My twins were born eleven months apart. I was so 'shocked' when my baby showed up
Having two children – one of which is a newborn – can be challenging enough.
So spare a thought for a woman named Ashley, who got the shock of her life after experiencing a cryptic pregnancy… and welcomed another child just 11 months after her last.
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The mum-of-three explained how her son was born on February 4, while her surprise baby arrived on December 27, meaning they are Irish twins – a pair of siblings born less than 12 months apart.
Ashley experienced no symptoms and had a so-called cryptic pregnancy – when medical testing methods fail to detect a pregnancy and the usual symptoms such as vomiting, menstruation and the appearance of a bump do not occur.
In a clip shared to TikTok, she wrote, “When you have a cryptic pregnancy and your baby is in the bathroom during Christmas break in Florida, you call your sister to tell her she has a new stretch.”
Ashley is then seen Facetiming her sister and pointing the camera at her surprise baby.
Confused when the newborn appears, her sister asks, “Who the hell is that? Hello?”
Ashley can be heard laughing in amusement as she announces, “That's your new niece!”
In disbelief, her sister asks, “I'm sorry, what?” What did you just say to me? You are lying.'
The mother of three responds, “I swear to God!”
What is a cryptic pregnancy?
According to Healthline, a cryptic pregnancy is where conventional medical testing methods fail to detect when a person is expecting.
Known as a stealth pregnancy, cryptic pregnancies are considered rare and women who experience such a pregnancy typically do not exhibit typical pregnancy symptoms, such as vomiting, fatigue, nausea, or swelling of the abdomen that resembles a bump.
Women may also appear to have regular periods, as fluctuating hormones can lead to light bleeding that resembles menstruation.
Ashley captioned the post: “Shocked is an understatement (for everyone).”
The post quickly went viral and received a whopping 26.3 million views and several comments terribly intrigued social media users.
“Was it stressful having to get everything you needed on such short notice?” one asked.
Ashley responded, “Thankfully, friends and family really stepped up to help.”
A second asked: “Was the baby not full term??? or premature.”
Ashley replied: “We're not sure. They think she is full-term based on her height, but without ultrasounds it is impossible to tell.”
A third commented: “But you and the baby are okay? That must have been an experience for you! Make sure you take the time to practice self-care. Trauma comes in all forms and you will have to deal with it .”
The mother of three replied: “Thank you! It was definitely a shock and an adjustment. Getting used to our new 'normal' and learning to build a bond.”
Meanwhile, a fourth commented: “I was a year old today when I discovered cryptic pregnancies existed! Also…congratulations!”
Another wrote: “This is why I take random pregnancy tests for no reason.”
And another added: “I had an 8th grade English teacher who had a cryptic pregnancy. She had the baby in the teacher's lounge bathroom.”