Behind the photo: Oh baby! That was a surprise – one woman’s weddingday secret
Suzanne Holdsworth, 33, danced and drank on her wedding day not realising her big secret…
When my fiancé Chris proposed at my 30th birthday party I’d never been so happy. And, of course, I immediately started planning the wedding.
‘The girls can wear pink bridesmaid dresses,’ I told Chris, excitedly. ‘And maybe a grey suit for Josh.’ I could picture it now – Emelye, then four, and Poppy, two, would look adorable, and Josh, 10, would look so handsome. The only problem was me…
I’d never lost the weight after having children and now it was April 2014, and at 5ft 2in and 12st 7lb, I was determined to lose some weight before the big day. So while I planned the flowers and booked the caterer, I challenged myself to see how much I could shed over the next year.
Getting in shape
I did everything I could – going to the gym, swimming, cycling, walking, and running after two small kids helped. By the time our wedding day came around, in July 2015, I’d lost 2st. My size 12 dress had to be taken in and, as I walked down the aisle, Chris’ face said it all. ‘You look incredible,’ he whispered, reaching for my hand. I felt it too, and the day passed in a happy blur of champagne and dancing.
After the wedding I kept up with my regular exercise. Only then, a few months later in November 2015, I woke up feeling terrible. Chris was on his way out to his security job but, doubled over on the stairs, I couldn’t even get up to kiss him goodbye.
‘I don’t think you should go today,’ I said, my face twisted in agony. ‘I can’t look after Poppy feeling like this. I feel like I’m going to be sick.’ The pain on my left side was getting worse. ‘Something’s really wrong,’ said Chris. ‘I’m calling an ambulance.’
The older kids were at school and Poppy was watching TV in the living room, and as Chris called for help I managed to heave myself to our bedroom. But I didn’t make it to the bed. As another jolt shot through me, I crumbled to my knees, writhing in pain. I’d been fine the night before, playing with the kids, letting them jump and climb all over me. When the paramedics arrived one suspected it was my appendix, but they wanted another opinion so they called out a second crew. Suddenly, I felt the urge to push. I let out an almighty scream, and felt a surge of pressure between my legs. It all happened so quickly, I didn’t have a chance to process what was going on. But I could see the shock on the paramedics’ faces and, as they whipped off my jeans, I reached my hand down… ‘It’s a baby!’ I screamed. The head was fully out and with one more push my little girl came screaming into the world as I lay there, stunned. I looked back and forth from the baby to Chris. How could I have been pregnant without realising? My periods had always been irregular, so that wasn’t anything unusual, but I’d been drinking, exercising vigorously and actually losing weight, not putting it on. Later, doctors at the hospital checked the baby and confirmed that although she was small – just 5lb 8oz – she was perfect. ‘Let’s call her Leora,’ Chris suggested. But I just couldn’t understand how I hadn’t known I was pregnant. On my wedding day, when I’d drunk champagne and danced for hours, I’d been six months gone! Now Leora is thriving and is a happy, cheeky toddler. And Chris and I are being extra careful to make sure there are no more big surprises!
‘I’d actually been losing weight, not putting it on’