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Jamie Lynn Spears talks teen pregnancy and the biggest surprise about motherhood

At 16 years old, Jamie Lynn Spears was hot on the heels of big sister Britney with a hit show of her own and a promising future. But a teen pregnancy changed everything for the star.
/ Source: TODAY

At 16 years old, Jamie Lynn Spears was hot on the heels of big sister Britney with a hit show of her own and a promising future. But a teen pregnancy changed everything for the star.

”The world met me as a young girl," she explained during a Wednesday morning visit to TODAY. "But after I had my little girl, I knew that I needed to take time away."

And she did. In 2008, her Nickelodeon series, "Zooey 101," ended, and her new life as young mother began with the birth of her daughter, Maddie.

RELATED: Watch Britney Spears sweetly surprise sister Jamie Lynn at the Grand Ole Opry

"The biggest difference is that I was a baby and I needed to grow up," Spears said, comparing herself then and now.

Motherhood made her grow up fast, and with it came changes she never imagined.

"There's a lot of surprises," she said of the experience. "The biggest thing for me is the sense of purpose I have every day when I get up. ... No matter what it is, whether it's taking her to school or doing something like this today, there's just a different motivation behind what I'm doing."

What she's doing now includes focusing on her music career and sharing her transition from child star to mom and more in a new documentary.

"I want to introduce myself to the world as the adult that I am," Spears said.

That documentary, "Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out," airs Sunday on TLC.

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