A shocked woman went to hospital with suspected appendicitis and gave birth 45 minutes later.
Demi-Lee Sefton had no idea she was expecting a baby when she went into labour.
The 21-year-old is now a proud mum to daughter Hazel.
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Demi-Lee and partner Brad Barrington, 21, had been together four years but planned to buy a house together before starting a family.
The dental nurse said she’d had no symptoms and was having regular bleeding which she’d mistaken for her period.
“I had normal period cramp pains and thought nothing of it so I took some paracetamol and went to bed,” Demi-Lee, from Leeds, told What’s the Jam.
“The pain got worse and I hardly slept.
“At around 5am, I thought I had appendicitis, so I called my mum and she came over.
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“She rang an ambulance as soon as she saw me.
“The paramedics said they thought I was in labour.
“I was so confused, I hadn’t had any symptoms so I didn’t know what was going on.
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“And I was in so much pain.”
Medics at the hospital confirmed that Demi-Lee was at least 30 weeks pregnant and she was rushed into a delivery suite.
Demi-Lee says she struggled to get hold of Brad who was at work as a joiner and he missed the birth.
She said: “After the ultrasound, they said I should be giving birth in the next hour.
“When I heard that, it was pure panic.
“I was trying to get hold of Brad.
“He didn’t answer until I was literally about to give birth.
“My mum had to hang up and ring him back once Hazel was born and she congratulated him.
“His first reaction was to cry and he rushed to the hospital as soon as he could.
“He’s an amazing partner, he was in shock at first but then he was overjoyed because he’s always dreamed of becoming a dad.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do or how it was going to pan out.
“I’d been drinking throughout the pregnancy so I was panicking about that.
“Luckily, I managed to calm myself and do what I needed to do.
“I had an amazing birth despite the circumstances.”
Hazel was born weighing 6lbs 1oz.
Demi-Lee and Brad’s family rallied around to get essentials such as a Moses basket and baby clothes.
Doctors later explained that Demi-Lee’s pregnancy had gone unnoticed because Hazel was growing into her back meaning she didn’t have a visible bump and she hadn’t felt movement.
She said: “Looking back, I had zero symptoms of pregnancy excluding heartburn.
“But I thought nothing of it as my diet was full of food that could induce heartburn.
“I ave always suffered with irregular periods meaning I’d have one for a couple months then skip them but that’s normal for me.
“People didn’t believe us when we told them because they’d seen me days before I had her and I obviously didn’t look pregnant.
“Friends and family are proud of us for how we are and coping and how we’ve taken on the role as parents.”
Demi-Lee admits motherhood has been both wonderful and overwhelming.
She added: “We had talked about having kids but obviously wanted to be prepared and have a house.
“We want a girl and a boy so we’re half way there but we don’t have plans for anymore for the time being.
“Life now as a mum is amazing but also harder than I thought.
“I wouldn’t change becoming a mum in the slightest because she is my whole world.
“I couldn’t imagine my life without her.
“It’s harder because now I worry about everything and anything, if she’s too hot or too cold.
“I still don’t think I’ve actually accepted the fact that I am a mum because I didn’t have that time to prepare and come to terms with it.
“Sometimes it doesn’t feel real still but then I look at her and think ‘wow, I actually made you and you are the most amazing thing ever’.
“But even though she was a surprise and we were unprepared, she is the best thing that has happened to me.
“I wouldn’t change anything about it other than knowing she was coming.
“She’s happy, healthy and progressing the way she should and that’s all i can ask for.”
Hazel was born on 12 May last year.
