Cheyenne was sixteen years old when she and her boyfriend Donye accidentally got pregnant. From getting kicked out of her house to being accused of promoting teen pregnancy, this is the young mom's road to motherhood.
This Is Cheyenne
Meet Cheyenne Pedrotti, a young woman from St. Louis, Missouri whose life completely changed when she accidentally got pregnant at the age of sixteen. But this story starts a couple of months before that.
It seemed that Cheyenne had a very bright future ahead: the then sixteen-year-old graduated high school a year and a half early, and with a high GPA. Pedrotti worked a full-time job and enrolled in college online, where she even paid her own tuition.
Meet Donye
But this story wouldn't be complete without this guy: Donye Peace. The fifteen-year-old high school student lived in the same St. Louis, Missouri area as Cheyenne, but they didn't always know each other. The young man had an average adolescence in many ways.
Donye had lots of friends, played sports, and went to school. But a tragedy in his past had probably pushed him to mature faster than his peers in some ways. Peace's father passed away in 2011 while his son was still very young. But Donye would soon find someone who made life brighter.
Meeting on Social Media
Donye and Cheyenne were both very social teens: they enjoyed hanging at friend's houses and going to parties. So with a few pals in common, it was probably only a matter of time until the pair met. But like with many modern-day love stories, their first interaction was on social media.
The two teens met online sometime in 2019. "We met through mutual friends mainly on Snapchat," Cheyenne shared. "We just randomly like added each other." Donye added, "I was like, 'Dude, she's hot." Little did they know what the future held for their romance.
Their Attraction Went Deeper
So Donye was into Cheyenne, and she seemed open to getting to know him. They started chatting often and sending pics to each other on Snapchat and it became clear that the two teens had pretty good chemistry - at least on social media. Would it translate to real life?
After some time limiting their communication to Snapchat, Cheyenne and Donye finally met in person. And the new friends' connection on the small screen definitely translated to real life. They started hanging out often, and it wasn't long before things got romantic.
She Made a Move
Donye knew he was attracted to Cheyenne. And after getting to know one another, the 16-year-old felt the same way about him. Luckily, she wasn't afraid to show it. Pedrotti made the first move one day while they were hanging out. "I remember the night you had kissed me for a TikTok," he recalled.
"I kissed him first while filming a TikTok," Cheyenne confirmed. That cemented them as a new couple. "We started hanging out alone like every day, and then he would spend the night a lot, and it just kind of went from there," she added. But things would soon take a drastic turn.
Something Unexpected Happened
The more they got to know each other, the more in love the teens fell. The connection between the two youngsters was undeniable. Not long after becoming a couple, Cheyenne and Donye were sleeping over at each other's places and took their relationship to the next level.
But one day, things didn't go as planned and the birth control didn't work. "But we didn't really do anything about that because we knew there was like a chance [to get pregnant] but then we also thought, like, 'We're fine,' you know, 'I'm not gonna get pregnant,'" said Cheyenne.
"It's Not Gonna Happen to Me"
The lovebugs felt confident nothing would come of the incident. "We thought we were being safe and all of it and I was like, 'Teen pregnancy, that's just something you see like on TV or in the movies, it's not gonna happen to me,'" Cheyenne admitted.
"You don't think about it that way until it actually happens to you," Pedrotti added. But still, the 16-year-old wanted to be sure. "I waited a week after the possible conception or whatever and I took a test. It was negative," Cheyenne shared. She took a bunch more just in case and they were all negative.
Cheyenne Was Pregnant
A few weeks after the last pregnancy test, Cheyenne decided to give it another go just to be absolutely sure. So, Pedrotti bought a pack of three pregnancy tests on her way home from work. And these showed a totally different result. "I ended up actually getting pregnant," Pedrotti said.
"I was 16 years old and I saw the positive pregnancy test," she recalled. "There was a million thoughts going through my head. I was like, 'Okay, what do I do? How do I go about this? How am I going to tell my mom? Like how is this going to work?'" There was a lot to figure out.
She Texted Donye
Cheyenne was alone when she saw the results and couldn't believe her eyes. A rush of questions continued filling the teenager's head. "Am I going to be able to keep the baby?" Pedrotti remembered thinking. "I was just overall like confused." And then she realized there was someone else who needed to know.
The 16-year-old didn't want to wait long before telling Donye the big news, so she sent him a text message. "I got the text and it was like a picture of the pregnancy test," Donye revealed. "I was more scared than anything cause like I was 15 and I was like this is crazy." What would they do?
Looking for Support
After telling Donye over text message, Cheyenne turned to the other person she could think of who would be supportive without judgment: her brother. But when the teen's sibling had a response that wasn't very helpful, Pedrotti called her aunt and asked for help.
"I call my aunt and I basically told her what happened and she told me I just need to go to the doctors and have them confirm the pregnancy and everything and she was trying to get me to calm down, too, and she was already asking me about like abortion or adoption," Cheyenne shared.
