It seems all the talk lately is “Did you watch ‘Teen Mom’ last night?” or “Do you like the new girl on‘16 and Pregnant’?”

With all the sensationalism over teen pregnancy, why do people keep asking how more and more teens are getting pregnant? Looking at the little outfits or shoes they wear may be adorable, but the reality is that’s not everything that comes with having a baby.

According to health instructor Jill Blurton, three out of 10 girls in the United States get pregnant before the age of 20. The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rates of any industrialized nation in the world. Babies of teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely and at a low birth weight. Daughters of young teen mothers are three times more likely to become teen mother’s themselves.

“I have seen more teenage pregnant freshman in the past three years than I’ve seen in the previous 22,” Blurton said. “I think the media and society has made casual sex so okay and acceptable that there’s just very little to convince kids not to be sexually active at age 12 or 14. Even though the teen pregnancy rate may have gone down some over the past 10 years and condom use has increased, the STD rate has gone through the roof.”

To try and get a better idea of what life is like on a daily basis being a teenage mom, sophomore Sierra Smith gave some feedback.

When Smith first found out she was pregnant, she said she cried for two days. After that though, she decided crying wouldn’t help.

“I just decided to man up and just be strong about it,” Smith said.

She said she was tired all the time. Being uncomfortable and achy was a common thing to her. Smith said after people found out she was pregnant, they really didn’t treat her any differently.

Smith gave birth to Logan Jaime Carrillo Smith at 5:12 a.m. on March 21.

“Afterward everything was crazy,” Smith said. “School was hard. I was tired and exhausted, but so happy at the same time.”

Smith said that she and Logan’s father, Jorge Carrillo, started having difficulties getting along.

“He started to try to have Logan,” Smith said. “Since we weren’t together, it made it kind of hard. But we’ve gotten past it.”

Smith and Carrillo are still separated, but Smith says they understand they have to share and equally take care of Logan.

Smith said although she really doesn’t have to take a lot of toys for Logan when they go out, it’s still hard.

“Sometimes Logan throws fits and won’t let me get ready,” Smith said. “Or he’ll spit up on what I put on him and I have to change him again.”

Going out on the weekends is something Smith is able to do for now, she said, since she and Carrillo share custody. This means she will have Logan for a weekend, and then Carrillo will have him for the next weekend.

Throughout the week Smith has Logan. While she is at school though, her mom takes care of him until noon, when Carrillo picks him up. After school, Smith goes to pick Logan up and has him for the rest of the evening.

When it comes to homework, she usually does it before school or during seminar. Smith said she doesn’t really have time for that after school.

After about six months of living as a teenage mom, Smith said the difficulties are usually being tired and not being able to be on time.

When it comes to being a mother, Smith loves Logan and is happy she has him. She knows it’s not an ideal situation, but it happened and she said she’s matured because of it.

Smith has some advice for those thinking having a baby would be something they want.

“Be smart,” Smith said. “Use your head.”