An adventurous university student has shared her astonishing story of discovering she was pregnant and going into labour during her gap year in Australia, after initially mistaking the signs for a stomach bug.
The Unplanned Journey to Motherhood
Hattie Sheppard, a 21-year-old from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, was enjoying what she thought would be six months of carefree travel with her boyfriend Bailey Cheadle, 22. The University of York student had embarked on what they considered the trip of a lifetime, filled with parties, boat trips, and adrenaline-fuelled activities including a 100mph slingshot ride at a theme park.
A Painful Surprise
The couple's travels took an unexpected turn when Hattie began experiencing stomach pains. Initially dismissing it as a minor stomach bug, she took paracetamol to ease the discomfort. However, when the pain intensified and became localised to the right side of her abdomen, concerns about appendicitis prompted a visit to a hospital in South Queensland.
"It was a constant pain but when the pain was getting worse, I thought it was because of how I was moving but these were actually contractions, I just had no clue," Hattie recalled.
The Ultrasound Revelation
During an ultrasound examination, Hattie received what she described as "the most sickening and frightening" news of her life. The doctor informed her she was not only pregnant but already in labour.
"I remember turning and looking at the doctor's face when he was doing the ultrasound and he just had the most confused face I've ever seen," she said. "I asked him what was wrong and he said there's a baby. I thought this was impossible as I'm on the pill. And he said no there's a baby coming now and you're in labour. I didn't believe him at first."
Understanding the Cryptic Pregnancy
Hattie had experienced what medical professionals term a cryptic pregnancy – a condition where pregnancy goes undetected, sometimes until labour begins. Several factors contributed to her lack of awareness:
- Her placenta had positioned itself at the front of her stomach, preventing her from feeling the baby's movements
- The baby was growing near her spine, which meant she developed no visible bump
- She experienced minimal symptoms beyond subtle weight gain, which she attributed to medication changes
The Adrenaline-Fuelled Pre-Labour Activities
Remarkably, just months before giving birth, Hattie – who describes herself as "a little bit of an adrenaline junkie" – had participated in extreme activities including the high-speed slingshot ride in Surfers Paradise.
"Me and Bailey rented a boat out over here in Australia for my 21st birthday in September," she admitted. "We were jumping off the boat into the water, drinking and it was a standard 21st birthday."
The Unexpected Arrival
Following the shocking diagnosis, Hattie's waters were broken and just ten hours later, on January 14th, she gave birth to her daughter Isla-Grace Cheadle, who weighed 6lbs 7oz.
For Bailey, the news came as an equal shock. "When we got to the hospital I was filling in Hattie's details as she was in so much pain," he recalled. "I heard a massive cry and I ran in to see her and that's when I found out about the baby. The only thing I could do is to keep Hattie calm and not panic her. We had 10 hours between finding out and her being born."
Medical History and Contraception
Hattie emphasised that she had been taking the mini-pill for contraception and was not trying to conceive. Adding to the surprise was her medical history – having been diagnosed with Graves' disease, she had been told she might struggle to conceive naturally.
Embracing Unexpected Parenthood
Despite the sudden transition to parenthood, both Hattie and Bailey have embraced their new roles with joy. Bailey described falling in love with his daughter immediately: "It's weird to explain because you think how can you love someone straight away. We never got to have that bond during pregnancy [as we didn't know], but as soon as I saw her I fell in love straight away."
Hattie fondly described her daughter as the perfect "anniversary gift" for the couple, who have just celebrated one year together. "I honestly could not be happier," she said. "It's the strangest thing that could have happened but it feels normal."
Future Plans
The new parents are now making arrangements to return to the United Kingdom, where they plan to celebrate their joyous news with friends and family. Their gap year adventure has transformed into a life-changing journey they never anticipated, but one they now embrace wholeheartedly.
