What MTV's Teen Moms Look Like Now
It's been thirteen years since the premiere of the 2009 MTV hit reality series, "Teen Mom," a spinoff of "16 and Pregnant." These moms have been on television since they were teens and are now in their 30s and raising teenagers of their own. With the airing of "Teen Mom: Family Reunion" and the new MTV series "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter," we're wondering what these teen reality stars have been up to and which teen mom alumni we're going to be seeing again on our TV screens. We've watched these teens grow as parents and into adults. We're invested in the lives of their kids, romantic journeys, and the growth of their careers.
Some of the "Teen Mom" alumni continue their careers as influencers posting content on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to keep their fans updated on their lives. Other "Teen Mom" alumni are entrepreneurs and use their reality TV fame to boost their businesses and careers, whether they own a gym, sell real estate, or are authors promoting their most recently published memoir. Many "Teen Mom" alumni's lives have only somehow become more complicated as their families are expanding. If you haven't been keeping track of the girls from "Teen Mom," allow us to catch you up.
Farrah Abraham
Since the premiere of "16 and Pregnant," Farrah Abraham has continued her presence in reality TV, starring in shows like "Couples Therapy," "Marriage Boot Camp," and "Celebrity Big Brother." Shortly after her rise to fame, in 2012, Abraham wrote a New York Times best-seller, "My Teenage Dream Ended" (per People). Unfortunately, the "Teen Mom OG" alumna has had some personal and legal struggles. Recently, People wrote that Abraham went to a 28-day program at a trauma center in Austin Texas to process her emotions surrounding a sexual assault. She was also assaulted in 2010, according to Us Weekly, by her mother who was arrested after allegedly grabbing Farrah Abraham by the throat during an argument concerning her daughter Sophia.
Farrah Abraham and Sophia are a mother-daughter duo that you can find on TikTok doing the Burrito challenge or going "grunge" for Sophia's thirteenth birthday on Instagram. However, people have criticized Abraham for her "cool mom" attitude. Most notably she's been criticized for giving her daughter too much access to social media, which could put her daughter at risk of meeting strangers with bad intentions. A critic on Reddit accused Abraham of "selling DMs with Sophia since she was like 7. The sad reality is that Farrah is grooming her daughter publicly." However, Abraham seems to view her relationship with her daughter as a supportive and protective one. Her daughter recently started dating, and while Abraham approves of the relationship, she has her eye on the boy. Abraham told In Touch Weekly, "He's a good boy or I'll make him that, either way."
Maci Bookout McKinney
Maci Bookout McKinney's reality TV career began with "16 and pregnant" and then later continued with "Teen Mom OG". Currently, she lives in Tennessee with her husband Taylor McKinney where she raises her three kids: six-year-old daughter Maverick, seven-year-old daughter Jayde, and her son Bentley, who has entered the beginning of his own teen years at 13. Bookout shares her daughters with her husband Taylor and her son with ex-fiancé Ryan Edwards (via Page Six).
Ryan Edwards has been an absent parent in Bentley's life. Maci Bookout McKinney told Page Six that she was relieved Edwards was fired from the show in 2021 and won't be joining the cast of "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter." She described the difficulties working with her ex on the show: "We're constantly having to talk about each other when we don't even talk to each other." She leaves the door open for Edwards, but told E! News that she isn't hopeful he will enter her son's life — and they aren't waiting around for him.
Maci Bookout McKinley's success includes publishing two books, "Bulletproof" and "I Wasn't Born Bulletproof: Lessons I've Learned (So You Don't Have To)." She also created a clothing brand with her husband called Things That Matter. She's very proud of her son as he navigates the world of middle school. Bookout told E! News that she tries to keep her son's life as private as he wants by discussing with the network what Bentley does or doesn't want on the show.
