Steven, I was on Medicaid (Texas) through my first pregnancy. they count the unborn child as a member of the family, so we were a fam of 3 making under X-amount a year. (I don’t remember the guidelines.) I was (and am) married, living w/ my husband, and I was 21 at the time of application to medicaid (22 at time of birth).
A coworker was 19 years old and covered by medicaid even though she lived w/ her mom. The girl had her own job and that was the income they looked at.
Google your state, Medicaid income limits, Medicaid guidelines, stuff like that.
I further the advice to stay in school. Both for yourself and for your child. What has been said bears repeating. The time spent in school would otherwise be spent working, and ultimately you’ll have a better job in the long run by remaining in school. This will both let you spend more time with the kid and provide a more comfortable life for it.
You sound like you are going to be a good dad since you are already so concerned about making the right choices. Make sure you go with her to the first ultrasound. We had our first one around 14 weeks and we saw a little baby about one inch long, perfectly formed right down to his fingers and toes, thrashing his little legs around.
I hope you decide to stick around even through the rough times and that you don’t miss out on fatherhood. Your baby needs his mom and his dad. As for your baby’s mother, she may not be your girlfriend but she is the mother of your child and will need a lot of help in the coming years (trust me, I have a three week old and it is hard work. I don’t know how I would do it without all the help from my husband). Good luck!
What is there to consider ???
MAN UP !
Take care of your business !
I was seventeen when my son was born …talk about roughing it !!!
But , I was man enough to make him and I am man enough to take care of him.
After graduating high school I worked full time and went to a jc part time.
My wife and I rotated schedules so that one of us was always there for the little one.
Finish school and get a job…time to pay the piper!
If you feel like staying with the girl, than do so! Don’t do it on the childs account though! If you end up marrying this girl and then end up regretting and hating her…it will rub off on your kid. Kids pick up on these things! However…don’t run! Running would be the biggest pussy move on earth! You knew the consiquences when you got er done!
I’d love to hear what you say in about a year and a half from now! My guess…your nervous as hell right now…UNDERSTANDABLE! However, when your child is born, his/her pictures will be plastered all over the fridge and you wouldn’t change a thing! That’s my guess! Your gonna have to grow up fast…know that now! Finish up school! You said your a junior…at this point school flies by! Get done with school fast and get a job. Marry the girl if you feel it will work! That’s all I have!
Oh yeah…Congrats on having a child. Your going to end up being very rewarded about being a Dad…unless you pussy out!