The First Doctor's Appointment
The teen girl was extremely overwhelmed. "I was like, 'I don't know I just found out like 30 minutes ago. Still freaking out,' Cheyenne remembered telling her aunt. "So she told me that whenever I wanted to go to the doctor she lives like an hour away from me so she said she would go with me so I didn't want to waste any time."
Not knowing what else to do, Cheyenne listened to her relative's advice. But she had to keep it a secret. "So the next day I told my mom I was going to work but I actually drove down to where my aunt lives and we made an appointment to go see the doctor that day," Pedrotti explained.
Telling Her Mom
The doctor confirmed what the three pregnancies already had: Cheyenne was definitely pregnant. The 16-year-old had to go into the appointment alone due to the pandemic and was still in shock over the whole situation when she returned to the car and told her aunt.
Once back home, Cheyenne knew that there was no avoiding the inevitable: she had to tell her mom. "I was terrified to tell my mom that I was pregnant," the teen recalled. "When my mom found out I was pregnant, she was very angry, which I didn't understand at the time." But Pedrotti never imagined what would happen next.
Should She Keep the Baby?
Cheyenne's mother was angry. But not only that - she also didn't think her daughter should keep the baby. "She wanted me to get an abortion," Pedrotti explained. The teenager's mom didn't want Cheyenne's future to be completely altered by the responsibilities of parenthood.
"At first I was like terrified. At first, I thought my life was ruined," Pedrotti recalled of how she felt after telling her mom. But at the same time, Cheyenne wasn't totally convinced by her mother's advice. "I don't understand why people think they have the right to tell girls what to do with their own child," she later said.
She Decided to Keep the Baby
Cheyenne was freaked out. In a matter of days, it felt like her whole world had completely changed. To make things worse, Pedrotti wasn't receiving the support she hoped for. The teen was only sixteen years old but there was one thing she knew for sure: keeping the baby was not up for debate.
"If I wanted to give my [child] up for adoption, I would give her up for adoption," Cheyenne expressed. "If I wanted to have an abortion, which I don't believe in that so I'm not gonna have an abortion," she added. But this decision had grave consequences.
Cheyenne Got Kicked Out
When Cheyenne decided once and for all she would be keeping and raising the baby, her mom kicked her out of the house. "She kicked me out so I had to go stay with my grandma," Pedrotti detailed. "In the moment, it felt like the end of the world. Like it was not okay."
But Cheyenne didn't change her mind. Although she hoped that her mother would have a change of heart. "After my mom kicked me out, I did feel like eventually she was gonna come around, it'd just take some time," Pedrotti said. But for now, the future seemed uncertain...
"You're Never Too Young to Have a Kid"
Cheyenne was surrounded by people who thought she was too young to have a child. But Pedrotti felt that keeping the baby was right for her. "You're never like too young to have a kid," the teenager said, despite what those around her might've been saying.
Cheyenne continued, "People say you're too young but like if you were capable of having the kid, if you're mature enough to go through with it, and actually be prepared, then I don't think you're too young as long as you love them and you can give them all that you can. Try and give them the best life."
Their Grandparents Were Supportive
Cheyenne's mom might've been so angry that she kicked her out of the house, but fortunately, the teen's grandmother felt differently. Pedrotti and her future baby moved into the grandma's house temporarily, and Donye also had some support from his family.
Cheyenne's grandma wasn't the only one there for the young couple. "My grandparents are like 100 percent supportive," Donye shared. "They're more supportive than like my actual family." Their help would come in handy once the baby was actually born. But a lot would happen before then.
Moving Back In
Cheyenne felt sad and confused having to move in with her grandmother. She was grateful for the hospitality, but hurt by what led to it. Yet the 16-year-old didn't budge: Pedrotti was still committed to keeping and raising the future child. And some good news eventually came around.
Cheyenne's predictions about her mom were correct: she eventually came around, just as the teen hoped. So Pedrotti was welcomed back into the family's home. "Once I moved back in, she [my mom] supported me and helped me," Cheyenne explained. But while one relationship mended, others broke.
Losing Friends
Cheyenne was happy and felt more positive after moving back into her childhood home. But despite the familiar surroundings, some things were undeniably changing. One of them being the teenager's previously very active social life; things just weren't the same with her friends.
"I've had to cut off many friends. Some of them still were supportive but they wanted to party and drink and do all this stuff and, like, I couldn't go do that," Pedrotti explained. "I think some people didn't understand that and didn't understand like the responsibility I took on to be a mom."
Moving Into Their Own Place
Things in Cheyenne and Donye's life were changing everyday. While their friends partied and did what many adolescents do, these two prepared to welcome a child together. And while Pedrotti was ecstatic to be welcomed back into her childhood home, living there wasn't the long-term plan.
The young couple wanted to move into a place of their own before the baby was born. And with the help of some supportive friends and family, and Cheyenne's full-time job, Donye and Cheyenne made it happen. It might've been quick, but it felt right to start a family in a home created by them.
Getting Ready
The couple was all moved into their new home and the days passed by in the blink of an eye. There was so much going on and so much to prepare: Cheyenne and Donye bought diapers, clothes, booties, and got everything ready for their baby girl who they decided to name Avielle.