Catelynn Lowell Baltierra
According to People, Catelynn Lowell, star of "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom OG" was the only cast member to give up her child for adoption. Lowell grew up in a trailer park, along with then-boyfriend Tyler Baltierra. Fame 10 chronicles the couple's struggles with juvenile court, alcohol, drugs, addicted parents, and molestation. When Lowell discovered she was pregnant the decision to adopt quickly became the clear choice. The couple's 2015 book, "Conquering Chaos," details their lives both together and apart.
According to People, Lowell and Baltierra first got together when they were in the seventh grade at the age of twelve. Five years later after daughter Carly was born, Baltierra proposed to Lowell, but the engagement didn't last. In 2014 during the MTV feature, "Being Lowell" Baltierra proposed again giving Lowell a ring with a special diamond to celebrate their soon-to-be baby girl, Novalee Reign who was born in 2015. In 2019, their daughter Vaeda Luma was born, and in 2021 they had their fourth daughter Rya, named after "Rya The Last Dragon" (via People).
After Lowell gave birth to Nova she suffered from postpartum depression and was in and out of treatment. Her mental health struggles were also triggered by two miscarriages. During her last pregnancy she nicknamed Rya her "rainbow baby." "This baby is our rainbow after the storm," she told Us Weekly. Through many tragedies, crises, and hardships the couple has always found their way back to each other.
Amber Portwood
Amber Portwood of "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom OG" was recently diagnosed with bipolar and borderline personality disorder, among other mental health conditions. According to Page Six, her "Teen Mom" cast mates lend Portwood encouraging words of support as she tries to turn her life around after two arrests for battery and assault. Amber Portwood is a mother of two: her thirteen-year-old daughter Leah whom she shares with her ex-fiancé Gary Shirley, and her three-year-old son James, whom she shares with her ex-boyfriend Andrew Glennon. Glennon was allegedly physically abused by Portwood when she threatened him with a machete. They both also have primary physical custody over her children but it's important to Portwood that she sees them as frequently as possible.
During the "Teen Mom Reunion" Portwood opened up about her struggling relationship with her daughter during a session with life coach Bryant. Portwood expressed, "Sometimes I don't feel like I am a mom ... I wasn't there for my daughter when she needed me and I was an addict and in jail for fighting." When asked about Portwood's efforts to become a good mom, she spoke about taking anger management classes. During the course of the 2022 series, Portwood and Leah's relationship showed significant improvement. Portwood even attended Leah's 13th birthday party, where Leah decided it was time to work on healing her relationship with her mother. E! News recounts Portwood saying, "We're working on our relationship and I'm being patient."
Cheyenne Floyd
Cheyenne Floyd is the only "Teen Mom" cast member who didn't actually have a kid as a teen. Floyd was in her twenties when she appeared on "Teen Mom." Fans of the show speculate the choice to cast her on a "Teen Mom" Reddit forum. Someone suggested she was cast to be the "token minority," and another person noted that she was on MTV's "The Challenge," where she met her baby daddy Cory Wharton and "... ended up getting pregnant so they stuck her on 'Teen Mom.'"
According to Hollywood Life, Cheyenne Floyd is a mother of two: her five-year-old daughter Ryder, whom she shares with Cory Wharton, and one-year-old son Ace, whom she shares with her now-husband Zach Davis. During the premiere of "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter," Floyd said that the family's car was shot thirteen times while they were on their way to a doctor's appointment. By a "miracle," no one in Floyd's family was physically hurt (via People).
On a happier note, Cheyenne Floyd and Zach Davis became husband and wife on September 29, 2022 in Pasadena, California. According to People, Davis proposed to Floyd during her baby shower, a month before they had their son, Ace. Their wedding was over-the-top, according to The Sun, with a guest list that included "Teen Mom" celebs Kiaya Elliott, Catelynn Lowell, Tyler Baltierra, Maci Bookout, Taylor McKinney, Jade Cline and Sean Austin.
