A 21-year-old dental nurse who rushed to hospital with suspected appendicitis received the shock of her life when she gave birth to a baby girl just 45 minutes later.
No Bump, No Symptoms, No Idea
Demi-Lee Sefton, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, had no idea she was expecting a child. She experienced what she believed were regular period cramps and had been having monthly bleeding, which masked any signs of pregnancy.
The devoted couple had been together for four years with partner Brad Barrington, also 21, and planned to buy a house before starting a family. Demi-Lee's pregnancy went completely unnoticed because, as doctors later explained, her baby was growing towards her back.
This unusual position meant she never developed a visible baby bump and didn't feel any foetal movement. "I had normal period cramp pains and thought nothing of it so I took some paracetamol and went to bed," Demi-Lee recalled.
A Night of Escalating Pain and Panic
The pain intensified overnight, leaving Demi-Lee sleepless. By 5am, convinced it was appendicitis, she called her mother, who immediately rang for an ambulance after seeing her.
Paramedics stunned Demi-Lee by suggesting she was in labour. "I was so confused, I hadn’t had any symptoms so I didn’t know what was going on. And I was in so much pain," she said.
Upon arrival at hospital, medics confirmed via ultrasound that Demi-Lee was at least 30 weeks pregnant and rushed her to a delivery suite, warning birth was imminent within the hour.
A Disbelieving Partner and a Rapid Delivery
Demi-Lee frantically tried to contact Brad, who was at work as a joiner. When she finally reached him, her announcement was met with disbelief. "When I called him, all I said was that I was ‘in labour’. He said; ‘you’re lying, you’re having me on’ then I put the phone down to push," she explained.
True to the medical prediction, Demi-Lee gave birth to daughter Hazel just 45 minutes after arriving at hospital in May last year. Hazel weighed a healthy 6lbs 1oz.
"I rang him back when she'd been born and said 'congratulations, you're a daddy' and he burst into tears," Demi-Lee said. Brad rushed to the hospital, overjoyed despite the initial shock, having always dreamed of fatherhood.
The new parents' families rallied around, quickly gathering essentials like a Moses basket and baby clothes for the totally unexpected arrival.
Life with a 'Wonderful' Surprise Daughter
Reflecting on the hidden pregnancy, Demi-Lee said she had no cravings, though she ate a lot of Galaxy Ripples, and only experienced heartburn, which she attributed to her diet. Her irregular periods, which she saw as normal, also helped conceal her condition.
"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," she added.
Now, approaching Hazel's first birthday, Demi-Lee admits motherhood is both amazing and overwhelming. "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," she confessed.
Despite the lack of preparation, she has no regrets. "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."
The couple, who had wanted a girl and a boy, feel they are halfway there but have no immediate plans for more children. For now, they are focused on their happy, healthy daughter who changed their lives in the space of one astonishing hour.
