( CNN ) -- In her first interview since giving birth , the teenage daughter of Alaska Gov . Sarah Palin said having a child is not `` glamorous , '' and that telling young people to be abstinent is `` not realistic at all . '' Bristol Palin says `` everyone should just wait 10 years '' to have a baby , rather than when you 're young . `` It 's just , like , I 'm not living for myself anymore . It 's , like , for another person , so it 's different , '' Bristol Palin told Fox News ' Greta Van Susteren . `` And just you 're up all night . And it 's not glamorous at all , '' she said . `` Like , your whole priorities change after having a baby . '' The 18-year-old , who gave birth in late December , said she is being helped tremendously by her mother , grandmother , cousins and other family members . She is engaged to teen father Levi Johnston , who is now working for his father and trying to complete school , but said she wishes that she waited another 10 years to have a baby . It was `` harder than labor '' telling her parents she was pregnant . `` Well , 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 , '' Bristol said . `` And we just sat them down , and I just -- I could n'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 do n't even remember it because it was just , like , something I do n't want to remember . '' Todd and Sarah Palin were `` scared just because I have to -- I had to grow up a lot faster than they ever would have imagined , '' Bristol said . Her parents insisted that she and her boyfriend hash out a `` game plan '' immediately . And now her parents and relatives are all pitching in to help take care of the child , particularly when Bristol is at school during the day . Van Susteren was delicate with the teenager but pointedly asked if `` contraception is an issue here . '' `` Is that something that you were just lazy about or not interested , or do you have philosophical or religious opposition to it , '' Van Susteren asked . Bristol quickly answered that she did n't want to get into specifics . The best option is abstinence , the teen said , but added that she did n't think that was `` realistic . '' Watch Bristol Palin say that abstinence is `` not realistic at all '' » . While her mother was running for vice president , the teenager said her treatment in the media was `` evil . '' She said she read some of the tabloids that wrote about her . People did n't understand , she said , and some media reports perpetuated falsehoods about her experience . `` They thought that , like , my mom was going to make me have the baby , and it was my choice to have the baby , '' she said . `` And it 's just -- that kind of stuff just bothered me . '' Van Susteren asked , `` But this is your issue ? This is your decision ? '' Bristol answered yes . `` ( It ) does n't matter what my mom 's views are on it . It was my decision , and I wish people would realize that , too , '' she said . The network interview was Bristol 's idea , the teen said . And she apparently sprung the news to her parents that she was going to speak publicly the day before the network taping . The teen said she wanted to tell her story so that other young people might think twice about having sex . `` I 'd love to [ be ] an advocate to prevent teen pregnancy because it 's not , like , a situation that you would want to strive for , I guess , '' Bristol said . Gov . Palin made an unexpected appearance during the interview in Alaska , and Van Susteren asked her about her daughter 's pregnancy . `` Not the most ideal situation , certainly you make the most of it , '' the governor said . Bristol is a `` strong and bold woman , and she is an amazing mom , '' Palin said . `` And this little baby is very lucky to have her as a mama . He 's going to be just fine . ''
Bristol Palin said she wishes she had waited 10 years to have a baby . 18-year-old is getting a lot of help from family , says baby son is `` awesome '' Palin said she 's hoping to encourage young people to wait to have sex .