Anish Vij
Imagine that 'bloated' feeling you get from eating a McNugget share box on your own was actually a human baby growing inside of your body.
Disclaimer - although Perth-based woman, Ashlee Wilson, did not eat a McNugget share box to herself, she did feel 'bloated' for nine months. Turns out, Ashlee was actually pregnant, and it's only now, after her surprise birth, that she realises there were in fact 'clues' along the way that might have helped her realise that.
The Australian mother - who experienced the shock of a lifetime after giving birth to a healthy baby girl last month - had 'no idea' she had a human growing inside of her.
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“I honestly had no idea I was pregnant. It was a big surprise,” the 34-year-old told news.com.au.
“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 had no idea what was coming. The whole thing was crazy.”
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On the day she gave birth, Wilson started to experience severe abdominal pain around 2am.
By 4am she was in so much discomfort that she was forced to call emergency services.
After inspection, St John paramedic, Mel Gardiner, told Wilson that she was about to become a mother.
“I had to actually kind of grab (her) face and ... I said ‘there’s one paramedic, there’s a midwife in this state, and it’s me, and I’m here today, so we’re gonna have your baby’,” Gardiner said.
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“And that’s what we did.”
Although Wilson was in 'complete denial', she gave birth at 5.26am on May 6 and she and her partner had named the newborn Marley-Rae.
Even though it took her a 'few days' to get her head around the whole thing, it now 'feels so natural' to Wilson, who has simply 'embraced everything'.
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With a special thanks to her family, they all came together to help the new mum out with everything she needed.
“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.
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“She has lit up my life. I’m so happy she chose me to be her mum.”