Unaware of pregnancy, British soldier has baby in Afghanistan

[WoodysGirl]

LONDON (Reuters) - A British soldier who did not realize she was pregnant has given birth to a baby boy at the Camp Bastion field hospital in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) in London said mother and baby were in stable condition and a specialist "Paediatric Retrieval Team" would fly out from Britain to care for them during the long flight home.

"It is not military policy to allow servicewomen to deploy on operations if they are pregnant. In this instance, the MOD was unaware of her pregnancy," the ministry said.

The Daily Mail newspaper, which first reported on the birth, said the woman herself was unaware of the pregnancy.

The Mail said the Royal Artillery gunner had conceived before her six-month stint in Afghanistan began. Her pre-deployment training included an eight mile march and five mile run. Her job in the field involved providing covering fire for troops fighting insurgents.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/unaware-pregnancy-british-soldier-baby-afghanistan-083825876.html

 

[YosemiteSam]

How does this happen? It makes no sense. She had to have known in some form. There are way too many signs that scream you're pregnant.

 

[a_minimalist]

Is her name Mary by any chance?

 

[burmafrd]

There is NO way in the world she did not know she was pregnant. just no way

 

[WoodysGirl]

How does this happen? It makes no sense. She had to have known in some form. There are way too many signs that scream you're pregnant.

You'd be surprised how easy it is to not know. The traditional signs don't always show. And if you've never been pregnant, or you have irregular menstual cycles (not to gross you guys out), it's not that difficult.

My friend had a preemie, because she didn't know she was pregnant for five months. And you can imagine how horrified she was to find that out considering how she'd been living her life w/no pre-natal care. The first year of her son's life was in/out of the hospital. Happy to report, he's a normal, happy and healthy little boy, but she wasn't sure at first.

 

[wittenacious]

You'd be surprised how easy it is to not know. The traditional signs don't always show. And if you've never been pregnant, or you have irregular menstual cycles (not to gross you guys out), it's not that difficult.

My friend had a preemie, because she didn't know she was pregnant for five months. And you can imagine how horrified she was to find that out considering how she'd been living her life w/no pre-natal care. The first year of her son's life was in/out of the hospital.

Wow! Hard to imagine, but I take your word on all of it.

Happy to report, he's a normal, happy and healthy little boy, but she wasn't sure at first.

Glad things worked out for your friend and her little boy, though scary at first.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

How does this happen? It makes no sense. She had to have known in some form. There are way too many signs that scream you're pregnant.

I had a client once, his gf didn't know she was pregnant and neither did he until he came home from the local store and found her on kitchen floor with a baby.

I said how is that possible, he said well her periods weren't regular, I went every six weeks isn't regular, nine months might give me pause. Granted she was ********.

 

[YosemiteSam]

You'd be surprised how easy it is to not know. The traditional signs don't always show. And if you've never been pregnant, or you have irregular menstual cycles (not to gross you guys out), it's not that difficult.

My friend had a preemie, because she didn't know she was pregnant for five months. And you can imagine how horrified she was to find that out considering how she'd been living her life w/no pre-natal care. The first year of her son's life was in/out of the hospital. Happy to report, he's a normal, happy and healthy little boy, but she wasn't sure at first.

I've known women who have skipped a month, but never someone who skipped nine months. At some point (after two months) something has to ding in their head. This women was military. That would tell me she really cannot be that much overweight to not notice the growth in her midsection. While some get bigger than others, if you are not obese how can you not notice the growth? Not to mention tie that fact in with the fact that you have missed your last nine cycles? The ensuing sickness too?

I'm sorry, I just don't get how you can go nine months and not know your pregnant until the baby pops out.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I've known women who have skipped a month, but never someone who skipped nine months. At some point (after two months) something has to ding in their head. This women was military. That would tell me she really cannot be that much overweight to not notice the growth in her midsection. While some get bigger than others, if you are not obese how can you not notice the growth? Not to mention tie that fact in with the fact that you have missed your last nine cycles? The ensuing sickness too?

I'm sorry, I just don't get how you can go nine months and not know your pregnant until the baby pops out.

Well, this soldier didn't go nine months, she went six months. And she probably didn't gain much weight or even much of a stomach during that time.

So again, not all pregnancies are the same. I've known women who didn't show until their third trimester. I've known women who don't have cycles for several months at a time, or only have spotting when they do. And none of these women are obese.

Women's bodies are weird things.. *shrug*

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

There are a lot of husbands that would give anything to go thru a pregnancy in their home w/o knowing!

 

[Faerluna]

Well, this soldier didn't go nine months, she went six months. And she probably didn't gain much weight or even much of a stomach during that time.

If it was her first child, I could see that. After one child, muscle memory takes over and you tend to pop out much sooner. I'm 5 months now and haven't gained any weight, but my stomach is definitely out there.

 

[Hoofbite]

I know a couple who "didn't know".

She mysteriously started wearing baggy clothes about 6 months before she gave birth. Supposedly they thought she was having some sort of stomach illness when they went to the hospital and she gave birth.

Meanwhile, a good number of people I have talked to who worked with them during this time pretty much said it was about as obvious as can be. Her wardrobe become nothing but sweat pants and shorts.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Women athletes and women in physically stressing jobs sometimes will skip the menstrual cycle for extended amounts of time.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

If it was her first child, I could see that. After one child, muscle memory takes over and you tend to pop out much sooner. I'm 5 months now and haven't gained any weight, but my stomach is definitely out there.

Wish you the best!