I really wouldn't want a baby unless I was married or in the process of getting married.
I couldn't imagine not having someone to help me and nuture me and love me and their child...

No, I wouldnt and I didnt.

I don't think i'd be able to raise a child with someone else. I'd want to do it my way and someone else would just get in my way.

If I found myself pregnant, I'd have the baby no matter what my marital status.

Would I deliberately try to conceive outside of marriage? No.

I think ideally I'd want to be married. I think even most people who are single mothers would of preferred to be married. Then there are also mature women who are very independent and can afford to have a child on their own and they choose to purposely do so which is also fine. As far as getting knocked up by someone you've only been dating a few months ala Lily Allen HELLZ NOOO!

Having children with someone I am married to has always been a personal goal of mine. I'm not judging other people that don't go this route, I am thankful for my four nieces born out of wedlock. I know that my sister's pregnancies and child-rearing have helped fueled this goal.

fuel, not fueled

No I wouldn't!

I don't plan on having kids, but if I was planning on it, I wouldn't have to be married to do it, if the circumstances were right.

Seeing as I was a teenage mommy out of wedlock - yes, definitely! I was a mixture of Jamie Lynn and Lily Allen. I was young and only dated him for a couple of months. I turned out fine!

Personally, I wouldn't, but I do respect other people's decisions if they did.

No. I would not.

Ideally, no. But never say never, and I wouldn't judge other's decision in this matter. Creating a life is a beautiful thing regardless of being married or not.

Although, a lot of women want that and it's alright with them, I think, ideally a child should be raised with both parents there both rearing him/her

It's incredibly difficult to raise a child WITH lots of help. I really don't think that I could do it alone, but if my husband died while I was preggers, I wouldn't even think twice about having that baby while I wasn't married!

I would not try to conceive unless I were married and the time was right, but if it were to just happen, I would still be thrilled and keep it of course.

i would LIKE to be married but I live with my bf, so if it happened, it'd happen. I wouldn't mind having a kid, married or not.

I think there are a lot of benefits to doing things the traditional way. I know that's not how it works for everyone, but there's a lot to be said for dating awhile, then getting married, then bringing kids into the picture. You have a level of stability that benefits everyone, especially the child.

At this point in my life (30, with a stable career, a secure place to live, and a supportive family), I probably would. But if I was 16 years old, absolutely not.

I am not having children and if I did become pregnant I would not have it. It does not matter if I am in a relationship or not but I am also incredibly careful and know what to do to prevent it from happening. There should be a seperate poll one for girls and one for grown women. Comparing my life to someone that is half my age is silly.

am not having any kids

"There should be a seperate poll one for girls and one for grown women. Comparing my life to someone that is half my age is silly."

Excellent point. Me looking at it from the point of view of a 35-year-old pregnant with her third is completely different than a 16-year-old. Not better, just different.

I am married, but if i had gotten pregnant before marriage i definately would have had the baby.

i voted for other as i don't want to have a baby in or out of marriage. it's a personal decision - i'll leave the baby making to the experts.

I did have kids b4 I was married , it was not easy..I have gone through alot of rough times,but my baby girls are well worth it..

No I couldnt. I need to be in a committed relationship in order to have child and when I say committed I mean married. Sure that doesnt mean that the child will be any better then those born outta wedlock but for me, that is something important.

i really wouldn't know what i would do unless i was faced with that situation.

I wouldn't be 16 and having a freaking baby. I hope the girl is ashamed of herself. Lily Allen is younger than me and barely seems to have a handle on her life either, what on earth?

These are not rolemodels for motherhood.

Greggie - agreed!

Sure. I don't believe that you have to get married JUST because you have a baby together.

I said that if the circumstances were right I would. Right now I am 21, still in college, without a stable job and still relying on my parents for the most part. If I were to get pregnant now I would not have the baby (sorry to offend anyone) but I just don't feel it is just to a child to bring it into a world of uncertainty and instability. Now if I was 5-10 years older and I was still with my boyfriend and we both had stable jobs and a good amount of money (and were not living in an apartment) and we had not yet gotten married then I would say okay. I don't think you have to be married to have children, but I do think it is important to be in a loving, committed, long term, stable relationship that isn't heading towards a break up. For this I think of Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed who have been together for like 25 years and have never been married but have two children together living under the same roof. Completely single mother - I don't think I would ever do it.

