Mother STILL looks pregnant 17 months after giving birth to her fourth child

A mother-of-four has been left with a 'permanent baby bump', two years after giving birth to her youngest child.

Nina Mulhall is regularly asked when her fifth child is due, and receives dirty looks from people when drinking alcohol in public.

But, despite appearing to be several months pregnant, the 32-year-old was sterilised, after giving birth to her fourth child Isla Keetley, now 17 months.

Despite several trips back and forth to see doctors about the bump, Ms Mulhall said experts still are not sure of the cause.

She believes it could be a rare side-effect of having a C-section. 

But Miss Leila Hanna, a consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at Queen Mary's Hospital, London, told MailOnline it is not a complication she has ever heard of.

Ms Mulhall, from Grimsby, said after giving birth to her three previous children, her slender frame 'snapped back' to her normal size eight to 10.

But after Isla's birth she has been left looking permanently pregnant. 

'It's a rare side effect of the C-section - my belly retains fluid,' she claimed. 'It's left me looking permanently nine months pregnant.

'I'm sick to my back teeth of it - but it does make me proud of being a mum.'

Ms Mulhall said she gets dirty looks every time she goes out for a drink with her partner Philip Keetley, also 32, because strangers assume she is drinking alcohol while pregnant. 

She claims she is forced to live in maternity clothes, because her stomach has failed to return to its normal size. 

Doctors have given Ms Mulhall, also mother to Colby, 10, Tamzin, nine, and Reegon, six, from a previous relationship, several internal scans to try and determine the cause of the swelling.

But their investigations have, Ms Mulhall claims, uncovered no clue as to what is triggering her bump. 

And consultant gynaecologist Miss Hanna told MailOnline there is no medical evidence to suggest the bump is a rare side-effect of a C-section. 

She explained many mothers who have experienced multiple pregnancies can experience serious damage to the stomach muscle wall, making it appear as though they still have a bump.

'Today I look as pregnant as I did when Isla was due,' Ms Mulhall said. 'It's ridiculous. You have to laugh really. 

Doctors have given Ms Mulhall, also mother to Colby, 10, Tamzin, nine, and Reegon, six, from a previous relationship, several internal scans to try and determine the cause of the swelling.

But their investigations have, Ms Mulhall claims, uncovered no clue as to what is triggering her bump. 

And consultant gynaecologist Miss Hanna told MailOnline there is no medical evidence to suggest the bump is a rare side-effect of a C-section. 

She explained many mothers who have experienced multiple pregnancies can experience serious damage to the stomach muscle wall, making it appear as though they still have a bump.

'Today I look as pregnant as I did when Isla was due,' Ms Mulhall said. 'It's ridiculous. You have to laugh really. 

'I know I can't have any more kids, but I still end up buying pregnancy tests just to check.

'I have four amazing children whom I love and I don't regret my mum-tum, in-fact I'm sort of proud of it.

'But sometimes the pain and size the bump goes makes me think that I'm pregnant again, even though I'm sterilised.' 

She added: 'With my three other kids, I was fine and back in my normal jeans within days - just like people like the Duchess of Cambridge seem to do.

'But now I'm still wearing maternity trousers.

'People must think this is the longest pregnancy on record, because I've basically looked pregnant for two years.

'At least I always get a seat on the bus.' 

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