Eighteen-year-old Shelby from Springfield, Illinois, found herself in a predicament when she found out she was pregnant by her on and off again boyfriend – who was also expecting a baby with his current girlfriend.
She had hooked up with her ex, AJ, after he and his current girlfriend had a fight.
After initially agreeing to be on the show, AJ backed out last minute. AJ’s other baby was born six months before Shelby’s baby, Alaya. Shelby knew that his current girlfriend put limitations on their communication as well, so getting ahold of him for anything was hard.
Shelby stated that she used to be angry and negative but has become numb from being pushed too far. She didn’t want any drama and said she always manages to push through obstacles. She is trying to stay positive and take his lack of communication as his loss.
She has no desire to have a relationship with him, but she does want him to have a strong relationship with his daughter. With that said, he blocked her number before the baby was born and only communicated with Shelby through his mom.
She made realizations as time went on about how he is not responsible or loyal and she does not want him in and out of her life.
Eventually she reached out to AJ’s girlfriend so that they could communicate and be cool for the sake of the situation, but nothing came out of it.
Shelby’s tumultuous background
Shelby was popular in high school but dropped out after she prioritized bad relationships with boys over her education.
She said that she was on the birth control patch when she got pregnant but that it would sometimes come off in the bath, and she would just put it back on.
She did not consider abortion, and AJ’s mom, April, said if she put the baby up for adoption that she would adopt her, so Shelby did not want to seem like a deadbeat mom.
Her resolve about not wanting any relationship with AJ comes from her dislike of his lies and drama.
In the past, she expressed that she struggled with anxiety and depression but cares more about herself now and doesn’t let negative things get to her.
Shelby is very close to AJ’s mom and sister, and they have a great relationship with open communication. She is also very close with her mother and stepfather, although her mom and her butt heads sometimes.
How will everyone get along going forward?
By the time the 16 & Pregnant episode ended, AJ had only seen his daughter once and was not communicating with Shelby despite her efforts to reach out for her daughters’ sake.
He did not ask anything about how Shelby’s labor went and did not reach out himself to meet his daughter.
When he finally met up with Shelby to meet the baby at his mom’s house, he did not appear on camera, but Shelby said he awkwardly shook her hand when she arrived. Shelby did not stay for the visit because she did not want to be around him.
While Shelby feels like he is choosing his other baby, she is on the fence about just cutting him off from seeing Alaya completely because she wants consistency for the baby.
Whether Shelby’s baby daddy is in the picture or not, she clarifies that she has a solid support system in her family and best friend and AJ’s mother and sister.
16 & Pregnant airs on Tuesdays at 9/8c on MTV.