"I cannot believe I'm already 32 weeks," Cheyenne wrote on a post dedicated to Avielle. "I'm going to miss feeling your hiccups, you squirming around & our little first bumps but I'm so excited to hear your laughs and finally hold you. Mommy & daddy love you so much." The big day was getting closer and closer.
The Baby's Nursery
Cheyenne wanted nothing but the best for her baby girl. So the young mom put a lot of thought and effort into decorating the newborn's nursery in Pedrotti and Donye's new home. The young couple had a beautiful apartment with a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and nursery.
In anticipation of the big day, Cheyenne and Donye put together the nursery room's crib, dresser, rocking chair and more. The young mom also bought adorable decorations for the walls and a gorgeous mobile for Avielle to stare at while inside her crib. And in the meantime, Pedrotti had another big project...
A YouTube Channel
Cheyenne knew that she was living a unique life different from many people her age. After all, while the couple's friends partied, they prepared to welcome a child together. And this made the 16-year-old popular on social media. "I was told on TikTok to start a YouTube channel," Pedrotti shared.
Cheyenne continued, "I've actually been wanting to start one for years but I just never have." And so, with the encouragement of TikTok fans, she began recording the future parents' adventures, from house decor to shopping. And then their lives really changed forever...
The Big Day
Finally, months after being shocked by the unexpected pregnancy, the big day arrived. Cheyenne and Donye officially became mom and dad on December 9th, 2020 when Avielle Legacy Peace was born just after nine in the morning. The young parents were over the moon with the arrival of their gorgeous baby girl.
Fortunately, the now 17-year-old parent had support from those most important to her, including mom. "During labor, she [my mom] was the one person with me," Cheyenne revealed. "Looking back at it, I do understand where my mom was coming from... Now I understand, like, she was just looking out for me." But the real work was just beginning.
The Reunion
Becoming a mom was everything Cheyenne expected and more; the teen parents absolutely adored their newborn. But there was one thing about their old life that Pedrotti missed: her close friends. So not long after Avielle's birth, the old pals had a reunion to meet the baby.
"I stopped talking to them mid-pregnancy," Cheyenne explained. "They kind of just wanted to do normal teenage things, which I get. I'm pretty nervous to see them again. A part of me is nervous they're not even gonna show up." But the friends did come. And things didn't go as planned.
What Did Her Friends Think?
Things felt a bit uncomfortable for the young mother when she reunited with her friends. "I don't know exactly how they feel about me being a teen mom," Cheyenne said. "They were some of my closest friends and them not checking on me [during the pregnancy], it really like is kind of upsetting."
Yet strangely enough, her friends didn't seem to think anything was different. "But I feel like the friendship has not changed at all," Cheyenne's old BFF expressed. "We just obviously don't hang out as much because she has a baby, which is understandable," another pal added. And they weren't the only ones with opinions...
Online Haters
Cheyenne enjoyed sharing her teen motherhood journey online, both through TikTok and YouTube. But others weren't so welcoming of the young woman's story, and Pedrotti received plenty of hate from social media users. "Use protection," some commented. "That is illegal," said someone else.
"The guy will be the dad but he won't be there anymore," others said of Donye. And it wasn't just fellow teens who shared their negative thoughts. "So freaking sad, parents must be proud," one adult user sarcastically commented. What would the online hate do to the young parents' confidence?
Proving the Haters Wrong
What did Cheyenne have to say in response to the online trolls? "I'm happy, whatever," the 17-year-old said. And that wasn't all: "If you don't like what I post then why are you watching my videos?" Pedrotti questioned the haters. But they weren't going away anytime soon.
So all Donye and Cheyenne could do was continue living their lives as teen parents proudly and unapologetically. And, fortunately, things between them were working out. "I think our relationship works because, at the end of the day, we both know that we have stuff to get done," the young dad explained. So would they do it again?
"We're Not Promoting Teen Pregnancies"
Because Cheyenne and Donye painted their life as teen parents in a positive light, some online viewers accused the couple of "promoting" teen pregnancies. Yet despite the couple's happiness with their new life and daughter, they said that that wasn't at all what the intention behind the vlogging.
"We're in no way promoting like teen pregnancies or anything," Cheyenne explained. "But if it does happen, then I don't think it matters what age you are; I think it's the capability. It's really nobody else's like business how you live your life. It's you and your family, your child."
They Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
Their road to parenthood wasn't easy. From Cheyenne getting kicked out of her house to losing friends and being accused of promoting teen pregnancy, the new parents faced plenty of obstacles. But they saw the cup half full. "I just find it rewarding to like prove people wrong," Pedrotti said.
"Even though I've lost some friends and family along the way, like, I still have Donye and I still have Avielle, and, like, you literally cannot be upset or mad around a baby. Look at her," Cheyenne gushed about her beautiful daughter. Want to follow the family's adventures? Find them on the Gram @avielleswrld or on YouTube at Cheyenne Pedrotti.