When Chelsea Keenan was hospitalized, the paramedics thought her appendix was to blame for her pain. But the 27-year-old was actually pregnant – and just had her baby.
When mothers hear that women become pregnant unnoticed, the reaction is usually similar: a frown in disbelief, followed by a critical look and a skeptical comment. Is that possible? How can you carry a baby for nine months without knowing it? So did Chelsea Keenan. Until the same fate befell her.
The woman from Great Britain was already the mother of three children when she suddenly woke up one morning with severe back pain. She called an ambulance. Because the feeling was not only unbearable, it also seemed familiar – from her previous births. It couldn't actually be. Because Chelsea had neither a big belly nor pregnancy symptoms.
Chelsea was 32 weeks pregnant unnoticed
For this reason, it quickly became clear to the paramedics: The 27-year-old was suffering from appendicitis. With this suspicion and a lot of flashing lights, they took the woman to the hospital. But they didn't even get there. Because while driving, Chelsea suddenly ordered the paramedic to open her pants. She felt like she had to press.
No sooner said than done: just a few moments later, to the surprise of all those present, the woman was still holding her newly born baby in her arms in the ambulance.
"They didn't believe me when I said I was going to have a baby and that I had to push," Chelsea told the Daily Mail. You yourself did not know anything about the pregnancy until the 32nd week: "I was on my period, didn't feel bad, and I was wearing my size 12 jeans until the day I was born!"
Unfortunately, her son, called Elliot, had to be quickly transferred to the intensive care unit in the hospital. Because not only the little boy's leg was deformed, his abdominal wall did not want to overgrown either. The bladder and bowel were exposed outside the body.
Elliot had to be moved to a specialty clinic – so his parents moved him to another city, while his grandmother looked after the other children. The tragedy: at the age of just two months, the boy had to endure numerous operations. But his mother is still at his side and believes in her son: "He's been through hell and back, but he's a fighter. He stole the heart of everyone who cares for him", Chelsea is positive. By now, Elliot should be stable – and the family hopes to finally be able to bring him home for Christmas.
Sources used: GoFundMe, Daily Mail