I am 17 years old and just had my son 3 weeks ago. I couldn’t get Medicaid because they base it off your total household income (so, including my mothers) and we made too much to qualify, even though I wasn’t working at the time. And my mom wouldn’t pay for other insurance, and since I wasn’t working, I couldn’t pay for insurance.

The total cost of my son’s birth was like $10k. These bills are coming in addressed to me. Is there any way to prevent these from destroying my credit? Any other teen moms that have been through something similar and can offer advice? I’m freaking out because I don’t know how I’m going to get a place of my own and a car so I can take care of my child, if this ruins my credit