Bristol Palin
Bristol Palin, daughter of the current candidate for the house of representatives Sarah Palin, appeared in "Teen Mom OG" from 2018 to 2019. Her IMDb credits also include "Dancing with the Stars," LifeTime's 2012 "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp," and guest-starring in "The Secret Life of an American Teenager" in 2010. In 2011, she released her memoir, "Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far." According to The Sun, Palin quit reality TV to become a realtor in Texas, where she continues to amass her wealth. The reality TV star owns two homes in Texas where she raises her three sons and owns another house in Alaska. Palin is a mother of three; 13-year-old son Tripp, whom she shares with Levi Johnston, and daughters Sailor, 6, and Atlee, 5, whom she shares with ex-husband Dakota Meyer.
Bristol Palin's pregnancy was first announced during the 2008 Republican National Convention after Senator McCain chose her mother, Sarah Palin as his Vice President running mate, launching Bristol Palin's career as a speaker for teen pregnancy prevention. ABC News highlighted Bristol Palin's work with the Candie's Foundation encouraging teen abstinence. Palin told "Good Morning America," "It's a hard choice, but it's the safest choice and it's the best choice [to practice abstinence]." The Daily Beast reports that Bristol Palin raised upwards of a quarter million dollars through her teenage pregnancy awareness campaign with her frequently-used slogan, "Pause before you play."
Mackenzie McKee
Mackenzie McKee's first appearance on reality TV came in 2011 when she appeared on "16 and Pregnant," followed by "Teen Mom 3" in 2013, and later "Teen Mom OG." According to People, she is the mother of three: 11-year-old son Gannon Dewayne, eight-year-old daughter Jaxie Taylor, and six-year-old Broncs Weston, shared with her now ex-husband Josh McKee, who she recently divorced after twelve years of marriage. Fans were eager to blame Josh for the split. The U.S. Sun summarizes drama in the couples relationship after Mackenzie's mom died in 2019 when Mackenzie accused Josh of having an emotional affair with her cousin. Fans were upset by this and let Josh know it. However, Mackenzie admits that she wasn't perfect in their marriage either. According to The U.S. Sun she wrote on her Instagram, "Sometimes things work and sometimes, no matter how hard you fight, it just doesn't work out." Mackenzie still admires and respects Josh as a dad but is excited to be set free from her "hellish" marriage.
Since the divorce Mackenzie has thrown herself into her work as a trainer. Along with her brother Zeke and sister Kaylee, Mackenzie runs the workout subscription service BodybyMac. On her website bio, she shares her passion for fitness: "I truly care about my clients and my goal is to make programs that are super user-friendly and easy for busy moms like myself to do right at home."
Kailyn Lowry
Kailyn Lowry first made her reality TV debut on MTV's "16 and Pregnant" and is a "Teen Mom 2" alumna who recently exited the TV world of "Teen Mom." Her decision to leave the show was announced during the "Teen Mom Reunion." She said, "I want to focus on my self-growth and my kids and I didn't feel like the show aligned with the goals that I have anymore" (via OK! Magazine).
Hollywood Life breaks down the timeline of Lowry's relationships. Lowry is a mother of four: 12-year-old son Isaac whom she shares with ex-husband Jo Rivera, eight-year old son Lincoln whom she shares with Javi Marroquin, and sons Lux Russel, 5, and Creed, 2, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Chris Lopez.
However, she is far from out of the eye of the public. She has a podcast, YouTube channel, and four published books: "A Letter of Love," "Hustle and Heart," "Pride Over Pity," and "Love it Bubblegum," along with an adult coloring book. According to her website, Kail Lowry, she has over 8 million followers across social media platforms.
Chelsea Houska DeBoer
The mother of four and "Teen Mom 2" alumna Chelsea Houska celebrated her and her daughter, Aubrey's birthday in Houska's childhood vacation cabin that she recently bought. Us Weekly follows the family Instagramed vacation from carving pumpkins to going to a Harry Styles concert. In 2009, Houska gave birth to her now thirteen-year-old daughter Aubrey, whom Houska shares with her ex-boyfriend Adam Lind. In 2016, she married Cole Deboer and the two have since had three children: five-year-old son Watson, four-year-old daughter Layne, and one-year old daughter Walker (via People) all who were present on the Debouer family vacation.
