To sways be a little dubious when women claim they didn't know they were pregnant?

[missduff]

I'm talking women who give birth in their bathroom and claim they went through being pregnant for 9 months without having the foggiest.

I know some women don't get symptoms like sickness etc, I can believe women who maybe reach say 5 months or so. And I know some women don't get bumps, I've seen that myself, but come on...how can any woman not feel a 7lb baby moving around inside them? Or to think that when an elbow is poking out and wriggling around that it's just wind? Or when they shift from one side of your stomach to the other? Really just wind is it?

I remember when I was about 5 months pregnant with DS his dad complaining cos he couldn't sleep because of the vibrations coming off the bed from baby kicking. Bump wasn't even touching him and he could still feel it. Surely that kind of thing must happen to everyone whether u have a bump or not?

I know a load of you will give me your stories of ''it happened to my friend'' but i just really really struggle to really believe them.

[Kenobi]

bloody hell stranded, that's incredible. The pics - well, you simply don't look pg and that's a fact.
Although I am being kicked to buggery with this one and can see a bum, elbows, feet etc, first time round I had a anterior placenta and everything was very gentle, if you had a back to back birth I BET your placenta was at the front like mine and muffling everything.
DH has IBS and he says the sensation can be like your guts twisting and lifting, so I get it. it seems unbelievable.. but I get it

How come you didn't call the ambulance sooner? You must have been TERRIFIED.

I know someone who was a very serious horse rider and found out with about 8 weeks to go because she finally went to the doc as she was so exhausted and felt so rough. The doc examined her and twigged immediately She had been competing at a very high level (think bruising cross country courses) and had been dieting strenuously to try and keep the weight off. The baby came about a month early so she had about 3 weeks to mentally prepare.

I'm not surprised you had PND and PTSD. Well done you surviving it all frankly.

[MitchieInge]

wow, what a shock

nurse though

[Sirzy]

Wow stranded must have been scary. I only found out at 36 weeks but at least I had 2 weeks notce

[TessTosterone]

I believe it though it could never have happened to me. What I find fascinating is that all of the stories I have heard of end in pretty straightforward normal deliveries despite there being no antenatal care. It always seems to be a quick second stage in the bathroom.

[ChocolateIsAFoodGroup]

I don't think you're lying, stranded why would you? I really just meant from my post more that I'm jealous anyone can go through pregnancy without noticing it...

Also jealous of mums who have to 'wake their babies up to feed' though this actually happened to my BF's baby, and of course I believe her!

Must have been an absolute nightmare for you - how scary and surreal....

[AThingInYourLife]

Gosh Stranded - how utterly terrifying for you

I know a woman this happened to.

Although it is hard to imagine being pregnant and not realising, the thing I've always found so hard to get my head around is the mental part of it:

How do you go from a regular person going about their normal life to suddenly being a mother, without any time to adjust to that massive change in circumstances?

It must be really frightening and bewildering.

As little as I enjoy pregnancy, I would not wish a sudden baby on anyone.

So glad everything has worked out for you, Stranded :)

Your DP sounds like a treasure.

[Whatevertheweather]

It's incredible Stranded it really is Yy I remember my first year of uni I felt sick, exhausted and hungover a lot of the time so could imagine passing those feelings off.

MissDuff what do you think now you have read Stranded's story

[PamPerdbrat]

See I don't know if a lot of baby bumps are to do with the mind. DS didn't shoe until I was 5 months gone. I didn't even go up a trouser size. I was young (although I had a wonderful supportive DH) and we had no family support (my parents disowned me for being pg. I didn't even know if a baby was what I wanted; coincidentally I didn't show for a loooong time. I wonder if my mind had something to do with it; if it was protecting me in some way.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Blimey Stranded what a shock but thankfully a good ending

I wonder if for some women they may know on some level but just really don't want to know so block it out somehow - am sure that's one explanation I heard explained. Also if the woman is bigger then the bump may not be so obvious and some women just don't really have much of a bump like Stranded.

I know a mum of 5 who didn't realise she was pregant with her 5th until she went for a scan as she thought she had gallstones or something like that and saw a 20+week baby wriggling on the screen.

[historyrepeats]

OFGS thats what you really needed from the nurse.

[PamPerdbrat]

I also worked out A LOT. The mw suggested my strong stomach muscles were the reason I couldn't feel DS kicking until v late on.

stranded I've read your birth story before and I am always thrown by it and feel emotional I often feel younger mums get treated less kindly/well by nursing staff than mums in their 30's. I certainly felt that way!

[DamonSalvatoreIsMyLoveSlave]

That's an amazing story stranded and it's so nice that it all worked out well in the end and your dp is such a good step father. Did you manage to finish your degree?

I have thought before how can this possibly happen and I also promise never to think that it is not possible again

[PamPerdbrat]

[Sirzy]

I would have been tempted to hit the nurse. I hope you put a complaint in.

[ChocolateIsAFoodGroup]

stranded you could sell it in America! There's a fab show here called 'I didn't know I was pregnant'. It's awesome viewing.... things like a really, really skinny woman (no bump, promise!) who gave birth by herself in the bathroom while her DH was away, nother woman who had 3 previous kids, DH also away, her eldest son had to call for an ambulance....

I think I like this show cos I like to fantasize what a symptom-free pregnancy must be like

[SinicalSanta]

boasting and smuggery always get short shrift on mn, gifted children, poncet food, babysitting mils.
Those things are normal, like having a loving partner, but sometimes it comes accross as being a bit pleased with oneself, even if you don't mean it like that

[SinicalSanta]

oops sorry wrong thread obviously!

[PamPerdbrat]

I had a teacher whom this happened to when I was in primary school; her daughter was in my class (year 5/6ish) and had to call an ambulance for her mother and was told to put down newspaper under her by the operator etc. She was traumatised for a good year or so after, and won't even consider children now.

My own mother maintained she was 'faking it' nice.