How can someone not know?!

[WebLady]

I was sort of half watching this show on TV today about women that had babies when they didn't even know they were even pregnant. I just can't imagine how you could not know.

Most of the stories featured were older and/or overweight women, and they had little to no symptoms; it is still a little surprising to me.

Anyone ever known someone to give birth when they didn't know they were pregnant?

[katrina7875]

I worked with a girl who was pregnant & she didn't know it. I had just started working at a day care and I thought she looked pregnant but no one ever talked about it. Then she got bigger and bigger & I thought I overheard her talking to one of the parents about being pregnant. So one day I asked her when she was due. She didn't get mad (surprisingly enough) but told me she was just gaining weight. Well pretty soon her belly button popped out and you could totally see it through her clothing. Still no one talked about. Then one day my supervisor announced that this girl wouldn't be back to work in awhile because lo & behold she had a baby. That's when I found out that she got her period all during her pregnancy and her family had made her take a pregnancy test (which came out negative) because they also thought she was pregnant.

Brandi, I'm with you on this one. How can you be pregnant and not even know it!

[MrsGrady08]

A few weeks ago DH came home and told me there was a story in the paper about this. A lady had wrote in to dear abby or something like that about a girl she knew was pregnant and didn't know it until she started having back pains and went to the hospital...she was in labor!!

And I guess they had several nurses from all over write in and said its not all that uncommon. Most of them had seen it a couple of times. I will look around and see if I can find the story online.

But I don't see how you can't know either. I mean that baby has to move at sometime...wouldn't you think something was up then!

[sweetvenus]

I've never known anyone to give birth without knowing they were pregnant, but my sister-in-law was several months along when she found out she was pregnant the first time. She and my brother were told they would never be able to have kids, so she thought she was sick or something and went to the doctor, only to find out she was pregnant! They were in the middle of the adoption process, so they had to put that on hold. Now she is pregnant for the second time.

[SerendipityCrafts]

It's beyond me :) I knew something was "different" before even taking a pregnancy test.

[acidcookie]

I've always wondered this too. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to my body's changes but I think it would be impossible for me not to notice that something's up!!

[acidcookie]

It's beyond me :) I knew something was "different" before even taking a pregnancy test.

I have not yet been pregnant, but I get the feeling this would be the same for me. I'm pretty in tune with what my body's up to ;)

[MrsGrady08]

I found this online


Dear Abby : Pregnancy isn't always obvious

By Jeanne Phillips
Universal Press Syndicate
http://gcirm.tucson.gcion.com/RealMedia/.ads/adstream_lx.ads/entertainment.azstarnet.com/stories/1965547951/300x250_1/OasDefault/Dillards2008_22/tucson_300x250_102608.jpg/34366661643161373439303763663430?_RM_EMPTY_
DEAR ABBY: I am a nurse, writing in response to the letter from "Flabbergasted Parents in New Mexico." I have worked in small community hospitals and in the emergency rooms of trauma centers in larger cities. Over the years, I have seen many young ladies in their early 20s come into the ER with abdominal pain. When asked if there is a "possibility" that they could be pregnant, they say no. Even after a pelvic exam, when they are being taken up to labor and delivery, they deny they are having a baby.
This is like a pseudo-pregnancy, where the person thinks she is pregnant and has all the symptoms but isn't, in REVERSE. In their minds, these ladies feel that the possibility of pregnancy is not an option — so mind-over-matter takes over.
"Taryn," the girl in the letter, was probably not lying. She just could not face the truth until her baby actually came. Our bodies are amazing vehicles when you think about it. — Trisha in North Baltimore, Ohio
DEAR TRISHA: And so are our minds, apparently. I have a stack of mail on my desk verifying the fact that it's not unheard of for a woman to carry a baby well into pregnancy — and even to term — without knowing she's pregnant. Read on:
DEAR ABBY: As an RN, I have seen this happen several times. Most interesting was a middle-aged mother of two teenagers. Because both had been delivered by scheduled C-section, she had never experienced labor pains.
She had always been "chubby" and had been premenopausal with irregular periods for some time. She thought she had finally entered menopause and that the strange sensations she had been experiencing for the past few months were just "gas." Now she was truly scared, thinking the pain she was experiencing meant something was dreadfully wrong.
She and her husband were shocked at the diagnosis — a full-term pregnancy in active labor! Needless to say, she was taken to surgery for another C-section. — RN in Texas
DEAR ABBY: In late November of 1964, I went to my M.D. with a horrible backache. I'd had my periods all along and no abdominal discomfort. After examining me, he congratulated me on my near-term pregnancy!
My daughter was born two months later. You could call it the shortest pregnancy ever. — Sherry in Nevada

● Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

[Jenna5366]

Oh my. If I were, say, 6 months pregnant right now, without knowing it, I would feel terrible. My baby would liklely be born with FAS. And I would have smoked throughout my entire pregnancy, something I swear I will never do. And I've been around people smoking other stuff. I SO hope that I find out I'm pregnant way early. I couldn't imagine the guilt if I lived my regular lifestyle, not knowing.

