hundreds of people began following her on social media just to see what would happen next. But what mattered most was the love & support she had! Her friends showed up for her in every season, walked with her when life was overwhelming, went out of thei...

When Lauren dreamed of college, she imagined a life full of friends & sorority events. But at 19 years old, Lauren’s life took an unexpected turn when she discovered she was pregnant. When she became a Student-Mom in college, it wasn’t just her family who stepped up. Her sorority sisters & fraternity brothers rallied around her, helping care for her daughter & providing hands-on suppor...

This story is one of grit, determination & transformation! From a college student navigating an unplanned pregnancy alone to a woman who refuses to let her past define her, Meghan not only beat the odds, but never wavered in her belief that she could have both her education and her baby!  SHOW NOTES: For more information about the podcast or to make a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation visit https://unpl...

Life doesn’t always go according to plan, & sometimes the challenges we face shape us in ways we never expected. As a college student, Katie discovered she was pregnant, a shock that came with long-distance challenges, financial struggles, & the weight of judgment. Yet through it all, her faith, determination, & the support of loved ones carried her forward! Katie’s story is a powerful...

Sabrena felt as if her world came crumbling down during her final semester of college when a positive pregnancy test changed everything. After graduating high school early, she started chasing big dreams but becoming a mom before graduation was never part of the plan. What followed was the season of isolation, quitting a passion she loved dearly, losing her father's support, & questioning...

At 17, Kari found herself unexpectedly pregnant, abandoned by friends, & navigating life on her own.  Even after earning her GED and beginning her college journey at The University of Alabama, she felt she was in a vulnerable search for love & stability. She married a man who would later be revealed as a predator, someone who is still at large today. Despite that trauma, she completed her...