A woman went into labour with a surprise baby – after she started having contractions on a cocktail night out with the girls.
Support worker, Lavinia Stanton, 23, experienced ‘the shock of her life’ after welcoming little Willow into the world last month with her partner electrician Cameron Wroot, 25.
The mum-of-one from Halifax, West Yorkshire, left the restaurant at 10pm after experiencing cramps – which she later found out were contractions – and decided to visit her mum’s house nearby.
Lavinia’s own mother, hairdresser, Amanda Hardcastle, 42, waited an hour before calling 111 and was told by the caller to pop to hospital if her daughter’s pain continued to get worse.
Support worker Lavinia Stanton, had baby Willow just hours after finding out she was pregnant, pictured with partner, Cameron Wroot, at home near Halifax, West York
A shocked Lavinia was rushed to the labour ward with baby Willow born via c-section weighing 6lb 1oz at 8:54am. Pictured: Baby Willow sleeping shortly after birth
The support worker (left) had been enjoying Pornstar Martinis on a night out with her two close friends completely unaware she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant
The pair visited her local A&E at 2am where she was asked to do a urine sample and within minutes doctors confirmed she was in labour.
A shocked Lavinia was rushed to the labour ward with baby Willow born via c-section weighing 6lb 1oz at 8:54am.
Just ten hours earlier the support worker had been enjoying Pornstar Martinis on a night out with her two close friends completely unaware she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant.
She said she had periods throughout the hidden pregnancy and had two negative pregnancy tests just weeks before her surprise bundle of joy arrived.
Lavinia and Cameron have spent the past few weeks getting their head around being first-time parents. Pictured during her pregnancy
Both she and Cameron have spent the past few weeks getting their head around being first-time parents.
Lavinia, from Halifax, west Yorks, who thought the few extra pounds she had put on was just ‘lockdown weight’, said: ‘I’m still in shock.
‘A few weeks have passed now and I’m slowly getting into the swing of things.
‘Sure I put on a bit of weight recently but thought that was just lockdown weight like everyone else.’
Lavinia thought she had put on a bit of weight but assumed that it was just lockdown weight like everyone else. Pictured during her pregnancy (left)
‘I went out to see my friends for dinner and a few drinks. With everything opening it was just seemed like a normal night.
‘During dinner I had what felt like cramp and I made a comment to my friends.
‘When we were leaving it was a really bad pain so I visited my mum’s to have a lie down.
‘She said to leave it an hour before calling 111 to see if the pain passed but it was really quite painful.
When Lavinia’s mum called 111 she described the pain as ‘like she’s having contractions’ but it was just a passing comment
‘Even when my mum was calling 111 she even said ‘it’s like she’s having contractions’ but that was just a passing comment.
‘The 111 caller couldn’t really diagnose it and suggested going to A&E if the pain didn’t go away.’
‘When I got there I thought they would say I had appendicitis or had some sort of infection.’
‘The doctors saw the pain I was in and looking back I think they sort of knew.
The doctors initially diagnosed Lavinia with an infection before realising her pain was actually due to an unknown pregnancy
‘I did a urine test and then they came back telling me I was being moved to a different ward and that I was in labour.
‘I think I was just silent and then came out with, “Are you joking?”.
‘I genuinely was not expecting to be told I was not only pregnant, but my baby was on the way.
‘I genuinely had no idea. Neither did anyone else.
The support worker had periods throughout the hidden pregnancy and had two negative pregnancy tests just weeks before her surprise bundle of joy arrived. Pictured at 2.5 weeks old
Lavinia took her second pregnancy test a month before she gave birth. She was getting bad stomach pains which would leave her unable to walk
‘I hadn’t done anything crazy during that time like bungee jump off a cliff but I was still working long hours throughout it.
‘I hadn’t experienced any symptoms of pregnancy.
‘No morning sickness, no kicking in the tummy, nothing.
‘I did two pregnancy tests a few weeks before but they came back negative.
‘My friend told me to take one when I had a really bad migraine and ended up being sick.
‘The second one was a month before I gave birth. I was getting really bad stomach pains which would leave me unable to walk for a minute or so.’
‘But again that came back negative.
‘I’d put on around a stone and a half but I put that down to lockdown weight.
The couple are still in shock over the surprise arrival but are quickly adjusting to being new parents
Four days before Lavinia gave birth her partner mentioned that she looked a little different, not knowing that she was actually 38 weeks pregnant
‘I didn’t look like I had a pregnant belly, just that I had gone up a dress size.’
‘I had pains in my stomach the week beforehand but it felt like a cramp.’
‘Even my partner didn’t clock. When he came to visit me in hospital we were speaking about it.’
‘He said that he thought I looked a bit different four days earlier. But I had Willow in me for 38 weeks!’
‘At the start of the pandemic I wouldn’t have thought I’d have a daughter near the end.’
‘But she’s here and Cameron and I are in love with her.’