YMMV / Baby Love

• Fridge Horror:
  • Laura may have had a traumatic experience by falling pregnant at an incredibly young age to a much older boy, but she is one of the lucky ones. While the issue of consent was very dubious given the language barrier and the fact Leon thought Laura to be older than she was, he never acted with malice nor did he abuse her. Sarah in particular was not only abused by her Sunday school teacher, but she was blamed for leading him on, and it's implied that some of the other girls are also pregnant due to outright rape.
  • What would have happened to Laura and Kathy had aunt Susan not taken them both in?
• Jerkass Woobie:
  • Jeannie is rude and dismissive to the extent that she doesn't really have any friends outside of Laura and Belinda. However she is kind to those close to her, and many of her struggles stem from the fact that she grew up in care and never had anyone to support her.
  • Sarah is pious and looks down on the other girls despite being in the exact same situation as them, and isn't afraid to tell tales about those she considers to be 'sinners'. Then Laura finds out that Sarah was sexually abused by her Sunday school teacher and became the one that everyone blamed when she fell pregnant as she had apparently tempted him into sin.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The situation that ends up with Laura falling pregnant is potentially this for both parties;
    • Laura is clearly confused about what's going on and it isn't until later that she's able to remember details that confirm that she definitely had sex. She ends up pregnant at just fourteen years old and has to carry that stigma by herself as she has no contact with the father and doesn't even know his surname. And while it's implied she may have accidentally given consent due to a language barrier, Laura is still under-aged and unable to give consent even if she had wanted to. She also has to tell Leon to stop when she's uncomfortable but to give him credit he does immediately.
    • Leon has been told that Laura is his age and it's heavily implied that when he asked her if she wanted to have sex that she said yes because she misunderstood him and thought that he wanted to cuddle. Leon escapes the consequences of Laura's pregnancy simply because he never finds out, but there's every chance that his life would have been ruined over what seemed to be a terrible misunderstanding.
  • Instead of supporting their fourteen-year-old daughter when she falls pregnant, Laura's parents send her away to a home for pregnant teenagers and refuse to see her again until after she's given birth. They then won't allow her home unless she gives her child up for adoption.
  • Poor Sarah's situation; impregnated by her Sunday school teacher and then shouldering the full blame for clearly seducing him and making him have sex with her. Worst of all, she genuinely believes this to be true, and that it's her own fault. Sadly, asides from her safely giving birth, we don't find out what happens to her either.
• Values Dissonance:
  • Arguably the underlying theme of the entire story; teen pregnancy is still looked down on in many parts of the world but there is far more help and support available for young mothers in Laura's situation. Many high schools now allow pregnant students to attend lessons and some of them even provide childcare. Laura and her parents would additionally receive help in the UK to be able to provide for baby Kathy and no social worker would ever force Laura to give her daughter up for adoption.
  • Laura not understanding how sex and pregnancy work is a product of the UK educational system back in the 1960s. In modern times, children are taught about sex the moment they enter secondary school, at around eleven years old. A modern Laura would not only know about sex and how to prevent unwanted pregnancy but she would also be encouraged to speak up when she's being coerced into doing something that she doesn't want to do.
  • While Laura's father is angry that Leon got her pregnant, the fact that she was taken advantage of by a much older boy is never really touched upon, and Laura herself shoulders the full blame for her pregnancy. While poor Laura would still be judged in modern society, she would also have those that sympathise with her.
• What Do You Mean, It's for Kids?: Although this book, in particular, is stated to be aimed at older readers given the more adult themes.
• The Woobie: Poor Laura goes through so much and she receives barely any help from her parents, and they only briefly recognise that she was taken advantage of; they're much more concerned about their reputation. She can be a bit mouthy, but she's an otherwise sweet and thoughtful person, and always tries to do what's right.