According to her website, Houska launched a line of baby goods called "Aubrey Says" in 2022 and has been announced to star in her own HGTV reality show called "Farmhouse Fabulous" in the spring of 2023. According to People, it will be a six episode limited series that follows Houska and her husband as they launch a renovation and design business with Debouer handling construction as Houska focuses on design.
Jenelle Evans
"Teen Mom 2" star Jenelle Evans was fired from the MTV series in 2019 after her husband, David Eason, was investigated for animal cruelty after shooting the family dog. E! News quotes Eason explaining his actions, "it was a situation where my daughter, her health, her safety was in danger. It upsets me just as much as anybody who doesn't even know Nugget may think they're upset". While Jenelle Evans didn't support Eason's actions she defended her husband saying, "[people] just don't understand [the situation] from David's perspective," because of his country lifestyle and upbringing she believes Eason is often misunderstood. David Eason has a history of violence including in 2018 when he drunkenly assaulted Evans, which according to Us Weekly sent her to the hospital.
Jenelle Evans has three kids: her twelve-year-old son Jace, whose father was never in the picture, eight-year-old son Kaiser whom she shares with her ex-fiancé Nathan Griffith, and five-year-old daughter Ensley whom she shares with David Eason. When Evans married Eason, she became a step mom to Eason's daughter Maryssa and son Kaden (per Us Weekly). Even though Evans is not currently on TV, she has found wide success as an influencer across multiple platforms including Instagram and TikTok. In 2017, she published "Read Between the Lines," a book about her struggles with heroin. Evans was supposed to be on the podcast "Girl S***," but according to Heavy, she was fired before the launch party after some of the members of the show learned about her sordid past.
Leah Messer
Leah Messer, reality TV star from "Teen Mom 2" is a mother of three: twin 12-year-old daughters Aliannah "Ali" and Aleeah "Gracie" whom she shares with her ex-husband Corey Simms, and nine-year-old Adalynn "Addie" whom she shares with her ex-husband Jeremy Calvert. A few months ago her then-boyfriend Jaylan Mobley popped the question while they were in Costa Rica. He told E! News that he wanted everything to be perfect and even went as far as contacting Messer's baby daddies before he proposed. He knew it was important to establish healthy co-parenting relationships with Messer's exes.
The couple was set to get married in 2023. However, according to Page Six, the engagement only lasted two months before Messer called it off. She thought about how liberating it felt when she divorced her other two ex-husbands and she didn't want to make the same mistake again. Instead of vowing herself to Mobley, she decided to vow herself to herself and her girls. Messer told People, "So many of you have watched our love story unfold, and we hope that you'll continue to watch our stories while we move forward as friends." We'll have to keep watching "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter" to find out what the next chapter in Messer and Mobley's relationship looks like.
Briana DeJesus
Briana DeJesus was in the cast of "Teen Mom 2." She is a mother of two: her eleven-year-old daughter Nova whom she shares with her ex-boyfriend, Devoin Austin, and her kindergartener Stella whom she shares with Luis Hernandez. According to The U.S. Sun, DeJesus revealed that Hernandez was a no-show at Stella's kindergarten graduation party after DeJesus extended him an invitation. The teen mom was especially disappointed because she felt like Stella had been growing closer to her father.
DeJesus was in a legal battle with ex-cast mate Kailyn Lowry, who is historically DeJesus's rival on the show. According to Us Weekly, Kailyn Lowry claimed that DeJesus was spreading lies that Lowry assaulted her ex-boyfriend, Chris Lopez. Lowry sued DeJesus for defamation, but the lawsuit was dropped and defamation was not proven. The feud between the two teen moms began when DeJesus briefly dated Lowry's ex-husband and baby daddy Javi Marroquin in 2017.