‘Teen Mom’ Amber Portwood Stayed in Bed for ‘4 Months’ After Daughter Leah Wanted to Be Adopted
In a deeply emotional twist, Teen Mom star Amber Portwood faces one of the most difficult moments of her life: the adoption of her 16-year-old daughter, Leah Shirley. After years of a complicated relationship marked by legal battles, personal struggles, and strained communication, Leah’s desire for adoption marks a pivotal moment for Amber. The reality star opened up on Teen Mom: The Next Chapter regarding how she felt when she learned that Leah wanted to be adopted.
‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter’ star Amber Portwood admitted that Leah’s desire to be adopted left her ‘hopeless’
Amber Portwood’s life has played out on reality TV for over a decade, but one of the most heartbreaking storylines has been her increasingly distant relationship with her daughter, Leah. Once a central part of Teen Mom OG, Leah has grown up in front of cameras. Unfortunately, her bond with her mother began to unravel due to Amber’s legal issues, substance abuse, and time spent in prison.
As Leah grew older, she began to vocalize her feelings, often expressing frustration and sadness over her mother’s absence during key parts of her childhood. Meanwhile, Amber has publicly grappled with the pain of being shut out. She posts emotional messages and speaks candidly about her regrets and hopes for reconciliation. Leah has leaned on her stepmother, Kristina Shirley, and father, Gary Shirley, for support and stability.
“When I found out about my daughter saying that she wanted to be adopted, it took over everything,” Amber admitted in Teen Mom: The Next Chapter on April 17. “I was really in bed for over four months. But I just realized that I just truly needed my mommy.”
“I just woke up and I was, like, hopeless,” Amber told her mother over the phone. “Just feeling, like, hopeless, and just, why am I awake? … My life circumstances and the things with Leah, I’m scared she’s never going to come around.”
Amber’s mother, Tonya, remained encouraging. “She’ll come around when she’s ready,” Tonya said. “It’ll be fine. You can’t force her.”
Leah Shirley previously explained why she wanted her stepmother to adopt her
Amber Portwood’s daughter, Leah, got candid on Teen Mom: The Next Chapter regarding why she hoped for her stepmother, Kristina Shirley, to adopt her.
“I want to be adopted because Kristina’s been there my whole life,” Leah said during a confessional, as seen on Instagram. “I mean, I really want to do it. But, I’m scared it would make Amber mad. I don’t like being mean to people. But, I don’t know — I just feel like it should be official. And it’s more than a piece of paper to me.”
Gary encouraged Leah to discuss the situation with her therapist before pulling the trigger on the decision. “I know that your mom loves you, but, for some reason, she doesn’t know how to show it,” Gary told his daughter.
Amber Portwood said on TikTok Live that she will have a relationship with her daughter one day
Teen Mom Amber Portwood took to TikTok Live in December 2024 to discuss her situation with daughter Leah. She explained how she still loves her daughter and knows she will have a relationship with her one day.
“[I can’t say] what Leah went through or how she feels today,” Amber said, according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup. “But what I can do today is still love my daughter with all of my heart. And know that she is safe. She’s happy. She’s taken care of in any way that she needs to be taken care of. And I can be proud of that at least. … Then I can also sit here and say, one day, I will have my relationship back with my daughter because I actually show up for her.”
Amber denied talking poorly about Leah’s father, Gary. She also maintained that she worked on repairing her relationship with Leah.
“I knew that I was an addict,” she continued. “I knew that I did all kinds of really horrible things. I’ve admitted multiple times — multiple times — that I was in the wrong.”
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