My name is Denise, and I just turned 22 in June. My child is due in late November/early December. Since the moment I found out I was pregnant, I have been 100% alone. He was controlling, posessive and borderline physically aggressive. The last time we had ***, he told me that he hoped I would get pregnant. I countered his statement a few weeks later, when I realised it might actually be a possibility, and he immediately started backtracking. Since that day, I decided, given the nature of our relationship, and each other's tempers, it would be best not to have him in my life, or my child's life. Despite my fears, I gave him chance after chance to be actively involved. Being who he is, he made excuses, avoided me, and then told anyone who was aware of the "problem" as he called it, that I was not allowing him to be around. I got tired of the games, the back stabbing, and cut off all communication with him.

Being as how I chose not to allow him in my child's life, I've also decided not to seek child support. I've been criticized for my decisions, told I was wrong for not wanting to tell my child of his/her father (because it's an ugly truth... even the story of conception,) and that one day I would regret all of this. In the end though, I believe it is up to an individual to do what he or she feels is best, and that's what I'm trying to do.

Being as how I am single through my pregnancy, I've been looking for other single parents to communicate with, and bounce ideas off of. So I look forward to getting to know all of you other moms to be :-)

Also ladies, we can never hear this enough, but hold your head high! It's a rocky road we travel, but I've been told in the end, it's always worth it!

~Denise

Well, you gotta do what you gotta do. It's your perogative to not go after child support. I, too, am in Arizona and alone and pregnant though Sydney's father and I do communicate on occasion (he's stationed in japan).

One thing I found out about AZ (and i thought this law was very beneficial to mother's whose baby's fathers are abusive and shouldn't be around...) that if you marry anytime within the 10 months of your pregnancy or as soon as you give birth THAT GUY (your new husband) is considered the father. If the biological father wants a DNA test and visitation and things, he would then have to ask PERMISSION of your husband. Interesting law don't you think? heh but it could work to a female's advantage if the biological father is abusive and such.

I also work a full-time job and am scared to death of raising her alone but I trust in myself that I CAN do this...if I couldn't I believe God wouldn't have made this happen.

Hi, nice to meet you!

That is actually a really interesting law. Thanks for sharing it. I haven't told the biological father that I'm in AZ.

The way I look at it, someone bigger than me decided that this was my time, that I was capable of doing this, and who am I to mess with that? I'm a big believer in fate and destiny and pre-determination, and I feel this is just part of mine!

Do you mind me asking what part of AZ you're in?

Hi Denise, and

Hey Don, thanks