A WOMAN had no idea she was pregnant until she went into labor while working a shift at Nando’s.
Destiny Stephens-Coull, 21, was in her final year of college and had just been offered a place at university for the following year.
5
5
5
As a normal 18-year-old girl, she went out dancing on the weekends, wore short tops, and drank with her friends.
She worked part-time at Nando’s while living with her mother, Diane Coull, 55, a daycare assistant.
But everything changed when she showed up for a shift on April 13, 2022, and felt cramps as if her period was starting — although it wouldn’t be for another two weeks.
She ended up bleeding profusely in the bathroom for more than an hour – before being rushed to Basildon Hospital in Essex.
To her bewilderment, Destiny was told she was pregnant – despite having had her period and not gaining weight, and needed an emergency caesarean section under general anaesthetic.
She woke up to meet her unexpected son, Kingsley, now two years old – who had to fight for his life after being born 10 weeks premature on April 13, weighing 3lb 1oz.
But two years later, Destiny and her son are doing well.
The mother-of-one, from Laindon, Essex, said: “I remember bleeding in Nando’s bathroom and it was really bad – coming out like a tap.
“We went to the emergency room and they did a scan – then suddenly a nurse was at my side telling me I was pregnant.
“I just said ‘there’s no way – I went dancing last weekend!’.
“When I first saw Kingsley, I didn’t feel like a mother – he was adorable, but it felt like I was given a random baby to look after.
“But when I fed him for the first time, I knew he was mine.
“I never planned to have a child and I thought I would be judged because I’m so young – but everyone was so supportive.
“But I’m so happy – Kingsley is growing up into such a kind, caring little boy.”
Destiny – who now works part-time in a pub – arrived at Nando’s just before starting her 3pm shift on April 13.
She was a normal 18-year-old girl – who went to clubs and drank Hennessy and Coca-Cola with her friends every weekend.
But when she arrived, she felt her period starting – despite it not being scheduled – and ran to the bathroom.
What is cryptic pregnancy and what are the signs?
Cryptic pregnancy refers to a person who is unaware of their pregnancy until the later stages or even until delivery. It is likely that the woman will continue to menstruate and the baby bump will not be visible until the later stages of pregnancy – if at all.
Hidden signs of a cryptic pregnancy include:
- Light spots
- Swollen/sensitive breasts
- Mood changes
- Swelling
- Weight gain
- Frequent urination
- Headaches
- Heartburn
- Acne
- Heat waves
For more information visit: Pampers UK
After 30 minutes, she called her manager to bring over some tampons – but she was bleeding too much to get them on.
She said: “The bathrooms looked like a crime scene – there was blood everywhere.
“We went to the emergency room with me bleeding in my work uniform.
“I was standing in the corner with a pool of blood at my feet.
“I passed out from blood loss and woke up with nurses around me.
“They asked me if I was pregnant – and I said no.”
Destiny lost four liters of blood and needed several transfusions.
Doctors ran tests and told Destiny she was pregnant, much to her shock.
She said: “I freaked out a lot.
“I went to clubs and drank, danced a lot, had a flat stomach.
“I thought there was absolutely no way.
“I was too scared to tell my mom, so the midwife had to tell her.”
Little Kingsley was born via C-section weighing 3 pounds, 1 ounce at 29 weeks and had to be rushed to the NICU.
He fought for his life – having been born with two brain haemorrhages, as well as hydrocephalus and jaundice.
Destiny said: “When I first saw him I thought he was cute, but I didn’t feel like a mother.
“I never went through pregnancy, scans or a gender reveal, so motherhood only came around for a few days.”
The little one stayed in the NICU until August 2022, while doctors found a way to stabilize him.
He ended up having a shunt implant to drain fluids from his brain.
Fate has been told that Kingsley may have difficulty walking and talking, but the boy, who is now two years old, appears to be reaching his goals.
Although she feels sad that she never had the traditional pregnancy experience of having a baby bump, exams or gender reveal, she is grateful for Kingsley.
She now lives with him in a mother and baby unit – with plans to get them both their own place in the near future.
Reflecting on the experience, Destiny said: “It’s still weird to think about.
I remember before this happened, I read a story about a woman who had a cryptic pregnancy and I thought ‘how did you not know?
Fate Stephens-Coull
“But now people ask me that question!
“If someone had told me three years ago that by the time I was 21 I would have a two-year-old son, I would have said they were lying.
“But now I’m used to being a mother and I’m ecstatic that he’s my son.”
5
5
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
