She found out she was pregnant five weeks after her wedding and quickly learned to navigate adulthood, motherhood and marriage all at once.

Karsen Bliss’ plans for motherhood started much earlier than she had intended.

She was 19 years old, transitioning into a season of adulthood and marriage. All seemed to be going as planned until she found out she was pregnant five weeks after her wedding.

“It was unplanned. I was a teen mom, but I was married. So it was an interesting situation. It was a lot,” Karsen recalls. “I just remember being like, I just got out being a kid. I just got married, and I didn’t really want a baby at that time.”

Karsen and her husband, Jake, were renting a 400-square-foot home. Jake was working while pursuing his college education. They weren’t sure how they were going to prepare for a baby with their living situation and tight finances.

Despite those concerns, they both understood there was a little human being that needed to be cared for and loved. Choosing life was the only right choice for them, considering their pro-life values as Mormons.

Even though she was already married, Karsen felt too young to be having a child to care for. Growing up with five younger siblings showed her how difficult it can be to raise children. She was worried if she had the ability to care for her own child.

“It was so scary in the beginning, and it was just a lot. I’m just a kid, and I wanted to live my 20s a little bit,” Karsen says.

Karsen’s ultrasound photo at 20 weeks.

Experiencing all the physical changes in her body, on top of the nausea and vomiting, made the pregnancy journey much more challenging. Karsen was also doing daily mental gymnastics — she was learning to acknowledge there was an actual baby growing inside her womb. However, seeing her baby during her ultrasound appointments helped Karsen accept the unplanned circumstance she was facing and work toward transitioning into a new season in her life. 

Karsen attributes her husband’s calm demeanor as one of the main factors that helped her during that chaotic period. Her husband stayed calm as they learned to be a newlywed couple while preparing for a baby and managing their finances.

“We just had to figure it out all at once,” Karsen says.

MOTHERHOOD IS LIFE-CHANGING

Karsen and Jake holding their son, Hunter, who was born at home and weighed 8 lb 8 oz.

Karsen’s unplanned pregnancy made her rethink what she actually wanted to do with her education and career. Due to the difficulties she had with breastfeeding, Karsen is interested in pursuing lactation consultancy to help other moms.

Additionally, Karsen has a small business called Meadow Pond Creations. She handmakes jewelry, miniatures, hair clips and other custom items from polymer clay. Her products are sold at in-person markets and through Etsy. She also showcases her products on Instagram.

“Motherhood helped me pursue things that I would have never thought of doing,” Karsen says.

Karsen is now 24 years old with a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. Looking back, she can attest that parenthood motivated her and her husband to be better and do better.

“It has pushed us to work harder, and that we can get through things that are really hard like financially, mentally, physically,” Karsen says. “I feel like I’ve been able to mentally switch to being an adult, being older and really mature very fast.”

Facing an unplanned pregnancy as a newlywed couple was challenging, but it didn’t stop Karsen and Jake from living a thriving and beautiful life. They still go on trips and make time to do fun things, even with the responsibilities of parenthood.

“Children are like the best thing ever. They’re so sweet, and they’re so worth it. It’s something you’ve made. They deserve to be here, but you can still do stuff when you have kids,” Karsen says. “Don’t let them stop you, but they keep you going. They keep you progressing … It’s not a damper on your life. It makes it so much better, and they just make you grow more than you would have ever thought of.”