A woman thought she was constipated and didn't realise she was pregnant until suddenly giving birth in bed. Emily Graham, 27, woke up with period cramp-like stomach pains on the January 13 before having the 'shock of her life'.
The new mum, from Warrington, initially thought the pains were just constipation but they quickly worsened, with her suddenly feeling the urge to 'push'. Her fiance Ash Green quickly called for an ambulance, with paramedics arriving just in time to deliver their baby Isabelle on their bed.
The 27-year-old retail assistant claims she had no idea she was expecting so worked hours before giving birth, drank at her works' Christmas do and even rode on Florida's fastest roller coaster three times in Orlando last September, when she would have been around six months pregnant.
READ MORE "I could have died": Horrifying moment man collapsed in workout at PureGym
There, the pair went on Florida's fastest and tallest launch roller coaster three times - the 155 feet tall Jurassic World VelociCoaster, in Universal Studios, which launched them 70 mph within 2.4 seconds.
Photos reveal her and 25-year-old hospitality shift leader Ash riding the roller coasters at Orlando's theme parks with their hands in the air, completely unaware she was expecting.
She was even more stunned when Ash revealed he'd felt the baby kick weeks before but 'didn't want to mention it' as he thought she was just 'twitching' in her sleep. Emily had been diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that affects how the ovaries work and had been told she may never be able to conceive.
She had an en caul birth, where Isabelle was born still in her amniotic sac, a rare occurrence happening in less than one in 80,000 births. She had no major symptoms during pregnancy, no noticeable bump and didn't feel any movements. Although she did not have periods, this was not abnormal due to her PCOS.
Emily said: "She's definitely a miracle. I was told I may not be able to have children. We spoke about having them before and we were disappointed but thought if it happens great, but if not, we'll get on with it. But we're really happy now.
"We went to Florida in September on the rollercoasters and everything when I would have been about six months pregnant if she was full term. We love rollercoasters and are obsessed with Disney. We went on the Velocicoaster about three times, which is a massive one.
"I thought that I was constipated but I was actually going into labour. It felt like I needed to have a poo but obviously not, it was the contractions starting and they were coming like every ten minutes. I didn't know I was pregnant, which is rare, and she was delivered in the sac as well, which is really rare apparently."
And after waking up at around 7.30am on January 13 with the severe stomach pains, she was still completely unaware she would be about to give birth on her own bed.
Emily added: "I told my fiance that I didn't feel well and had bad stomach pains. I then went on the toilet thinking I could just be constipated or something. I sat there for a while and was just thinking 'oh no, this isn't period pains'.
"So I went back to bed, thinking it would just pass, and woke up ten minutes later. I don't know how to explain the pain - it was like my insides being ripped apart. I was screaming in pain, it was that bad.
"I went back to the toilet and my fiance came in to see if I was ok. He was googling what it could be and said 'eeerm, you could be pregnant'. About half an hour later I felt like I needed to push and thought oh God I think I am pregnant.
"We rang the paramedics and they came just in time to deliver her, she was delivered at home on the bed. If they'd arrived even two minutes later then my fiance would have been doing it.
"I had the shock of my life to be honest. Holding her for the first time was amazing, there was no other moment like it. It's a blur but at the same time I remember that part."
Emily gave birth to her healthy 5lbs 9oz baby girl Isabelle at 9:50am, and was taken to hospital. She said that doctors believed her to be full-term and that Emily must have had high blood pressure during her pregnancy, which is why she was small and didn't have a bump.
Emily said: "I didn't really have any symptoms to be honest. I was throwing up at the start but it would pass in a few days and I just thought I'd eaten something dodgy. I didn't have a bump or feel any movements. I didn't have periods throughout my pregnancy but I can go months without one so just didn't even think to question it.
"I had heartburn towards the end, but that was about it. I just put that down to eating. I wasn't on any contraception because we were kind of trying at the same time and thought if it happens, it happens.
"I went up a few dress sizes, I think it was two, but I thought that I was just over indulging over Christmas and putting weight on. I work in retail and walk around all day, I was still working up until the night before.
"I drink but I'm not a big drinker, I just had a few drinks here and there. I had the work Christmas party just before she was born, and probably had quite a few to drink there to be honest.
"My fiance phoned our parents when we were in the ambulance. At first they were like 'oh congratulations, when's it due?'. And we said no, she's here now. Now we've had Isabelle, I want another one. So fingers crossed we can have more children."
Read more Real Life stories here
READ NEXT:
- Young footballer starts chemotherapy just three weeks after seeing GP
- 'I thought my bruises were from playing netball - I could never have imagined the truth'
- 'Dating scammers stole my identity for fake profiles on Grindr, Instagram and Facebook'
- 'I've matched 800 couples - this is how long it takes to find love'
- Dad-of-four given just days to live after complaining of stomach ache
