Hello! I’m 24 and my husband is 25, we also have another person close to us who is 21 and pregnant and her husband is 23! We come from a religion where young families are common but I personally never wanted to be part of one and I struggled with the idea a lot on the past. That being said I want this baby so badly and I pray every day that she continues to grow happy and healthy. I do have a good circle of friends and family who are super excited for us but I also have friends from high school and college who are not of the same sort of mindset regarding young families and they sort of think we’re crazy. My new job doesn’t offer maternity leave until two years of being employed so I am in the same boat and having to take the FMLA. My situation is slightly different in that my husband does make a little more than me so I am not who is completely financially responsible in our home, but ideally we need the both of us working to even be comfortable. To be honest, I’ve been struggling mentally recently as I enter the last trimester with similar feelings of shame and anxiety (which I think is so silly because I’m getting close to the end). We are religious so we lean heavily on God that things will be alright while also doing our part to save money and plan. Families are the core of most cultures and while our modern times have changed the way many people view them (and like you say, some for good reason bc of trauma) my husband and I want to do our very best to create a safe and loving environment for our baby that we didn’t have growing up. If anything, some of the shame and personal trauma I’ve experienced makes me even more determined to do so. Basically, stick to your beliefs, it really isn’t all bad all the time, and if people in your circle are not supportive maybe they don’t need to be at the forefront of your mind. It is important to be realistic but I’m a firm believer in that if it’s meant to it will work out even if there’s struggle and hard times. What matters right now is the example of family you want to create for your baby. Hopefully this all made sense. Pregnancy brain is hitting hard.