Baby-faced Alfie, who is 13 but looks more like eight, became a father
four days ago when his girlfriend Chantelle Steadman
gave birth to 7lb 3oz Maisie Roxanne.
He told how
he and Chantelle, 15, decided against an abortion
after discovering she was pregnant.
The shy lad, whose voice has not yet
broken, said: “I thought it would be good to have a
baby.
“I didn’t think about how we would
afford it. I don’t really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10.”
Alfie, who
is just 4ft tall, added: “When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get
in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react.
“I didn’t know what it would be like
to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it.”
Alfie’s dad
Dennis told how the lad does not really understand the enormity of his
situation — but seemed desperate to be a devoted and responsible father.
He wanted to
be the first to hold Maisie after the hospital birth.
He tenderly kisses the baby and gives her a bottle.
And Dennis,
45, said: “He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation. But he has been at the hospital every day.”
Maisie
was conceived after Chantelle and Alfie
— just 12 at the time — had a single night of unprotected sex.
They found out about the baby when Chantelle was 12 weeks pregnant.
But they kept it a secret until six
weeks later when Chantelle’s mum Penny, 38, became
suspicious about her weight gain and confronted her.
After that Alfie’s
family told only those closest to them for fear he would be “demonised” at school.
Chantelle
gave birth to Maisie on Monday night after a
five-hour labour at
Last night she told The Sun: “I’m
tired after the birth. I was nervous after going into labour
but otherwise I was quite excited.”
Chantelle
told how she discovered she was expecting after going to her GP with “really
bad” stomach pains. She said: “Me and Alfie went. The doctor asked me whether we had sex. I said
yes and he said I should do a pregnancy test. He did the test and said I was
pregnant. I started crying and didn’t know what to do.
“He said I should tell my mum but I
was too scared.
“We didn’t
think we would need help from our parents. You don’t really think about that
when you find out you are pregnant. You just think your parents will kill you.”
But Penny figured out what was going
on after buying Chantelle a T-shirt which revealed
her swelling tum.
Chantelle admitted she
and Alfie — who are both being supported by their
parents — would be accused of being grossly irresponsible. She said: “We know
we made a mistake but I wouldn’t change it now. We will be good loving parents.
“I have started a church course and I am going to do work
experience helping other young mums.
“I’ll be a
great mum and Alfie will be a great dad.”
Chantelle
and Maisie were released from hospital yesterday.
They are living with Penny, Chantelle’s jobless dad
Steve, 43, and her five brothers in a rented council house in
He is allowed
to stay overnight and even has a school uniform there so he can go straight to
his classes in the morning.
Alfie’s
dad, who is separated from Nicola, believes the lad is scared deep down.
He said: “Everyone is telling him
things and it’s going round in his head. It hasn’t really dawned on him. He
hasn’t got a clue of what the baby means and can’t explain how he feels. All he
knows is mum and dad will help.
“When you mention money his eyes look
away. And she is reliant on her mum and dad. It’s crazy. They have no idea what
lies ahead.”
Dennis, who works for a vehicle
recovery firm, described Alfie as “a typical
13-year-old boy”.
He said: “He loves computer games,
boxing and Manchester United.” Dennis, who has fathered
nine kids, told how he was “gobsmacked” when
he discovered Alfie was to be a dad, too.
He said: “When I spoke to him he
started crying. He said it was the first time he’d had sex,
that he didn’t know what he was doing and of the complications that
could come.
“I will talk to him again and it will
be the birds and the bees talk. Some may say it’s too late but he needs to
understand so there is not another baby.”
Chantelle’s mum said:
“I told her it was lovely to have the baby but I wish it was in different
circumstances. We have five children already so it’s a big financial
responsibility. But we are a family and will pull together and get through.
“She’s my
daughter. I love her and she will want for nothing.”
Last night Michaela Aston, of the
anti-abortion Christian charity LIFE, said: “We commend these teenagers for
their courage in bringing their child into the world.
“At the same time this is symptomatic
of the over-sexualisation of our youngsters and shows
the policy of value-free sex education just isn’t working.”