First of all, I am pro choice for other people. But, for myself-now being a 20 year old with 1 year left of college, I would feel completely irresponsible to get pregnant outside of marriage and have an abortion-so I would keep the baby.

Second, if I am 30 and still not married with no prospects-bring on the sperm donors!!! If I want a baby, aint no daddy problem gonna stop me

katday, if your husband died while you were pregnant, the baby isnt born out of wedlock sweetie.

Ideally I would want to be married before I had children, but if I were to get pregnant now by accident and felt compelled to have it I wouldn't get married for the sake of getting married. Having a child is not a reason to marry someone. Ever.

In an ideal world, I would DEFINITELY be married before having children. That being said, ask me ten years down the road when my biological clock is ticking and I'm still single. Maybe then (and only then) would I consider being a single mother.

my promise to myself was that if i was single at 38 (and in a financial/emotional position to do so) i would have a baby. it doesn't seem fair that you either get married and have a family or have neither. not something i have to deal with though since i'm married and have 3 kids. i think i would have done it alone, but really can i say? big decision.

I do not plan on having any children before Im married.

I live with my boyfriend, and believe he's the one I will marry - and if we ended up accidentally pregnant, I would keep it.

I'm not married and I really don't see myself as anyone's wife. However, I think if I ever reach the point where I want a baby, then married or not I would have one.

I think every woman should be able to decide when she wants a baby, whatever her circumstances. I know a great mom who hit 35, wasn't married, and didn't want to wait around for the right man- so she got pregnant and now has a lovely 4 year old daughter.

Just up to the woman. Some single teen moms become great moms, and some married 20-something moms are terrible moms. The stereotypes don't always hold up.

i wouldn't have a problem with having a child out of marriage, however i do think it is of utmost importance that the parent(s) are in a position in their lives (especially financially) to be able to support it.

I had an unplanned pregnancy in college at 20 and kept the child. The father and I had been dating a couple of years but it was still hard. I am so glad I did though because we are all together and happy. It worked out for the best. Sure this isn't always the case but JLS might be just fine. I never saw myself as a parent until it happened but it made me grow up and I like to think I'm a pretty good mom. I have hope for her even at such a young age. Children don't ruin your life just change it.

I know accidents happen but they do make birth controls that help PREVENT it from happening. I am married now but if I was not, I definaly wouldn't PLAN on having a baby until I was married. It's just too risky.

And accidents do happen with birth control too, I was on the Depo shot so it does happen. Although I don't know if she was taking methods to prevent a pregnancy or not I still commend her for carrying the baby and not taking the abortion route. JMO.

if it happens outside of wedlock it happens, but i'd be happier if i was married to not have to go it alone

At this point in my life, definitely not. I'll be married in 5 months, and even IN marriage, I wouldn't have a child right away.
That said, say something were to happen to my husband and I was widowed young, without children. If I'm not remarried by 35 or so and wanted a child, provided I was doing well with my career and could afford and was capable of having and raising a child, then I would certainly go ahead and have one, even sans husband. I don't think being married is a necessity to be a good mother, but being old enough, mature enough, and stable enough is. If I met those qualifications and wanted a child, then I would certainly go for it... I wouldn't want to regret never having children just because I couldn't find Mr. Right.

Well, since I'm a highly educated African American woman who will be turning 30 next year and who has friends who are older than I who have never been married, I might have a child outside of marriage.
I want to get married someday, but I don't want to have a child after 35 years of age. I may have to use a sperm bank within 2 years if something doesn't happen pretty soon.
So, yeah, I would probably have do that.

I'm surprised so many said no. It's almost '08....
Of course its preferred but certainly not a necessity!
Let's be progressive here ladies!

yes! and I've done it! My daughter is now 10, and unlike Jamie Lynn I was 25. I think that ADULTS need to make decisions that make sense to them and hopefully we have the capacity to think through it and surround ourselves with the help we need and people we love/who love us to make this work as single parents.

As for anyone under 18 (my preference being 21), I don't understand it and can only say (like a little old lady) that there is no way that teenage pregnancy should be making a comeback, anymore than there should be folks addidcted to crack in 2007. Didn't we learn our lesson in the 80's / 90's from the ABC afterschool specials or LIFETIME network???

I just think having Jamie Lynn Spears as an example in this question is silly! she is 16 and I hate to tell you but that's statutory rape in most states. 16 year olds should not be having babies.

Yes, if I had a good job and a nice size home; I don't see why not.