Woman didn't know she was pregnant until she went into labour at a party

A woman found out she was pregnant just four hours before she gave birth, after abdominal pains forced her to leave a party and rush to hospital.

Lorna Goodings, 25, was convinced she was 'just bloated' after doctors thought put her swollen tummy down to the effects of her contraceptive implant.

She even did a pregnancy test on 31 July 2021 - whilst unknowingly 38 weeks pregnant - which came back negative.

But that evening she doubled over in pain while at a party, so her friends took her to the hospital where doctors told her that she was 38 weeks pregnant and in labour.

"I still thought they were wrong when I heard that," said Goodings. "I had been so convinced that it was just side effects from the implant."

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Four hours later she gave birth to her second child, Daphne Burdiak – who weighed 8lbs 2oz – at Northampton General hospital, on 1 August 2021.

"I had a rush of love as soon as I held her in my arms," Goodings said. "But I was still in a massive state of shock. It was certainly something to get my head around."

The pregnancy was such a surprise that Goodings' partner, Nick Burdiak, 42, a machine operator, couldn't make it for the birth as he was on a night out with his friends.

Burdaik said: "It was a huge shock and something neither of us ever thought could happen, especially as we were careful.

"Luckily she is healthy and beautiful but things could have been a lot worse. We are very grateful."

Now the pair have two little girls together - both under 13 months - as Daphne's big sister, Vivienne, was born in June 2020.

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Goodings, a publisher at a travel magazine, from Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, said: "I had been feeling awful for months and was constantly bloated but I was convinced I wasn't pregnant.

"I even saw my GP and she didn't think I was. I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. I wasn't having periods, but I hadn't since I had gone on the implant so I thought it was that.

"When I went into labour, I was at a party with my friends, and I was in pain all day. It got so bad that my friends took me to the hospital, and medics told me I was 38 weeks pregnant and in labour.

"I couldn't believe it. I didn't even tell Nick - as I knew he would have had too many pints and wouldn't understand.

"It's been a massive shock, but baby Daphne is just amazing. Now we're getting used to life with our little unexpected addition."

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After Goodings and Burdiak welcomed Vivienne, now one, they decided they didn't want any more children.

"I had the contraceptive implant in October but started feeling really rubbish pretty soon after," she said.

"I put on lots of weight, but I knew that was a side effect, so I didn't think anything of it."

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But in June 2021, Goodings was struggling with a bloated stomach.

"People were even thinking I was pregnant. A neighbour had said are you having a second and I had to say no - other neighbours were saying it too," she said.

"I had this really uncomfortable feeling in my stomach so I went to see my GP.

"They told me to keep going with the implant and thought it might just be water retention, so they told me to try and lose weight."

Goodings then started fasting and exercising to lose weight on her doctor's advice.

"I was going for long walks and actively trying to get the weight to budge in the hope that would help the discomfort," she said.

"I didn't think I was pregnant because I knew what it had felt like when I had carried Vivienne."

On 31 July 2021, Goodings went to a party with her friends.

"I was in pain all day and it did feel like contractions, so I did actually take a pregnancy test, but it said negative," she said.

"But the pain kept getting worse and it was so bad I could hardly speak."

Friends rushed Goodings to hospital where medics ran checks and determined she was in fact pregnant.

Goodings was in labour for just four hours before she gave birth to her second child, Daphne.

"Nick was an hour away and drunk with his friends when this was all happening, so I didn't tell him until after I had given birth," she said. "He was very shocked and devastated he couldn't be there."

Burdiak didn't get to meet Daphne until she was two days old.

"It actually gave us time to sort things out and gave me time to bond with her," Goodings said.

"Vivienne absolutely loved her straight away. She adjusted instantly.

"My friends told my family and they were really happy for us, but very shocked."

Now Daphne is home and doing well and the family are adjusting to their new surprise addition.

"We're very happy but it has been a lot," Goodings said. "She is such a good baby. She is the perfect little newborn."

Additional reporting SWNS

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