Health

Woman Went Into Hospital With Tummy Ache After Working Double Shift – And Gave Birth 20 Minutes Later

Published

7 years ago

July 27, 2017

A care home worker received an unforgettable Christmas surprise when she went into hospital with tummy ache, but gave birth 20 minutes later.

In the hours leading up to her Yuletide shock, Adele Duncan, 23, of Aberdeen, Scotland, had worked a double shift, picked up some last-minute Christmas shopping and enjoyed a McDonald’s tea.

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Then, going to bed at 10.30pm on December 23, last year, she felt an excruciating stomach pain.

On December 25, Adele – who had been completely unaware she was pregnant – took her baby girl home, announcing her surprise Christmas present to 1,000 astonished pals via Facebook.

Adele wrote: “I can let you know about what Santa decided to drop off to me two days before Xmas.

“Everyone might be a bit shocked just like I still am. [I] still can’t get my head around it all really, but I would like you all to meet baby Duncan.

“She was a surprise, born 23/12/2016 weighting 7lb 1.5oz at 11.43pm at night after a quick 20-minute labour.

“She shocked us all and arrived after me having had a hard day at work and then going shopping.

“Me and baby are perfectly fine and everything is okay.”

Adele, now mum to seven-month-old Macie, is believed to have conceived her surprise girl in March or April 2016, following a brief fling with a man she remains friends with, but asked not to name.

Despite admitting she had not used contraception, she never imagined she was expecting.

She continued to smoke up to 30 cigarettes a day, and on her birthday in September enjoyed a heavy night out – drinking frozen vodka slushes and cider and blackcurrant.

Fortunately, after that she stopped drinking – because she was trying to save money.

And, aside from a bit of backache – which she brushed off, she experienced no pregnancy symptoms at all.

But, having never been to a scan or antenatal class and with no cot, baby clothes or even a nappy, she felt very ill prepared for motherhood.

“I stayed a size 16 throughout my pregnancy,” said Adele, who has always experienced inconsistent periods.

“Because my periods are very on-and-off I didn’t notice anything different.”

As a care home worker Adele also continued to perform strenuous tasks.

“I’d get people in and out of bed and the bath,” she explained.

On December 23, 2016, arriving at the care home at 7am for a double shift, she continued with her usual back-breaking routine – oblivious to the fact she was about to give birth.

“My back hurt, but I didn’t think much of it,” she continued.

“Afterwards, I popped into town for a few last-minute Christmas pressies. I had a McDonald’s and went home.”

But that night, then living with her mum, she felt a pain and went to the loo – then realising she was bleeding.

She explained: “There was blood everywhere.”

Her mum called 999 and an ambulance took her to hospital, where doctors announced she was pregnant.

“I honestly didn’t know,” she said. “But, I was taken to the labour ward and just 20 minutes later I was told, ‘you have a baby girl.’”

Despite Adele drinking and smoking her baby was healthy, full-term and weighed 7lb 1oz.

Remarkably, she was born en-caul – still in her amniotic sac.

This is an incredibly rare phenomenon, which happens in fewer than one in 80,000 births. Midwives popped the sac and placed Macie in her shocked mum’s arms.

“I loved her straight away,” said Adele. “But I hadn’t thought for an instant I was pregnant.

“I called my friend Laura, and said, ‘Guess what… I’ve had a baby!’”

Her mum recruited family members who rushed to supermarkets and stockpiled nappies ahead of Christmas Day.

Seventeen minutes after Macie arrived on Christmas Eve. A day later she was welcomed home to her grandmother’s house where she met her extended family.

“When I announced on Facebook I was a mum – and didn’t know I was going to be – there were a lot of shocked faces,” said Adele.

“A week later, my sister – who, unlike me, knew she was pregnant – had a baby, so Macie had a little cousin to play with straight away.”

Taking to motherhood immediately, Adele said she found it “very rewarding”.

“I always thought my job in a care home was the most rewarding thing I did,” she explained. “But, while it’s very worthwhile, nothing compares to being a mum to Macie.

“She’s my angel, my miracle – I wouldn’t be without her.

“I can’t wait to celebrate her birthday and Christmas with her this year.”