I Never Knew I Was Pregnant And I Was 7 Months Gone

In August 2019, I was 23 years old, working in central London, going on holidays, and was on the go non-stop. I honestly never knew I was pregnant until the day I felt kicking in my stomach and took three pregnancy tests, which all came back positive. I went to the doctor immediately and was told I was 30 weeks pregnant – 7 months.

I had been due to move in with my partner the next week, and was at the height of my career with no plans for a baby for at least 5 years – it was terrifying. I went to a scan the next day because we had no idea how healthy this baby would be after hiding away for 7 whole months. We were told it was a healthy and beautiful baby girl.

We had two months to prepare for our daughter, from sorting out maternity leave and a place to live, to the daunting mental task of experiencing childbirth and then becoming parents.

In October, 24 hours of induced labor and an emergency Caesarean later, Savannah was born and my life changed for the better. 8 months in now, she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. We call her our miracle baby because she grew so perfectly in secret and is the happiest baby you’ll ever meet. I believe she was meant to be here on this Earth and I was meant to be her mother.

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P and P – Wow! That’s amazing. She’s beyond adorable!! 

Can you share more on that exact day you felt the kick? Take me through the day until the point of the kick.

Daisy – I was working in Soho all summer long, going to meetings and feeling completely 100% myself – I had no symptoms, no morning sickness, and no bump! One day I came home after a long day’s work and was alone in my room. I lay down and felt an alien-like kicking sensation in the bottom of my stomach.

I didn’t even think it was a baby at first, I put it down to digestion or just an odd feeling until I saw my stomach ripple as if a foot or hand was moving around – as you see in a movie. I panicked and didn’t move for hours, before deciding to sleep it off and take a pregnancy test in the morning. I didn’t even tell my mother who was downstairs or my partner, I wanted to be sure first so I kept it to myself and went through a million emotions that night.

P and P – What happened the next morning?

Daisy – I woke up and bought three pregnancy tests on Oxford Street on my way to work the next morning. The first one I took had a negative line and a faint positive line. I thought I may not be pregnant and it may be a glitch, but when I sat back down at my desk and glanced at the leaflet which came with the test, I read that if you have a second line, no matter how faint it is, you are pregnant.

I had to get through the working day with the rising panic that I had a baby inside me and with no idea how far along I was. I took another test in the afternoon and the last when I got home, all with the same result. I still hadn’t told anyone, but called the Doctor and asked for an emergency GP appointment. I took the next morning off work and went to the doctor, where they confirmed my pregnancy and that I was 30 weeks along. The shock was unreal, I didn’t cry, just shouted at the nurse that it couldn’t be true!

P and P – (Laughs) You shouted at the nurse?

Daisy – Hahaha I actually kicked the nurse’s bed too.

P and P – Let’s back up! When you believed you were pregnant, how far gone were you thinking you were?

Daisy – Honestly, I thought I was about 2-3 months along. That sounds crazy as I’d felt the movement in my stomach, but it was probably some sort of denial. I thought that as I hadn’t had any symptoms I couldn’t be further than a few months along. It was only when I was on my way to the doctor googling things and found out that you don’t feel kicking until at least six months, that I began to understand the gravity of the situation.

You can see how small my bump was , that was about 8 months

P and P – That really was a small bump. Before you found out, did you at all think your stomach was getting bigger or you were putting on weight?

Daisy – Yes good point. I have always been a curvy girl so have never had a flat stomach in my life, and that’s why I didn’t notice initially. I did think I was putting on weight all through the summer, and couldn’t work out why as I was eating the same as usual! I had to buy dresses and skirts in the size up and felt self-conscious about it but honestly, pregnancy never crossed my brain as I was on birth control. I lived with my mum, three sisters, and partner and no one ever looked at me and thought I was pregnant. My stomach just looked as if I’d put on a bit of fat!

Once I found out it was a baby, I think the bump really popped and within a couple of weeks I started to look pregnant, and people would comment on the bump. There is apparently something in your psyche which means when you find out you’re pregnant, you start acting like it and walking different, etc, almost showing it off more.

I must have subconsciously covered my stomach all those months. Even from myself. 

P and P – What about your periods in all the 7 months?

Daisy – I was taking the pill back to back so was deliberately not having periods or expecting them at all.

P and P – So the doctor tells you you are 7 months pregnant. Were you angry, sad, happy? And how did you tell your partner, mom, and sisters?

Daisy – At first I was shocked and like I said, in denial about it. I sat with the doctor telling her there must be something wrong, and she brought a counselor in and they talked me through the fact that I was going to be having a baby in two months’ time. I asked them to leave the room and called my mom. When she picked up. I didn’t tell her gently – I was in such a state that I shouted down the phone ‘mom I’m pregnant and I’m seven months along- help me!’.

She asked where I was and came straight to get me, and we sat in a café for the entire day going through what we were going to do. She was my rock. She supported me and didn’t judge one bit, and told me this was a blessing. I then asked my partner to come straight to my house when he finished work, and he kept asking what was wrong over the phone, but obviously I didn’t want to text him the news. I was very anxious about how he would react as he was just as unprepared as I was, but when he got to my house I told him and he panicked at first but then he went home to tell his own parents, came back and was calm and reassuring, telling me that we would be absolutely fine.

Luckily we were in a relationship that was very secure and knew that we wanted to have kids together one day, so it was just a case of feeling like we been robbed of a few years of freedom before we had our first child! We kept it a secret overnight while I let it sink in for myself, and then I told my sisters the next morning. I cried when I told them as it was all so new, so they were sympathetic and supportive, but also excited. My 12-year-old sister couldn’t believe she was going to be an aunty and thought it was so cool.

Our biggest thought as a family then was worrying about the health of the baby, so we booked a private scan for the next day at a local clinic. I was so scared on the way there as I didn’t want to see the ultrasound and have it all be real.

When we got there it was so bizarre, the midwife put the gel on my stomach and started showing me the baby’s lungs, kidneys legs everything. I was so worried something would be wrong with the baby as I’d not been acting like a pregnant woman, but luckily she was completely healthy and when we got told it was a girl I cried with absolute happiness and joy.

From then on it was all excitement and planning for everyone. We decided on the name and started picking out furniture for her nursery, clothes, etc, and also planning the baby shower.

It quickly went from panic to me feeling very existential. If something this crazy happens to you, it has to be for a reason.

I was so excited to meet her and by the time I gave birth, I knew I was meant to be a momma.

Related: 10 Unique and Meaningful Name Ideas for Your Baby

P and P – I’m curious! What was the first baby item you bought?

Daisy – I think it was the pram! My partner’s dad kindly bought us a car seat and pram set from iCandy. There was so much to get. 

P and P – Savannah is such beautiful! What are the top 3 products you could not do without when you had her?

Daisy – 1. Baby carrier from baby Björn – we used it everyday when I just had her.

2. Baby bath – we have a little bath which she can’t slip out of, she loves it so much.

3. Her cot from a British brand called John Lewis – it’s amazing as she’s starting to wriggle around and I can put her in there during the day and know she’s not going anywhere.

P and P – If there’s one advice you can give a mom right now who just had her little one, what would that be?

Daisy – I tell everyone that motherhood makes you selfless immediately. From the moment they are born, every little thing you do is for them, and it’ll be that way forever, she will always be my priority.

And I would tell that mom that she can do this. Even when they are screaming and you’ve had no sleep, or you’re struggling financially, whatever it is, you can do it. All mamas are superheroes, You don’t know what you’re capable of.

Follow Daisy and her beautiful family on Instagram @daisyaleigh.