[gwenshack]

Brandi - I saw the preview for that show the other day! I wanted to watch it because I thought it looked interesting (and so very bizarre) - I'm still hoping I'll get to catch it. I love those sort of weird medical mystery shows. Like the ones about the guy who weighs like 800 pounds. Baffles me.
But, to answer your question, as a hypochondriac in fine form, I guarantee I'd catch on if THAT was going on!

[acidcookie]

Oh my. If I were, say, 6 months pregnant right now, without knowing it, I would feel terrible. My baby would liklely be born with FAS. And I would have smoked throughout my entire pregnancy, something I swear I will never do. And I've been around people smoking other stuff. I SO hope that I find out I'm pregnant way early. I couldn't imagine the guilt if I lived my regular lifestyle, not knowing.

This is what would worry me too! It's not like I'm a drunk and can't stop, but I do like a good stiff drink here and there, and I drink wine pretty regularly, so if I realized I was drinking vodka with a baby, eep! :bbeek:

I guess the best we can do is a pregnancy test anytime something with our cycle feels off and notice weight gain, etc.

[caligal85]

I remember reading an article about this in high school. It surprised me then but now I totally believe it. If I can live 2 weeks with a ruptured appendix, I think someone can be pregnant and not know. The body is an amazing creation.

[gwenshack]

I remember reading an article about this in high school. It surprised me then but now I totally believe it. If I can live 2 weeks with a ruptured appendix, I think someone can be pregnant and not know. The body is an amazing creation.


Wha...? 2 weeks with a ruptured appendix? I thought that could kill you in like 24 hours or something! AMAZING. How did that happen? Weren't you in some serious pain?!? Crazy! Glad you're ok!!

[Kirby]

The thought of this happening is so mind boggling! I have a friend who swore she didn't know she was pregnant until she was like 5 or 6 months along and no one believes her. We all suspected that she was pregnant for awhile and she was wearing her boyfriend's sweatshirts in June, which seemed like she was trying to hide it. (she was 18 I think) After reading this stuff, I realize that she really might not have known.

Can you imagine going to the hospital and being told you are in labor when you didn't know you were pregnant? I would be so unprepared, having no items or room for a baby. Yikes! The drinking thing mentioned earlier would definitely be a factor for me too. Scary.

[Nekochanpurr]

Haha.. My uncles wife didn't know she was preggers till she was about 6 months along. Shes a pretty big girl, though. She had went sky diving and everything. o.o;

My friends roommate also found out later on she was having a baby. Haha, before she found out, she asked my friend 'hey, have you ever gotten these kind of cramps.. You know, like someone is poking you?'
..Seriously, that still is one of my favorite stories. lol

[Ninedays9]

Those are all very interesting stories. I've also never understood how someone could not know... that's what freaks me out so much about it. I feel like I'm in tune with my body, but there are those strange pregnancies with no symptoms until you start getting bigger.. which hopefully I would notice!

[mitch]

When My Eldest Step-Daughter was 8 Months Pregnant She didn't even show as expecting. She knew She was Pregnant. But when i stood next to Her i looked more Pregnant than Her. :bbeek: And neither of Us are what You would call over weight.

Her Son came in weighing 2lb 10oz and even after He was born She was still slim. Infact at Two Years Old He weighs 5 Stone less than His Mummy (Stone = 14 LB)

A girl i went to school with didn't know She was Pregnant. She went to the toilet in the Town Centre. And out popped Her Daughter. :bbeek:
Once again She never showed as putting on any weight and She had Her periods throughout the Pregnancy.

[WebLady]

A girl i went to school with didn't know She was Pregnant. She went to the toilet in the Town Centre. And out popped Her Daughter. :bbeek:One of the stories in that show was about just that! A lady had bad pains one night and then dropped a kid in the toilet! When they took her to the hospital they found out she had twins in there and delivered the other one ... now being preggers with twins and not knowing is even more baffling to me.

[gwenshack]

One of the stories in that show was about just that! A lady had bad pains one night and then dropped a kid in the toilet! When they took her to the hospital they found out she had twins in there and delivered the other one ... now being preggers with twins and not knowing is even more baffling to me.


This is all making me a little crazy!
As someone whose biggest fear/phobia/anxiety in life is getting pregnant, the only thing I can say is there would be just a tiny bit of relief in not knowing I was pregnant - I mean, all the anxiety I would feel if I found out I was pregnant would be bypassed.
But the anxiety when that baby popped out in the toilet or something would totatly overshadow the nine months of carefree lifestyle...

[WebLady]

Prenatal care is pretty important; it is luck that all the ladies featured in the show had healthy babies and didn't smoke or drink or anything.

[Ohio888Bride]

I can't imagine being pregnant and not knowing. I've heard stories, but it's just so weird. And the people who delivered or were in labor when they found out...wow!

[08chrissy08]

I can't imagine it, I really can't. My son was SO active in the womb. He had this thing with baths, even then. I would get in and lay down and he'd just go nuts. To this day he LOVES bath time! If i hadn't known I was pregnant before that point, I would have figured it out pretty darn fast!

