My 22-Year-Old’s Symptom-Free Gap Year Stomach Bug
A Life-Changing Journey During a Gap Year
University student Hattie Sheppard, 21, had the shock of a lifetime when she discovered she was pregnant and in labor during her gap year in Australia. The adventure that started with parties, boat trips, and a thrilling 100mph slingshot ride at a theme park quickly turned into an unexpected journey of motherhood.
Hattie and her boyfriend Bailey Cheadle, 22, embarked on their trip to Australia during their university studies. They enjoyed six months of carefree traveling, but their adventure came to an abrupt halt when Hattie began experiencing stomach pains. Initially, she thought it was just a stomach bug and took two paracetamols to ease the discomfort. However, the pain soon became localized to the right side of her stomach, leading her to believe she might have appendicitis. She eventually went to the hospital in South Queensland for an ultrasound.
There, Hattie received the biggest shock of her life: she was pregnant and already in labor. Her waters were immediately broken, and just a few hours later, she gave birth to her daughter, Isla-Grace Cheadle, on January 14th, weighing 6lbs 7oz.
Unexpected Pregnancy and Labor
Hattie, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, described the moment she realized she was pregnant as “the most sickening and frightening thing” she had ever experienced. She recalled the confusion on the doctor’s face during the ultrasound and the disbelief when he told her there was a baby. “I didn’t believe him at first,” she said.
Hattie had experienced a so-called ‘cryptic pregnancy’—a rare condition where the expectant mother is unaware of her pregnancy until late in the term. Her placenta had been pushed up to the front of her stomach, which prevented her from feeling any of the baby’s movements. Additionally, Isla-Grace was growing near her spine, which is why Hattie didn’t have a bump.
Despite being an adrenaline junkie, Hattie had gone on a slingshot ride in Surfers Paradise just months before. “I’m a little bit of an adrenaline junkie,” she admitted. She also celebrated her 21st birthday in September by renting a boat and jumping off into the water.
Contraception and Medical Conditions
Hattie insisted that she was on the “mini-pill” as contraception and was not trying for a baby at the time. She also claimed she had been told she would struggle to conceive naturally due to her Graves’ disease. Aside from a subtle weight gain, she had no symptoms indicating pregnancy, attributing the change in weight to an increase in her medication dosage.
Despite the unexpected news, Hattie fondly referred to her daughter as the perfect “anniversary gift” for her and Bailey, who had just celebrated one year together. The couple is now planning to return to the UK to celebrate with friends and family.
A Surprise Fatherhood Experience
For Bailey, the news of becoming a father came as a complete shock. He recalled filling in Hattie’s details at the hospital while she was in pain. When he heard a massive cry, he ran in to see her and found out about the baby. “The only thing I could do is keep Hattie calm and not panic her,” he said. “We had 10 hours between finding out and her being born.”
Despite the short time to process the news, Bailey insisted he “fell in love” with his daughter straight away. “It’s weird to explain because you think how can you love someone straight away,” he said. “We never got to have that bond during pregnancy [as we didn’t know], but as soon as I saw her I fell in love straight away.”
Hattie added, “I honestly could not be happier. It’s the strangest thing that could have happened but it feels normal.”
- Top Baby Bottles for 2026: Anti-Colic to Breast-Like Styles - February 6, 2026
- Tren HIV/AIDS Meningkat, Pengobatan ARV Belum Maksimal - February 6, 2026
- My 22-Year-Old’s Symptom-Free Gap Year Stomach Bug - February 6, 2026
Leave a Reply