![teen mom star amber portwood](https://www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-portwood-teen-mom.jpg)
Amber Portwood made her reality television debut starring on MTV’s hit show 16 and Pregnant in 2009.
When fans first met her, Amber was preparing for the birth of her first child, which she would share with her then-boyfriend Gary Shirley. She gave birth to their daughter Leah Leann Shirley in November of 2008.
Her time with the reality franchise was intense and included issues with domestic violence between herself and Gary.
Although the pair were briefly engaged, they split in 2011.
After her episode on 16 and Pregnant, Amber transitioned into the first season of the massive MTV hit Teen Mom. The show further chronicled the lives of the couples featured in the various episodes of 16 and Pregnant.
As fans know, the show moved on with a new cast for their follow up series Teen Mom 2. However, the network opted to bring familiar faces back, including Amber, with Teen Mom OG.
In the latest season of Teen Mom OG, Amber asked her boyfriend, Dimitri, to take a lie detector test since she has such terrible trust issues.
![Teen Mom OG's Amber Portwood and boyfriend Dimitri](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-portwood-dmitri.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
In 2019, Amber sat down with Dr. Drew for the Teen Mom OG reunion. During her segment, Amber discussed her ongoing legal battle after an alleged altercation with her boyfriend, Andrew.
![Teen Mom OG star Amber Portwood sits down with Dr. Drew for the reunion](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-portwood-dr-drew.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
In 2019, Amber was arrested in Indiana after an alleged altercation with her boyfriend, Andrew, while her infant son, James, was home as well.
![Amber's mugshot following her arrest during the Teen Mom OG season](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Amber-portwood-mugshot.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
Amber decided to take a step back from social media and allowed someone in her life to start running her Instagram. In her last personal post, Amber shared a snap of her and her daughter, Leah.
View this post on Instagram
Amber took to her Instagram to share this sweet throwback shortly after giving birth to her son James.
View this post on Instagram
Amber gets back in the ring and back into her fitness shortly after James’ birth.
![amber gets back to shape shortly after James' birth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-back-in-shape.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
Amber tells her friend that the negativity of social media is getting to her during an episode of Teen Mom OG.
![Amber tells her friend that social media negativity is too much for her.](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-over-the-negativity.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
During Season 8, Amber gave birth to her second child, baby James, nearly a decade after Leah’s birth.
![Teen Mom OG star, Amber Portwood's daughter Leah meets her baby brother James for the first time.](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-portwood-baby-james.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
During a therapy session, Amber’s therapist tells her that the issues she’s experiencing after learning that her daughter Leah has anxiety have more to do with her Borderline Personality Disorder than her Bipolar Disorder.
![Amber and Andrew attend therapy](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-andrew-therapy.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
Amber shocked the MTV production team when she revealed that she was expecting her second child with her new boyfriend, Andrew.
![amber reveals pregnancy to MTV production team](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-pregnant.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
Always a lover of fashion, Amber seized the opportunity to attend the MTV Video Awards.
View this post on Instagram
Amber had another boyfriend, Matt, take a lie detector test after rumors he had been unfaithful in Season 6. It turns out, he was.
![Teen Mom OG star Amber Portwood sits with former boyfriend Matt as she finds out the results of his lie detector test.](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-portwood-matt.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
Amber started her own online store called Forever Haute in 2017. Many of her Instagram posts include her wearing the products sold.
View this post on Instagram
For her 26th birthday, Amber was surprised with a party with her family and friends in attendance. During the party, she gave a speech thanking her friend, Nicole, who was her cellmate for the year and a half she was in prison.
![Amber's family and friends threw her a surprise 26th birthday party.](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-26-bday.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
Many of Amber’s posts to Instagram include Leah. Amber says she wants Leah to remember the little memories.
View this post on Instagram
Amber bonded with her Teen Mom costars, Maci Bookout and Catelynn Baltierra, and called themselves the “3Stooges”.
View this post on Instagram
After her stint in prison, Amber was featured on the Dr. Phil show to try and work out her anger issues.
![amber on an episode of dr. phil](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-portwood-dr-phil.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
In 2010, Amber and Gary attempted to rebuild their relationship and got engaged…again. Of course, it didn’t take long for things to fall apart again.
![amber and gary get engaged](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-gary-proposal.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
During an awkward family cookout with Gary’s family, Amber received a call from her brother, Shawn, who was currently deployed overseas. Amber got emotional because she had been having a rough time preparing for the birth of little Leah.
![Amber talking to her brother during cookout](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-talking-to-brother.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
The first time viewers met Amber, she was pregnant with Leah. While her and Gary argued about many things, one of the first fights fans witnessed was after Amber had revealed to her family that Gary had purchased a play station.
![Amber and Gary fight on 16 and Pregnant.](https://i0.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/amber-gary-16-and-pregnant.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&quality=20&ssl=1)
All episodes of Teen Mom are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
The link above is an affiliate link. This means that for any qualifying purchase you make, we may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.