"I didn't know I was pregnant"

[Galatea]

This was a show on Discovery Health. Did anyone catch it?

What I want to know is, how is this possible? How can you not feel the baby moving all over the place? How do you get to be 9 months pg and not notice anything weird?

[Sasharna]

Maybe if the woman has a lot of gastrointestinal distress on a regular basis, she might not notice the difference?

[barefootpoetry]

I saw this when it was on TLC. I'm pretty baffled too. Even if mom was overweight or didn't gain any weight, would you seriously not notice? One of the moms didn't get periods normally, so that wasn't a sign for her. You'd think you would at least feel the baby moving, or notice any of the other common discomforts of pregnancy. I dunno...it's very bizarre to me.

[Sheal]

I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) I didn't find out about my 4th PG until 26 weeks. I was also on a medication that caused nausea, weight gains\losses and I've always had irregular menstruation. I can go between 28 day cycle and 108 day cycle for my AF. It's a wonder I have 5 kids with that kind of irregularity.

It can and does happen, btw I had a menstruation during that whole pregnancy, that happens too.

[weliveintheforest]

A very close friend of mine had this happen to her. She had her period throughout, so she didn't think it could be a pregnancy.

[Full Heart]

Sadly not every woman feels movement. I have seen the show several times but I also know women who had that happen. I think its sad really, you didn't have any time to bond, to prepare. One poor lady I know that this happened to the father wanted a paternity test. It wasn't pretty. I think sometimes it can be denial but other times everything lines up perfectly and you just can't tell. I wish I wouldn't gain weight and have a flat stomach like some of these ladies. Never have ms or at least not bad enough to suspect something. To be able to skip all the worry of the first trimester, all the fear leading up to birth. Yea it would be sweet but then like I said no time to prepare, no bonding. Imagine if it was your first, you weren't trying and you had nothing. It would be such a shock!

[SquishyBuggles]

I have heard that it is entirely possible for an obese woman to not feel movement and not 'show' for the pregnancy. Not all, of course, but it is possible.

[annekh23]

It happens, we were told this story, by the doctor who delivered the baby, so I think it's pretty accurate.

A women, around 50, with children already in there 20s, she was out bowling when her waters broke, but she thought it was loss of bladder control. A couple of nights later, she went to the ER in terrible pain and they realised she was pregnant, baby wasn't in good condition and was delivered by emergency c-section. Afterwards, one thing she said was "what am I going to tell them at work on Monday", seemed like she was so shocked and stunned that her brain hadn't got to the point of processing that she wasn't actually going to be in work on Monday!

[mrscompgeek]

I would think it is highly possible. I have colon problems, Stomach problems, weight issues and very irregular periods all of which make me feel odd all the time so its possible not to realize it.

[calebsmommy25]

A good friend of mine didn't know until the 3rd trimester. She was going into have gastric bypass surgery when they realized she was pregnant. He is an absolute miracle. It is truly a blessing when babies are born completely healthy in these types of situations where the momma's had no knowledge of them. I needed those full 9 months to get ready for being a mommy, I couldn't imagine only having a few months!

[Brown Lioness]

I remember this this girl in my high school class got pregnant out sophmore year? or was it junior year?

At any rate, she was a big girl and didn't find out she was pregnant until she was 6 months. The baby didn't make it (i dont remember why), but yea, i can see how it can happen (granted, ive never been pregnant).

I've seen a couple episodes of this show and i loved how they sensationlize birthing at home (cause the women didnt know they were in labor).

*sarcasm*

[njbeachgirl]

I always wondered the same thing, there was no mistaking it for me That show was crazy!

[Veritaserum]

I can't imagine it for myself.... I could see maybe not knowing until 2nd trimester, but by the 3rd trimester I don't know how I could attribute a giant kicking thing in my abdomen to be anything other than a baby.

My family doc told me about a woman who came in because she was not feeling well. She was horribly swollen with high bp and a terrible headache. After examining her he found that she was 28 weeks and suffering from pre-e. So not only did she get the shock of an unknown pregnancy, but she was immediately sent over to the hospital have a baby in the next few hours/days.

[ScarletBegonias]

sometimes the position of the placenta prevents moms from feeling movement.......

[cappuccinosmom]

I believe it.

One, all of the pics I have seen, the women are extremely large.

Two, many of them were either breastfeeding or had pcos and the absent af wasn't a reliable sign. The latest one I think was getting monthly bleeding throughout the preg.

Three, some of us have extremely active innards. Whatever is going on inside me often feels like a light baby kick, and because it happens when I'm not pregnant, I have learned to ignore it.

I could see something like this happen to me.

[kerikadi]

Denial.

Of course I have heard of women who didn't realize they were pregnant until 5 or 6 months and have a good friend who had her period throughout but even for her, pregnant with her first, unmarried at a young age she knew something was up and found out via U/S at 6 months.

I don't believe you can make it to 9 months and not know unless you are in denial.

[cappuccinosmom]

I think a lot of these women don't make it to 9 months?

[crittersmom]

My mom didn't know with me or my sister until she was in labor.She had her period and was in the Navy getting regular checkups including pregnancy tests.An aunt who was a former OB nurse was visiting us a week before my sister was born and shared a bed with my mom didn't even know.
With my first I didn't know until I was 11 weeks.I was on the pill and getting AF and I had one the whole pregnancy.I just figured this flu was kicking my butt and taking forever to leave.I didn't think to test until the extreme pain in my breasts started.
With my second I was TTC , it never showed up on the pregnancy tests as more than a very faint line even at the end when it was very obvious.
With my 3rd I was charting it was the only way I would have known sooner since I was yet again relying on BC pills to work.
with my 4th I didn't know until I was 19 weeks.I thought that tandem nursing was finally working at keeping AF away and I only threw up once and I thought that was because I drank a beer.I was taking care of 3 kids in the middle of a cross country move so of course I was exhausted.I still feel kicks that I thought were from #4 but I guess my innards aren't quiet anymore.I still shake my head about my last baby,none of us knew.(except my oldest, he did keep in insisting)
I do have M/S all the way up until birth and at the end I am very pregnant looking, but I can believe it happening as these women said.

[justbishop]

I can't imagine not knowing, but my mother claims not to have realized that I was in there until she went in to have her BC rx refilled to find out that she was about 5 months along o.0

[Full Heart]

Of the women I know that this happened to - none were obese. They were thinner than me by far. The one lady was a business woman wearing business suits so its not like her belly was hidden under bulky clothes. (oh to look that good when I'm NOT pg!) There was an article awhile back (2006) about a basketball player who had a baby and didn't know she was pg. She said she wore size 0 pants the whole pg. She played a game right before hand and there was a picture of her from that game. You couldn't tell. You might be able to do a search and find the archived article and photo.

On movement - If you have an anterior placenta you might not feel movement. If you have a lot of scar tissue you might not feel movement (That happened to my aunt). Also according to my moms ob if you have a thick uterine lining you might not feel movement (Not sure how much I believe that one).

Not having a period I can see. I once knew someone who didn't have a period for 18 mos (wasn't pg, had never been). But to have one every mos on schedule? How does that happen?