Perth woman had ‘no idea’ she was pregnant until she gave birth

A woman from Perth says she had “no idea” she was pregnant for nine months before suddenly giving birth at home.

Ashlee had no idea she was about to give birth.

A woman has given birth to a baby girl after having “no idea” she was even pregnant.

While Ashlee Wilson had always wanted to be a mum, her little bundle of joy caught her by surprise when she arrived earlier this month.

For the last nine months, the 34-year-old from Perth had absolutely no idea she was pregnant – even though she said she felt ‘bloated’ and her periods had stopped.

The truck driver thought she had simply gained a bit of weight, and even wondered if she was starting to go through menopause, but had no clue she was actually growing a life inside her.

Now Ms Wilson and her partner Justin, 32, have had their world turned upside down after the sudden arrival of their daughter Marley-Rae earlier this month.

The pair are now trying to navigate the reality of being parents without warning – but say they would not change it for the world.

“I honestly had no idea I was pregnant. It was a big surprise,” the new mum told news.com.au.

Ashlee and Justin couldn’t be happier to be parents. Picture: Supplied

“Looking back, there were clues. My ankles would randomly swell and I felt some movement in my stomach, but I thought it was my body rejecting foods I was eating.

“I was bloated, but thought it was just some weight gain. Then of course my period stopped, but I honestly assumed I was going through menopause.

“I didn’t know much about menopause, and I didn’t tell anyone that they’d stopped. I also got hot flushes, so my mind was like, ‘Oh cool, no more periods, it’s just menopause.’

“I had no idea what was coming. The whole thing was crazy.”

Ms Wilson said she had one big night of drinking in September last year, but thankfully after that had actually quit alcohol.

She believes she must have conceived sometime in August 2022.

The mum says she felt pretty normal all throughout her surprise pregnancy, and had brushed off symptoms as other things.

However, she began to feel extremely sick on the day she gave birth – even to the point where she thought she could be “dying”.

Little Marley-Rae came into the world in the early hours of the morning at home. Picture: Supplied

“Leading up to the day I had Marley, I was feeling off,” she said.

“I wasn’t eating properly, my sleep was restless and I had a constant need to go to the bathroom.

“The day of her birth, I had been working doing deliveries. I started to feel uneasy and around 5pm I was getting really bad cramps and pain.

“I had no idea what was happening. At 2am the next morning, I thought I was dying.

“I was screaming from the pain. At 4am I finally called the ambulance.”

That is when Ms Wilson received the most shocking news of her life: She was about to have a baby.

Mere moments after finding out she was pregnant, little Marley-Rae entered the world happy and healthy at 5.26am on May 6.

Ms Wilson credits St John’s ambulance paramedic Melissa Gardiner for helping her through the experience of giving birth at home.

“I was in shock when I was told I was in labour,” she said.

“I kept denying that it could be a baby. I kept saying there was no way I could be pregnant.

“Then when they [put] my daughter on to my chest I just thought, ‘Oh my god, it’s a bloody baby!’

She was shocked when told she was in labour. Picture: Supplied

Justin loves being a dad to Marley-Rae. Picture: Supplied

“As weird as it sounds, when I was holding her it actually melted my heart and I came to tears.

“My mind was scrambling at the fact that for nine months I didn’t know this little soul was inside me,” she said.

“Processing she was born took a lot of time and it took me a few days to adjust to motherhood.

“But now it feels so natural and I’ve just embraced everything.”

The couple’s friends and family were shocked at the news, but rallied around to help give them everything they would need for a newborn.

From a bassinet, changing table, clothes and nappies “as far as the eye could see”, it truly was a community effort to help the new family.

Ashlee is adapting to her new role very quickly. Picture: Supplied

Marley-Rae’s parents still can’t believe she is here. Picture: Supplied

“While me and bub were in hospital, my family came together and got everything from scratch,” she said.

“It was incredible. Donations of clothes and other baby needs have been flowing from friends and more family members. It’s been so overwhelming.

“I am so incredibly happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long time.

“She has lit up my life. I’m so happy she chose me to be her mum.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, and Justin feels the same. He has embraced fatherhood super quickly.

“I cannot wait to tell her the story of how she came into the world one day.”

The phenomenon of a woman not knowing she is pregnant until she gives birth is known as a “cryptic pregnancy”, also known as a “stealth” or “denied” pregnancy.

According to reports, it is quite rare – only around one in 500 are 20 weeks before realising they are pregnant, while one in 2500 women go all the way to labour before discovering they are pregnant.