Stephanie thought she was just a little poorly, but got the fright of her life at Halloween…
As I opened my eyes, I clutched my stomach and groaned in pain.
'Oh no,' I panicked. 'I’ve caught that bug.'
Recently, a sickness bug had been going around the pub where I worked as a barmaid.
People had been dropping like flies with a poorly tummy, so I had agreed to come in and cover the Halloween shift.
Even though I didn’t feel great, I struggled out of bed.
As it was Halloween, I imagined the pub would be heaving with punters celebrating. I knew they would be short-staffed if I didn’t go in.
I stumbled into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. Then I put on my work uniform and headed out on my bike.
Since moving out of my parents’ house and into my own flat, I’d cycled the 15-minute journey to work.
As a result, I’d lost two stone over the previous five months, and my tummy was flatter than it had ever been.
Once at the pub, I began my eight-hour shift pulling pints and running back and forth from the kitchen with plates of food for customers. But over the course of the day, my stomach ache continued to get worse.
‘Is it OK if I go home early?’ I asked my boss, with two hours of the shift still to go. ‘I’m not feeling very well.’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I hope you feel better soon.’
As I stumbled out of the pub, I felt terribly ill.
Scores of kids, dressed up like witches, and monsters, were out trick or treating. But I was the one who felt like a zombie.
I decided to pop in to see my mum Mandy at her job, as my flat was above the working man’s club where she worked.
As she spotted me walking over, her face dropped.
‘Mum, I feel rotten,’ I said, clutching my stomach.
‘You’re as white as a ghost,’ she said alarmingly. ‘Go and run yourself a deep bath.’
I struggled back to my flat and tried to relax in the tub.
But it did nothing for the pain.
Climbing out of the water, I reached for my phone.
It’s not getting any better, I texted Mum.
Maybe it’s your appendix, she texted back. I think it’s best I take you to hospital.
Mum left work and drove me to hospital. She told me that she had texted my dad Darren to let him know too.
Once we arrived at A&E, Dad showed up, and it wasn’t long before I was seen by a nurse. I told her about my stomach pains.
‘Let’s get a urine sample off you,’ she said, thinking it may be a water infection.
When she received my results, she looked at me oddly.
‘Is there any chance you could be pregnant?’ she asked.
I looked over at my parents in utter disbelief.
‘No,’ I snapped.
For one thing I’d been taking the contraceptive injection for at least nine months, and I didn’t have a bump or any other signs of pregnancy.
I’d seen a guy called Jon briefly a few months back, but it hadn’t worked out so we’d gone our separate ways.
But then the nurse then told me something that made me shudder.
‘You are pregnant,’ she said.
‘What?’ Dad and I replied, at the same time.
‘How pregnant?’ Mum asked.
‘Stephanie will be leaving with a baby today,’ said the nurse.
Mum and Dad looked at each other, gobsmacked.
‘I’m having a baby today?’ I said stunned.
‘You’re in labour now,’ the nurse replied.
Before I could get to grips with what was happening, I was taken into a side room in the maternity unit for a scan.
‘Sorry, it isn’t clear enough to determine the sex,’ the sonographer said, as she traced the Doppler over my flat belly.
But hearing the heartbeat made everything more real.
I was still in shock.
I thought I might be seeing a few people dressed up as mummies during Halloween, but I never imagined I would actually become one!
I was taken to the delivery suite.
Through the night, I puffed and panted while my Mum held my hand. Dad was on the other side, mopping my brow.
Then finally, at 7.38am on 1 November, my little girl Sapphire entered the world, weighing a healthy 7lb 5oz.
‘She’s beautiful, Stephanie,’ my parents cooed, as they stared at my new bundle of joy.
Luckily there had been no complications.
Considering I hadn’t attended any antenatal appointments, I knew I was lucky to have such a healthy baby.
As I cradled her in my arms, I let out a giggle.
‘What are you laughing at?’ Mum said.
‘Just thinking that it’s Halloween, and how my little treat tricked me!’ I replied.
One of the midwives explained it was likely I didn’t have a bump because Sapphire had been positioned at the back, while the placenta was at the front.
Weirdly, I’d lost weight during my pregnancy, not put it on.
I grimaced when I thought of all the things I shouldn’t have done in the last nine months.
I had knocked back pints, dyed my hair, and weaved in and out of traffic on my bike every day.
I’d even been lifting heavy beer barrels at work.
Midwives, along with my parents, showed me how to feed Sapphire and care for her.
I stayed in hospital with Sapphire overnight, and the next day, we went home after the doctor had confirmed we were both healthy.
Once I was settled in my flat, my sisters Kirsty and Kimberley and brother Luke came over to see my little pumpkin for the first time.
‘We did a whip-round,’ my sisters smiled, as they handed me a collection of baby clothes and other bits and pieces that family and friends had donated.
‘That’s amazing!’ I exclaimed. ‘Thanks so much.’
Mum and Dad bought a Moses basket and other big things I needed, and put them in my spare room — which became Sapphire’s nursery.
Then I knew what I needed to do next. I messaged Jon on Facebook.
Can you call me, please, I wrote.
Sure, he replied.
Not long afterwards he called me, and I broke the news to him that he was a dad. There was silence down the line.
‘Can I call you later?’ he said.
I could tell he was shocked.
‘Of course,’ I replied.
After I’d put Sapphire down for a nap, I sent some pictures of her to Jon.
She’s gorgeous, he texted.
Once the news had sunk him, he came over to see Sapphire.
‘It was hard to take in at first,’ he said. ‘But I’m over the moon.’
We didn’t get back together, but he’s since become a big part of her life.
Now, Sapphire is growing up fast. And whenever Halloween rolls around, it’s always an extra special time.
She certainly gave me a fright on 31 October, but I couldn’t have asked for a nicer treat.
Stephanie Gregory, 30, Wigan, Gtr Manchester
