Nigerian News Beat

A pregnant mother who didn't realise she was expecting gave birth on her bathroom floor in the middle of the night - while her partner slept through it all.

Nadia Watson, 22, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, woke up suffering from what she thought were period pains but collapsed to the floor and went into labour.

She screamed in agony for more than an hour as she delivered 7lbs 11oz baby Poppy by herself.

But boyfriend Lewis McSweeney didn't wake up - even though she shrieked so loudly her concerned neighbours dialled 999.

A fleet of police cars and ambulances arrived minutes after the birth and Lewis, also 22, only arose from his slumber when Nadia presented their newborn daughter.

Nadia said: 'He can literally sleep through anything - fire alarms, the lot. I have no idea how he does it.

She had two retail jobs - at Frankie and Benny's restaurant and Blockbuster video - and would even help her pregnant neighbour carry her shopping.

'It was a complete surprise - I didn't have a clue that I was pregnant,' she said.

'I was still having regular periods, I remained a size ten, and I only put on a tiny bit of weight which I put down to eating too many burgers at my new job at Frankie and Benny's.

'On the Sunday night I started having some sharp pains, which I just assumed was me starting my period.

'I went to the bathroom and collapsed with pain. I realised I was in labour and just decided to keep pushing.

'Most people have a team of people around them telling them what to do and when but I just had to keep pushing on my own.'

Boyfriend Lewis remained completely oblivious as to what was going on in the next room  - despite Nadia screaming so loudly the neighbours called the police.

She added: 'Lewis just slept through the whole thing but I did manage to wake the neighbours. I was screaming so loudly that they called 999.

'By the time Lewis had woken up two police cars arrived with three paramedics, so they cut the cord and took us both to hospital.'

Baby Poppy was aptly named due to her arrival on Remembrance Sunday last year.

'When Poppy was born she was completely silent which absolutely terrified me but then she wiggled and I was just completely relieved,' said Nadia.

'Even now she's still really well behaved, she sleeps right through the night and she's a very calm little baby. '

New dad Lewis McSweeney said he was 'quite embarrassed' to have slept through his daughter's birth - but he was exhausted from working night shifts.

He said: 'I'm actually quite embarrassed and a little bit gutted at the fact I managed to sleep through the whole thing.

'It's really not unusual for me to sleep through things - I once left a pizza in the oven for more than an hour and didn't wake up to the fire alarm or the neighbours trying to get into the house.

'I had also just finished a 12 hour night shift as a support worker so I was pretty knackered.

'The first thing I knew about Nadia giving birth was when she walked into the room with Poppy in her arms and the chord still attached.

'I thought I was dreaming so I put my head back down and went to sleep but then the penny dropped as to what had happened.

'I was in complete shock for days - I couldn't get my head around what had happened.

'I'd been to have my hair cut the same day and the barber there had just got his misses pregnant.

'I was laughing a bit and telling him that I wouldn't be becoming a Dad for at least 10 years, then less than 12 hours later I had a baby.'

His partner Nadia Watson said she had no idea she was pregnant and the only symptom was back ache which she put down to juggling two jobs.

She said: 'I think on reflection I was really lucky with my pregnancy - I didn't have any of the usual symptoms and managed to get away with it quite lightly.

'Looking back the only symptom I did have was bad back pains, but I just assumed that it was because I was working two jobs - both of which involved me being on my feet all day.

'One of my friends is pregnant now and she is really suffering with it, so I'm definitely extremely lucky.'

Nadia added that she remembers very little about the labour.

She said: 'I know I went into labour in the early hours of the morning on Remembrance Sunday but in all honesty I really couldn't tell you much about it - it seemed to happen so quickly.

'I think the labour lasted about an hour, it was definitely no more than two, it was very quick in comparison to some people.

'I know the ambulance turned up and cut the cord at about 7.15 but other than that I haven't really got a clue about timings.

'I was in so much pain I couldn't get up to go and get my phone to check the time or call for help.
'It's a bit sad really that I don't actually know what time Poppy was born.'