A teaching assistant with ‘no pregnancy symptoms’ has revealed how she woke up in a hospital bed to find she’d given birth.
Lisa Davey had “no clue” she was expecting a child when she contracted sepsis and her health dramatically deteriorated.
The 27-year-old was brought into A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in April last year with a suspected abdominal infection.
Medics discovered she had a tiny tummy bump, which they initially thought could be linked to the possible infection.
But an ultrasound revealed she was actually 26 weeks pregnant and had developed HELLP syndrome – a rare liver a blood clotting disorder and condition which affects pregnant women.
As her health worsened and her organs began to fail, doctors took Lisa to theatre for a caesarean section to save both her and her baby.
Little Danielle Alice Davey was born 14 weeks early and transferred to the Neonatal Unit at Royal Preston Hospital for specialist care.
Lisa – who had been working 80-hour weeks before she contracted sepsis – was moved to intensive care at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
Incredibly, she only discovered she was now a new mother when she woke up in her hospital bed.
She said: “I couldn’t believe it. I had been working 80 hours a week and lifting heavy boxes. I had no clue I was pregnant. I had no symptoms.”
The mum decided to name her ‘miracle’ daughter after the ‘wonderful’ nurse who treated them, Danielle McLardie.
Danielle, 33, had just started her shift, with Lisa being her first patient.
“When I met my baby girl a week later, I knew I had to call her Danielle after the fantastic care I received from such a wonderful nurse,” said Lisa.
Ten months on, both mum and baby are doing well and are enjoying a normal life in Blackpool, Lancashire.
Danielle said: “Lisa was so poorly, we didn’t know her or the baby would make it.
“Nobody had a clue when she came in that Lisa was pregnant – including Lisa herself.
“There was only a tiny tummy bump which we thought could be linked to a possible infection.
“I stayed with Lisa for three and a half hours and visited her each time I was on shift.
“When Lisa told me the baby’s name, I cried I was so overwhelmed – I was just doing my job.
“But having such a cute bundle of joy named after me is such a huge honour, it’s the highlight of my career.”