[MrsDM]

Ironically enough, I am watching that show as I write. I think it is truely a miracle that these babies survive, but I too couldn't imagine not knowing you are pregnant!

[gwenshack]

Ironically enough, I am watching that show as I write. I think it is truely a miracle that these babies survive, but I too couldn't imagine not knowing you are pregnant!


OOOOH. Outstanding. I'm so glad you posted this because I so wanted to watch this - fortunately, being on the west coast, it hasn't come on yet, so I set myself a reminder to watch it at 8. Had you not said anything I wouldn't have known it was on again...thanks!

[LadyDante]

That's wild. Although I do remember my mother telling me that when she was pregnant with me, until she started showing, her pregnancy was so smooth with no morning sickness that if she didn't know any better, she wouldn't have thought she was pregnant.

[southern*belle*]

My cousin had this happen. she's kind of a bigger girl and carries her weight around her midsection. She has PCOS, and was told that she would never have children, so she never thought that was the reason for her gaining weight. She started having pains in her back and went to the hospital and they told her she was in labor! Talk about shocked! She smoke and drank throughout the entire pregnancy because she didn't know! She has the most beautiful little girl now!

I don't understand how someone could be pregnant and not know it. I had a miscarriage, but when I was pregnant, I just knew something was wrong. I took a test just for the heck of it, because I felt different, and I was like 2 weeks along or something like that. I got it right at the beginning. My dr was suprised at how I detected it. I just know my body really well.

[f77g4]

I had a co-worker in high school (who later became a good friend of mine) that to this day swears she did not know she was pregnant and that one day she went to the bathroom and she had a baby girl.

She isn't what I would call overweight or a big girl really but she is by no means stick thin. One night at work she commented on how her work pants didn't seem to be fitting her right any more but noone really thought anything of it because of the style of the pants, etc (if you didn't like your figure without the pants, you by no means like it with...lol)....and I remember that one of us girls even commented with an "are you pregnant" and she said no.

She didn't really gain any weight - and what she did gain just looked like the normal ring around the belly (or spare tire) - no full blown baby belly.

Thankfully her daughter was ok.

I am still amazed to this day that noone would know - I mean you may still have your period and whatnot (as apparently this is quite common) but to not feel the baby move? Puzzles me.

Now I have heard things from other people that say she knew and that the father knew and that they had secretly been buying stuff and preparing but she swears she didnt' know.

[FFC]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I'm going to throw this out: So what happens if this happens and the mother is on B/C the entire pregnancy??

[f77g4]

I saw an article online and it said that the hormones in B/C aren't harmful to babies but that no medication that isn't beneficial to you or the baby should be taken while you're pregnant.

Articles online say that this is very common especially at the beginning of pregnancies.

[Chele&Chris]

I know a few people who did not know they were pregnant.... my aunt had her period and everything the whole time..she was having bad pains and they all thought she it was her apendix or something like that and she delivered a 5 lb baby that is now 40 yrs old..... I worked with a girl who I kept telling her that she was pregnant.. she looked it and was gaining weight but swore she wasn't because she hadn't had a period in 2 years.. she finally went to the doctor and he informed her she was indeed pregnant.. 2 weeks later to the day she had a beautiful little girl that was a little over 7 lbs. and most recently a co-worker and his wife were told they couldn't have kids... she was riding her horse and something spooked it and she was thrown from the horse and when they took her to the hospital and started to do x-rays... the did the test x-ray and the tech. came out and said "STOP! we can't x-ray you have a skeleton in your stomach" she is 6 months pregnat!!!!

[He_calls_me_Angel]

my mom worked Labor and Delivery as a nurse for years and she said you would be surprised by the number of women that come in in labor that had no idea they were pregnant. She said her most memorable was a woman who was rather large- my mom said that she didn't know how the woman walked, that she was more than likely near 500 pounds- and she came in complaining of severe stomach pains and low and behold she had a baby.

My mom said she remembers it most because the woman had to have a c-section and they had to clean her, and they found a piece of toast in her folds.... and it was difficult basically digging through her to get the baby out! I can't even picture how they did a c-section...

[rainbowtreat]

I watched this show aswell. I still have a hard time believing this is possible even after reading al your stories. I had 3 kids, I knew with in a couple of weeks with my last one that I was pregnant. My breast were so sore and bigger. The babies move so much, i was sick with a couple of them, I had cravings, nothing crazy but had to have certain things out of the blue. Yes we were trying to get pregnant all 3 times so I was looking for the positve but still there are so many things your body goes through no matter how big or small you are. I just can't grasp the idea of not ever knowing.

[Piedpiper522]

My mom said she remembers it most because the woman had to have a c-section and they had to clean her, and they found a piece of toast in her folds.... and it was difficult basically digging through her to get the baby out! I can't even picture how they did a c-section...

oh my word! That is horrifying! :huh:

[Hope75]

I'm pregnant now and honestly I can't imagine someone not knowing something is up...even if they can't pinpoint pregnancy.

[f77g4]

I'm pregnant now and honestly I can't imagine someone not knowing something is up...even if they can't pinpoint pregnancy.

Congratulations!

[gwenshack]

Congratulations!


From me too!