Scoop

In her first public interview, Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of Alaska's Governor Sarah Palin, sat down with On the Record's Greta Van Susteren to discuss teen pregnancy and what life is like now that she's got a new man: her not quite 2-month-old baby, Tripp.

Bristol scheduled the interview but didn't tell her parents until the day before it was set to be taped. She wanted a chance to let other young people hear her story so they might reconsider having sex. "I'd love to [be] and advocate to prevent teen pregnancy because it's not, like, a situation that you would want to strive for, I guess," says the new mom.

It may not be an ideal situation, but Bristol is making the best of it.

While she says Tripp is up at least half the night, she has help throughout the day from five generations, from her great-great grandmother to her youngest sister, Piper, who is great at making bottles and grabbing diapers. Piper should be a pro at helping with babies, considering her younger brother, Trig, won't even turn 1 until April (and he's Tripp's uncle!).

When Greta treaded lightly on the subject of contraceptive, Bristol politely said she didn't want to get into details. She did say she thought everyone should be abstinent but that it wasn't very realistic because "it's more and more accepted now."

Having teenage sex might be more and more accepted now, but Bristol stated to Greta that her life is not glamorous; she is exhausted ... "It's just, like, I'm not living for myself anymore. It's, like, for another person, so it's different."

Bristol, allow me to welcome you to motherhood!

She admits that it would have been so much easier to be married, have an education, be in a house, but she doesn't regret it at all, only that she wishes "it would have happened in 10 years, rather than right now." However, she feels lucky and blessed to be surrounded by her family and to be receiving all of the help she does get.

Bristol recalls telling her parents the news of her pregnancy (sounds much like how it happened in the movie Juno):

"We were sitting on the couch, my best friend and Levi, and we had my parents come and sit on the couch, too. And we had my sisters go upstairs. And we just sat them down, and I just - I couldn't even say it. I was just sick to my stomach. And so finally, my best friend just, like, blurted it out. And it was just, like - I don't even remember it because it was just, like, something I don't want to remember."

Bristol mentioned that after schooling, she and Levi would like to get settled with their careers and get married, and that he is a "really hands-on dad. He's just in love with him as much as I am." Bristol said that Levi sees Tripp every day. He is currently helping his father and finishing school.

Sarah Palin made a surprise visit during during the interview and brought in Tripp. Bristol, in true new-mom fashion, just lit up, and gathered her baby in her arms. Sarah admitted that at first, the news of Bristol's pregnancy was shocking, but now, she says of her daughter:

"I'm proud of her ... wanting to take on an advocacy role and, you know, just let other girls know that this is - it's not the most ideal situation, but certainly, make the most of it. And Bristol is a strong and bold young woman and she is an amazing mom. And this little baby is very lucky to have her as a mama. He's going to be just fine. We're very proud of Bristol."

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