To wonder how you could get to 21 weeks pregnant without noticing?

[KnitFastDieWarm]

I know it happens, but it still amazes me!

My friend (22) discovered she was 5 months pregnant yesterday. She and bf (30) are thrilled - but they live with her mum (who is not thrilled, to say the least) and he's recently been fired, so money is very tight. She's also been drinking and smoking for the past five months blissfully unaware that she was pregnant :(

I'm very happy for them both, but I'm obviously vey worried about the health of the baby given her drinking, smoking etc prior to finding out. I'm also genuinely amazed that she didn't notice - she says she can feel it kicking, but she thought she had an upset stomach!

Anyone experienced a surprise pregnancy? Reassure me (so I can reassure her!)

[VisualiseAHorse]

Or maybe it's StealthPolarBear...?

[Pickles77]

Stranded otter but she is no more a MNetter. I think the story is in classics

[DesperatelySeekingSedatives]

A friend's mum was 2 weeks off her due date when she found out she was pregnant with said friend. She gave birth 2 days after finding out. Shocking really as the mum had drank, smoked and snorted enough cocaine before and during the pregnancy to sink a cruise liner. How this person was born with no ill effects is a shock in itself!

[LemonBreeland]

I know of a woman who got to about 5 months with DC3 and didn't know she was pg.

Her periods were rather erratice but she just put it down to menopause symptoms as she was in her 40s.

[MissKeithLemon]

Stranded and Stealth, both polar bears, are not the same poster. Stealth Otter however may have been Stranded too iykwim.

It was Stranded that had the unknown pregnancy. Her pics of just before the birth were amazing - you would never have known

I only discovered I was pregnant with dd after 17 or so weeks, nothing changed but violent morning sickness gave the game away at that point. First morning I was sick I put it down to alcohol related sickness

[sparkle12mar08]

Think it might be StrandedBear but her posting history has been deleted from what I can tell.

[birdbrain17]

There was a story in the news not long ago of someone serving in afghanistan who had no idea she was pregnant till she had really bad stomach pains and the base doctor told her she was in labour!!!!!!

[Quodlibet]

I want to see pictures of these people! I can't believe you can get to 9 months pregnant with no bump!

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

I have a friend who gave birth without knowing she was pregnant and I saw her two weeks before and I didnt notice or think "hmm, I wonder if she's pregnant". She thought labour was food poisoning, called her dad to take her to the hospital, and then had the baby on the bathroom floor while she was waiting. Baby was fine. Fortunately she wasnt much of a drinker anyway.

[HKat]

I found out I was pregnant with my first (and only!) at 18 weeks. I was on the pill, and put any slight nausea I had down to that as it was a new pill and that was a recognised side effect. I'd also been underweight for a while so I thought the very small (maybe half a stone, max) weight gain I had was just me eating a little bit more. I also had a false negative pregnancy test at about twelve weeks. Like others, I was very worried as I'd been drinking (had thankfully given up smoking around time I think I conceived, though purely by coincidence) although I had gone off wine which was a good thing! I played netball twice a week too until I found out, was lucky I didn't take a serious tumble. Touch wood my beautiful 6.5month dd seems to be ok, but I'm taking nothing for granted! My bump was still pretty much unnoticeable until about 22 weeks so I can understand how it happens....

[FrankincenseWippery]

I only found out at 22 weeks from an unconnected gynae scan pre op. He came just under 6 weeks later.

One might suggest that having scan pictures of your pregnancy on your FB account blows the 'surprise' pregnancy story out the window.

[MrsLyman]

I remember the pics of stranded you really couldn't tell, but I think she was very sporty with good abs.

[AllYoursJingleBellbooshka]

I was gobsmacked the first time I saw Strandeds pictures. Literally zero bump, a complete flat stomach.

Her story was astonishing, though 100% genuine.

[RillaBlythe]

Didn't it come out that Stranded wasn't being entirely truthful?

[MumofWombat]

I can understand. I never had a bump with DS, but knew I was expecting. In fact I got married at 10 weeks, my dressmaker knew I was expecting as I almost fainted during a fitting. At 37 weeks she saw me again, and exclaimed that she hadn't heard I had had the baby. I replied that I hadn't, her face was a picture. No bump what so ever.

[WilsonFrickett]

I was 16 weeks, had two normal periods, felt tired but nothing out of the ordinary. When I went for the dating scan DS was well over 20 weeks...

[bradyismyfavouritewiseman]

My best friend found out when she was pushing her de out.
The baby was full term and had stomach pains for about an hour. She shouted her husband and told him she thought she was in labour, but the baby was already on its way out. Her lovely as was born before the ambulance even arrived.

[OrangeLily]

Two of my friends have done this! It's easier not to notice than you think.

[OrangeLily]

Two of my friends have done this! It's easier not to notice than you think.

[bradyismyfavouritewiseman]

Didn't it come out that Stranded wasn't being entirely truthful

I think that's right.

[FrankincenseWippery]

Indeed Brady and Rilla... See my earlier post.

[AllYoursJingleBellbooshka]

Oh right!

I had no idea that had come out.

Never mind.

[OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos]

I got to 24 weeks without knowing. All it takes is irregular periods and and an easy pregnancy and there's no reason why you would know.

I got a little bump and bigger boobs, but it was not long after Christmas and I'd had a holiday, I just thought I'd eaten too many pies. I also started a new, very physically demanding job, so I thought the tiredness was because of that.

[EverlongLovesHerChristmasRobin]

My young friend was 28 weeks. She was drinking and smoking and generally living it up. She had no clue.

Went to the GP with something or other he examined her and gave her the news!

Her little dd is amazing and totally gorgeous.

[EverlongLovesHerChristmasRobin]

Did stranded even have a baby at all? Or was it just the not knowing that was the lie untruth.

Frank 6 weeks to get you're head around having a baby