Jayde Lawrence, a 27-year-old property manager from Perth in Australia, thought she was suffering from appendicitis when she was taken for an emergency ultrasound, but was shocked when she heard the baby’s heartbeat through the monitor.
She barely had time to digest the news before giving birth to baby boy just a short time later, who she named Jax.
The sudden news meant her partner Kurt Stuart, 32, was unable to make it to the hospital in time to see the birth.
Jayde, who noticed a small weight gain over the nine months but blamed that on a lack of exercise and poor diet following a change of jobs, had not experienced any pregnancy symptoms and had even taken two pregnancy tests that proved negative.
She also has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can make it more difficult for women to conceive, and even continued to have periods throughout her pregnancy.
Jayde said she began experiencing excruciating stomach pains after getting in the shower as she prepared to run a work errand.
“I’m quite a stubborn person, so I let them go on for nearly an hour before I said anything to my partner but by that time, I was keeled over, white in the face and sweating profusely.
“Kurt just said I needed to go to hospital as it could be appendicitis. My brother drove me there and as I was checking myself into the emergency department, I was having what felt like labour pains.
“I said to the woman behind the counter “it feels like contractions – but that’s impossible because I’m not pregnant.”
However, Jayde was shocked to hear the sound of a heartbeat when she underwent her ultrasound.
‘I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – that was the most shocking part, to find out I was actually pregnant.
“I had no idea how far along I was or what was happening.”
Jayde said that after being rushed to the birthing suite, her baby was born after just four pushes.
“They just pulled him out, put him on my chest and said congratulations – you’ve just had a healthy baby boy.
“I’m one of those people to read a story like mine and think “as if you wouldn’t know that you’re pregnant”, but when it happens to you, and people say that to you, it’s like well – put yourself in that situation.
“I had absolutely no idea, and when I told everyone they were just shocked.’
Jayde was worried by how her partner Stuart would react to the news but said he was “absolutely over the moon” and “burst into tears” when he was told.
Despite the sudden birth, Jax has been declared fit and healthy by doctors.