STEPHANIE Gregory had no idea she was pregnant, until she went into labour.
The barmaid, then 22, dismissed her stomach ache as a tummy bug which was going round work, until the pain forced her to go to hospital.
5
Stephanie, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, was taking the contraceptive injection and had no pregnancy symptoms.
She even downed pints during her pregnancy with daughter Sapphire, now eight.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous Digital, Stephanie, now 30, tells her story…
As I opened my eyes, I clutched my stomach and groaned in pain.
5
“Oh no,” I panicked. “I’ve caught that bug.” I sickness bug had been going around the pub where I worked as a barmaid.
Loads of people were off sick, so I’d agreed to come in and cover a shift. Even though I didn’t feel great, I struggled out of bed.
It was October 31, so I knew the boozer would be busy with Halloween celebrations – and they’d be really short-staffed if I didn’t go in.
Feeling determined, I stumbled out of bed and splashed some cold water on my face.
Then I put on my work uniform and got on my bike, for the 15-minute cycle from my flat to work.
Thanks to my bike, I’d lost two stone over the previous five months – my tummy was flatter than it had ever been.
I’d lost two stone over the previous five months – my tummy was flatter than it had ever been
Stephanie Gregory
Once at the pub, I began my eight-hour shift pulling pints and rushing back and forth from the kitchen.
But my stomach ache continued to get worse.
“Is it OK if I go home early?” I asked my boss, with two hours still to go. “I’m not feeling very well.”
He told me to rest up and feel better soon, so I stumbled out of work and popped into see my mum Mandy, a waitress in the working men’s club below my flat.
Her face dropped as soon as she saw me. “You’re so white,” she told me. “Go and run yourself a deep bath.”
I tried to relax in the tub, but it did nothing for the pain.
5
Climbing out of the water, I texted my mum: “It’s not getting any better.”
“Maybe it’s your appendix,” she replied. “I think I should take you to hospital.”
Mum left work and drove me to A&E, with my dad Darren joining soon after, having been filled in by mum.
It wasn’t long before I was seen by a nurse, who asked me to take a urine sample, thinking it might be a UTI.
When she received the results, she looked at me oddly. “Is there any chance you could be pregnant?” she asked.
I looked at my parents in disbelief. “No,” I snapped.
When the nurse received the results, she looked at me oddly. ‘Is there any chance you could be pregnant?’
Stephanie Gregory
I’d been taking the contraceptive injection for at least nine months, and I didn’t have a bump or any other signs.
I’d briefly dated a guy called Jon a few months back, but it hadn’t worked out.
What the nurse told me next made me physically shudder: “You are definitely pregnant.”
“How pregnant?” my mum asked. “Stephanie will be leaving with a baby today,” the nurse replied.
Mum and Dad looked at each other, gobsmacked. “I’m having a baby today?” I asked, stunned.
“You’re in labour now,” the nurse said, smiling.
How is it possible to not know you’re pregnant?
Most mums will be gobsmacked to hear some women go nine whole months without any signs of pregnancy, but Stephanie is far from alone in this.
Up to one in 2,500 pregnancies go undetected until the woman gives birth, either because the mum conceals it or doesn’t realise herself, according to the BMJ.
Although it’s unusual to have a completely flat abdomen during pregnancy, every woman carries her bump differently.
Some women have a long abdomen, meaning there’s more space for the uterus to develop upwards rather than outwards.
In rare cases, your uterus can also hide behind your rib cage, or it might be impacted by your baby’s size.
Your pre-baby weight plays a part too. Women already carrying excess weight around the midriff may not notice a growing bump, while strong abs can hold the uterus back – so the baby tucks further into the spine.
In Stephanie’s case, her periods were already halted by her contraception.
Some women also don’t experience symptoms like morning sickness, fatigue and tender boobs as much as others.
5
Before I could get to grips with what was happening, I was taken into a side room in the maternity unit for a scan.
“Sorry, it isn’t clear enough to determine the sex,” the sonographer said, as she traced the Doppler over my flat belly.
Hearing the heartbeat made everything more real, but I was still in shock.
I was taken through to the delivery suite and puffed and panted throughout the night, while Mum held my hand.
Dad was on my other side, mopping my brow.
You are definitely pregnant – Stephanie will be leaving with a baby today
Stephanie’s nurse
Finally, at 7.38am on November 1, my little girl entered the world. Sapphire was born weighing a healthy 7lb 5oz.
“She’s beautiful,” my parents cooed. Luckily, there had been no complications.
Considering I’d had no antenatal appointments, I was lucky to have such a healthy baby.
One of the midwives explained it was likely I didn’t have a bump because Sapphire had been positioned at the back, while my placenta was at the front.
5
Can you get pregnant on the contraceptive injection?
The contraceptive injection releases the hormone progesterone into your bloodstream to prevent pregnancy.
It lasts for 8-13 weeks, depending on the type of injection.
Your periods may stop completely while on the injection.
It’s more than 99% effective, as long as you have it topped up before it runs out.
As with all contraceptives, this means there’s still a slim change of you getting pregnant.
Weirdly, I’d lost weight during my pregnancy, rather than putting it on.
I grimaced when I thought of all the things I shouldn’t have done in the last nine months.
I had knocked back pints, dyed my hair, and weaved in and out of traffic on my bike every day. I’d even been lifting heavy beer barrels at work.
The midwives, and later my parents, showed me how to feed and care for Sapphire.
I stayed with her in hospital overnight, until doctors confirmed we were safe to go home the next day.
I grimaced when I thought of all the things I shouldn’t have done in the last nine months
Stephanie Gregory
Once I was settled back home, my sisters Kirsty and Kimberley and brother Luke came over to see my baby.
They brought a collection of baby clothes and other bits, donated by friends and family.
Mum and Dad bought me a Moses basket and other essentials, which I put in my spare room, now Sapphire’s nursery.
But there was still one thing I needed to do.
I messaged Jon on Facebook, asking him to call me. When we spoke, I broke the news he was now a dad.
There was silence down the phone. “Can I call you later?” he asked. I could tell he was shocked.
After I put Sapphire down for a nap, I sent Jon some photos. “She’s gorgeous,” he texted back.
Once the news had sunk in, Jon came over to see Sapphire. We didn’t get back together, but her dad is a big part of her life.
Now Sapphire is growing up fast, but I’ll never forget the fright she gave me on Halloween.
Last week, we reported on a 23-year-old model who gave birth on her bathroom floor – after having no idea she was pregnant.
