Woman only realised she was pregnant when she went into labour

A hairdresser only realised she was pregnant when her waters broke as she coughed.

Lianne Brennan, 23, thought her cramps were period pains and was astonished when she suddenly went into labour on the sofa.

The shocked stylist couldn't find her phone to call for help so was forced to deliver the baby herself.

After just a 30-minute labour, daughter Echo-River arrived, her cord cut with her mother's favourite scissors and tied off with a hair bobble to stop the bleeding.

Despite Ms Brennan going out drinking most weekends, and smoking 10 cigarettes a day, Echo-River was found to be in good health, weighing 7lbs 2oz.

The single mother-of-three, from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, said: 'I knew my hairdressing skills would come in handy at some point.

'I had had a sore back all that day but my periods are so regular I didn't think anything of it.

'But the minute my waters broke, I knew I was going into labour.

'I went white with fear. There was blood everywhere.

'I grabbed some hairdressing scissors from my bedside table and cut the cord, then stemmed the blood with a bobble I plucked from my hair.'

She claims she didn't realise she had become pregnant again within three months of having her second child, Jasmine-Jae, now 14-months.

And it didn't occur to her the back pain was a sign of pregnancy, due to having surgery on her spine when she was 14 years old.

Ms Brennan said: 'My spine is half metal, so my lower back aches most of the time.

'And I've always had severe period cramps - I just got used to the pain.'

As well as drinking and smoking, she moved house on her own when she was five months pregnant, lifting heavy boxes and moving large pieces of furniture.

Ms Brennan added: 'I never believed it when I read stories like this. I always thought "how could you not know?"

'I still can't quite believe it's happened to me, but I couldn't be happier. Echo-River is most perfect surprise.'

The night before she gave birth, Ms Brennan, who is also a barmaid, was working until 3am, and was watching TV when her waters broke on April 17 this year.

'I staggered around the house looking for my phone, but I couldn't find it anywhere,' she said.

'I knew I was going to have to give birth alone.

'I climbed into bed and within half an hour, I delivered her. 

She said: 'I had no idea what I was doing. It was just a mother's instinct.

'After I got out of the shower a neighbour knocked on the door to borrow a phone charger.

'She said: "Sorry, have you just got out of the bath?"'

'I said: "No, I've just given birth".'

The neighbor called an ambulance and to her relief, one was passing nearby - taking mother and daughter to nearby Wythenshawe Hospital.

'I had nothing with me. I turned up with my handbag on one arm and Echo-River in the other,' said Ms Brennan. 

Thankfully, her mother and sister rallied round to provide everything the pair needed and they went home soon after.

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