The first season of 16 and Pregnant aired in 2009, and it's been more than a decade since the world got to know Maci, Catelynn, Farrah, and Amber (and years later, Mackenzie) on Teen Mom — and then Kailyn, Jenelle, Leah, and Chelsea on Teen Mom 2. After watching these women's journeys through motherhood at a young age (and often without the help of a partner), it's hard not to feel connected to them and their babies, who now happen to be pretty big kids.
Through marriages, divorces, first days of school, and figuring out who they're meant to be in their lives and as mothers, these ladies have given us an inside and often deeply personal look at their lives. And knowing how things turned out for them so far, it's wild to think back to where they started.
But more than anything, it's even better to see how much their kids have grown. After all, the oldest kids of Teen Mom OG are now 12 years old, and Teen Mom 2's group are now 11 — whoa!
Here's how the kids of Teen Mom have changed over the years. We blinked, and suddenly, they're all grown up — and so are their moms.
Catelynn Baltierra & Carly
When we met Catelynn and Tyler Baltierra on 16 & Pregnant, they made the tough decision to place their baby, Carly, for open adoption. Today, Carly is 12, and though Catelynn and Tyler still keep in contact with her parents, they do try to keep her off of social media so she can maintain her privacy.
Catelynn & Tyler's Kids Today
Catelynn and Tyler stayed together through it all — even though it wasn't always easy, as we learned on Teen Mom OG. They're still married, and they're parents to two adorable little girls, Nova, 6, and Vaeda, 2. And in February 2021, Catelynn shared that she and Tyler are expecting their third child.
Maci Bookout & Bentley
When Maci Bookout was a teenager, she gave birth to her first child, a baby boy named Bentley, with her then-boyfriend, Ryan Edwards. A lot has changed for both Maci and Ryan since then, though — and as far as Maci's concerned, it certainly seems to be for the better.
Maci's Family Now
Now that Bentley is 12 (and his mom is 29!), he's a big brother to two younger siblings: Jayde, 6, and Maverick, 5, who Maci welcomed with husband Taylor McKinney. Bentley's dad, Ryan, is married to Mackenzie Edwards, and together, they have two children, a son named Jagger and a daughter named Stella.
Amber Portwood & Leah
Amber Portwood and her boyfriend, Gary Shirley, became parents to baby Leah in their episode of 16 & Pregnant, and there have been a lot of ups and downs between them since then — as well as in Amber's personal life. Today, they're still on pretty good terms, though, as Gary has custody of Leah most of the time.
Amber & Leah Today
Now that Leah is 12, she's grown up so much! Though she lives full-time with Gary and his wife, Kristina (who have another daughter, Emilee), Leah is also a big sister to James, who Amber had with former boyfriend Andrew Glennon, who seems to have primary custody of him — for now, at least.
Farrah Abraham & Sophia
Farrah Abraham had a tough start when she had Sophia: Her boyfriend (and Sophia's father) Derek Underwood died before Sophia was born. But since then, Farrah has made her way in the world as a single mom — and probably also as the most controversial mom in Teen Mom history.
Farrah & Sophia Today
Though Farrah was ultimately kicked off of Teen Mom OG, she still remains a presence on the internet through her social media, along with the videos and podcasts she records with Sophia. And since this is Farrah, of course she's got her hands in a multitude of other projects. Sophia remains her only child, though, and Farrah is still kicking it as a single mom.
Chelsea Houska & Aubree
Chelsea Houska was in a totally different place in her life when her daughter, Aubree, was born 2009. She was stuck in a toxic relationship with her boyfriend at the time, Adam Lind, and though it took a while to truly get him out of her system, it ended up being a positive thing.
Chelsea's Family Today
After Chelsea was finally able to move on from Adam for good, she fell in love with a true Prince Charming: Cole DeBoer, who is now her husband. They had three more children together — Watson, 4, Layne, 2, and Walker, who was born in early 2021. She's since ended her time on Teen Mom 2, but fans still keep up with her on Instagram.
Kailyn Lowry & Isaac
A lot has changed for Kailyn Lowry since we first met her on 16 & Pregnant. At the time, she was staying with her baby daddy, Jo, and his family as she adjusted to life as Isaac's mom before she moved into an apartment of her own, started dating, and began her college education.
Kailyn's Family Today
These days, Kail has one of the biggest Teen Mom families as the mom of four boys! Isaac is the oldest at 11, and Kailyn and her ex-husband added Lincoln (who is now 7) a few years later. Kailyn has since had two more children with ex-boyfriend Chris Lopez: Lux, who is 3, and Creed, who was born in 2020.
Jenelle Evans & Jace
Though Jenelle Evans was eventually kicked off Teen Mom 2, during her time on the show, fans watched her volatile relationship with her mom, Barbara, play out as she learned to be a single mom to her son, Jace. Ultimately, Barbara ended up with full custody of Jace, which she still holds today.
Jenelle's Family Today
Though Jenelle's marriage to David Eason has been an extremely controversial one, the two are still together (despite multiple breakups). Jenelle has two more kids these days — Kaiser (with ex Nathan Griffith), who is now 6, and a daughter, Ensley (with David), who is now 4.
Leah Messer & Addie, Ali, & Aleeah
Leah Messer had an even tougher than usual start to teen motherhood. Not only did she and then-boyfriend Corey Simms have twins together, but they soon found out that one of their daughters, Ali, has muscular dystrophy. They didn't stay together, but they have worked hard to coparent their girls through all the drama.
Leah's Family Today
Boy, have Leah's girls grown up! Ali and Aleeah (who often goes by Gracie) are now 11, and Leah's youngest daughter, Addie — who she welcomed with ex-husband Jeremy Calvert — is 8. These days, Leah is killing it as a single mom, and she and her daughters seem so happy.
Mackenzie Douthit & Gannon
Originally starring on Teen Mom 3 before making the switch to Teen Mom OG years later, fans watched a very young Mackenzie become a mom for the first time with boyfriend Josh McKee. They named their son Gannon, and since then, a lot has changed for Mackenzie and Josh.
Mackenzie's Family Today
After the death of her mom, who fought a long battle with cancer, the road has been tough for Mackenzie, and she and Josh almost split up several times. They're still together, though, and today they're parents of three children: Gannon, 9, Jaxie, 7, and Broncs, 4.
