A woman in Christchurch, New Zealand, was shocked to find out she was pregnant after complaining of a stomach ache. Sarah Greig, 22, called her employer and said she couldn't come to work because her stomach hurts.

Ms Greig believed that she was suffering from a bad case of a stomach bug. Little did she know that four hours after experiencing cramps, she would give birth to a healthy baby boy. She and partner, Justin Henderson, didn't know that she was pregnant until after complaining about her stomach ache.

No pregnancy symptoms

Ms Greig said she had no obvious pregnancy symptoms like most pregnant women do. She said she had a pregnancy test when she thought she was three months pregnant. The test was positive and she was thinking about telling people.

However, she thought she had a miscarriage when she was bleeding and suffering from bad cramps. Ms Greig bought a home pregnancy test and it gave a negative result.

She didn't think any more about "lost" baby and just went on with her life. Ms Greig lives with her partner in Leeston, Christchurch.

She continued to have her monthly period and did not experience any more pregnancy symptoms. She admitted to being tired and craving for food, but she blamed it on her job on the farm. She milks the cows and feeds their young. She is also used to working long hours from 5 am to 6 pm for 8 straight days with a 2-day rest.

She continued working hard and not thinking about the baby she thought she lost.

Her co-workers felt guilty after learning about her birth because they were pushing her to work fast because they thought she was being slow.

People were shocked to learn that she gave birth because no one knew she was pregnant, not ever her partner Justin and her mother. They just thought she gained a little weight although some suspected she was pregnant but chose to keep it to themselves because she never said anything.

On Sept 27, she came home from work when she started having stomach cramps. She even took pain relievers to ease the pain and realised it was something serious when the medicine did not work.

Ms Greig said she couldn't recall her water breaking and said it could have happened when she went to the toilet. She was still oblivious to the fact that she was about to give birth.

The baby started to come at 8:30 pm. She and her partner told their flatmate about the situation. Her partner got everyone in the car as he drove to the hospital. They were already in contact with an ambulance that eventually caught up with them in Springston.

The flatmate, who was also a nanny, delivered the baby when they reached Broadfield. The "stomach ache" turned out to be a healthy baby boy weighing 7 lbs and 1 oz. They named him Thomas Henry Henderson-Greig.

According to Christchurch District Health Board Director of Midwifery Samantha Burke, unexpected births like Ms Greig's case are not common. While every pregnancy is different, women are advised to consult with a doctor if they suspect they are pregnant to better monitor the health of both mothers and babies.

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