My name is Ashley. I'm an 18-year-old parent. I had my baby at the age of 17. 

I lost my virginity when I was 15, while my parents were asleep. I sneaked my boyfriend through the window into my bedroom. I really liked him. He was popular and good-looking. At first, I was scared, but it happened. We had sex.

After I lost my virginity, I thought I was the junk. I told my friends and I was so happy. But when I messed with the boy, not only did I lose my virginity, I also got pregnant.

The boy's name is Henry. I didn't know I was pregnant. My mom knew, though. She made me go to the doctor and get a pregnancy test. It was positive.

When we left the doctor's office, we went to my grandmother's house. She was sick. Mom and I told her I was pregnant. She said, "I know."  I said I wanted an abortion, but both Nana and my mom said I should have the baby.

The next day, my nana died. That hurt so bad. After her death, I just held my head up. When my mom told my dad that I was pregnant, he called me all kinds of names. Henry was in jail at the time and had gotten another girl pregnant, so I couldn't count on him for much help.

In my last month of pregnancy, my blood pressure was really high, so we went to the clinic. The nurse told me to go to the hospital that night at 7 p.m. so I could have my baby. We went home and told everyone the news. They were happy, even my dad.

I packed my bag, including my baby's outfit and blanket. Then we went to the hospital, where they induced labor, which means they insert medicine into the vagina to make the contractions come faster so I would deliver my baby.

Crying throughout, I asked my aunt and uncle to pray for us. Hours and hours passed. The doctor finally came in and checked me. He said, "Honey, you're only dilated one centimeter," which meant I had nine more centimeters to go. I was so tired.

A little later, the doctor checked me again, but I still wasn't making any progress. So he said they would do a caesarian, which means they surgically open the uterus and take the baby out.

The nurse and doctor rolled me into the surgery room. They gave me a shot in the back, called an epidural. It felt like electricity going through my body. It made me numb below my waist. My mom was right beside me. I asked here if they were cutting me yet, and she said yes.

The next minute, I felt tugging in my stomach and I heard a baby. They said, "It's a girl!" My mom wanted a little girl. She was born on March 2, 2002. I named her Mykaisha Renee Jones.

The next minute, my mom was gone with the nurse and the baby.

They rolled me to the recovery room and brought my baby to me. When I breast-fed her, it made me feel so good, because I felt like a real mother. At first I didn't want her away from me. But later on that night, she didn't want to take my breast. She just kept crying and I was really tired. So the nurse came and got her, and I rested.

The next day was picture day. I fed Mykaisha and took her picture. I kept saying how pretty she is and how she looks like her daddy. As soon as I said that, Henry and his friends came walking through the door. They admired her, brought her some things, and then left.

I had to stay in the hospital for three days. Then I got to take Mykaisha home. When we got home, there was a cake and everyone showed my little one and me a lot of love. It was a joyful day.

When Mykaisha started getting a little older, she started being bad. She had mood swings and acted funny, just like her daddy. When her daddy came around, she wanted to go to him and not me, unless she was hungry.

I breast-fed Mykaisha for six months. Then I had to stop, because I had to go back to school. But it was nice and loving while I did that. On her first birthday, she was spoiled, because my parents and Henry's parents just gave her too much. 

One thing about Mykaisha Renee Jones—she's my baby girl and there is not a day I don't think about her, even when I'm at school. What I'm trying to say is, I'm a young parent, but nothing's stopping me from getting that graduation certificate, so I can make a good life for me and my baby.

Editors' Note: Ashley Jones, 18, of Hickory, NC, is the first-place winner of the Sex, Etc. National Writing Contest. Bianca Lencek-Bosker , 17, of Portland, Oregon, won second place and Kienan Christianson, 15, of Salem, CT, won third. You can read more about Ashley in this MTV.com profile.