A WOMAN found out she was in labour just four hours before giving birth when she left a party and rushed to hospital – after mistaking her bump as being bloated.
Lorna Goodings, 25, didn’t know she was pregnant as doctors thought her swollen tummy was due to the effects of her birth control – the contraceptive implant.
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She even did a pregnancy test in July 2021 – while 38 weeks gone – which came back negative.
Lorna was shocked to find out she was in labour just four hours before she gave birth to her little girl, Daphne Burdiak, at Northampton General hospital, Northampton, on 1st August, weighing 8lbs 2oz.
After being doubled over in pain, her friends took her to the hospital where doctors told her she was about to become a mum again.
Her unsuspecting partner, Nick Burdiak, 42, a machine operator, couldn’t make it for the birth as he was on a night out with his friends.
Now the pair have two little girls together – both under 13 months – after having Daphne’s big sister, Vivienne, in June 2020.
Lorna, 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 friend’s, 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.”
I wasn’t having periods but I hadn’t since I had gone on the implant so I thought it was that.
Lorna Goodings
Lorna and Nick welcomed Vivienne, now one, in June 2020 and 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.”
But in June 2021, Lorna was struggling with a bloated stomach.
“I had this really uncomfortable feeling in my stomach so I went to see my GP,” she said.
“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.
“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.”
Lorna then started fasting and exercising a lot to push herself to lose weight on her doctor’s advice.
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.
Lorna Goodings
“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.”
Lorna took a pregnancy test on the day she went into labour – but it came back negative.
On 31st July 2021, she 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 Lorna to hospital where medics ran checks and determined she was in fact pregnant.
“I still thought they were wrong when I heard that,” she said.
“I had been so convinced that it was just side effects from the implant.”
Lorna was in labour for just four hours before she gave birth to her second child, Daphne.
The pain kept getting worse and it was so bad I could hardly speak
Lorna Goodings
“I had a rush of love as soon as I held her in my arms,” Lorna said.
“But I was still in a massive state of shock.
“It was certainly something to get my head around.
“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.
“He was very shocked and devastated he couldn’t be there.”
Nick 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”, Lorna 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,” Lorna said.
“She is such a good baby.
“She is the perfect little newborn.”
Nick 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.”
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