Amber Portwood is struggling to cope with the realization that her daughter Leah may want to be adopted.
“I thought I was already dark and deep in a hole from what happened to me from the incident in North Carolina and [Gary Wayt] leaving me in the mountains,” Amber, 34, shared on the Thursday, April 17, episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, when referencing her ex briefly going missing in 2024. “But when I found out about my daughter saying that she wanted to be adopted, it took over everything.”
In a March episode of the MTV reality show, Leah expressed to her dad, Gary Shirley, that she would like stepmom Kristina Shirley to formally adopt her.
Cameras rolled as Gary decided to meet with an attorney to discuss the next legal steps. At the time, Leah agreed that she had to think over the issue some more before agreeing to officially file paperwork.
Amber Portwood’s fraught relationship with daughter Leah has been documented on Teen Mom over the years. Portwood gave birth to her baby girl in 2008 with then-boyfriend Gary Shirley. The former couple split three years later, with Shirley going on to wed Kristina Anderson, with whom he shares daughter Emilee. As for Portwood, the MTV personality […]
“I was really in bed for over four months,” Amber shared in a confessional interview, “but I just realized that I truly just needed my mommy.”
Although Amber had a complicated relationship with mom Tonya Portwood over the years, the pair reconnected after the reality star needed a “shoulder to cry on” during tough times.
Amber Portwood Courtesy of Amber Portwood/TikTok
“I’ve seen my mom three times in just these last few weeks when I hadn’t seen her in almost a year,” Amber shared. “When I wake up crying, all I do is call [her].”
During the episode, Amber met with her mom for dinner and expressed her hope that Tonya would meet her psychiatrist to better understand what she is going through mentally.
“I’m not just bipolar,” Amber explained of her diagnosis. “I have four major mental illnesses that I would like to have him explain to you.”
While Tonya offered her support, she also inadvertently upset her daughter when she confessed to still receiving texts from Leah. (During a recent episode, Leah expressed her wish that Amber didn’t attend her 16th birthday celebrations.)
During dinner, Amber shared her fears that her daughter is “never going to come around.”
At the same time, she couldn’t help but acknowledge the growth she has experienced with her own mother.
“I see how my relationship with my mom was completely tumultuous, and today I’m with my mom,” Amber said in a confessional. “I love my mom so much. This is why I have hope with Leah.”
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter airs on MTV Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.