A support worker was stunned to discover she was eight months pregnant after she was rushed to hospital with 'stomach cramps'.

First-time mother Amanda Jessup said she was in 'complete shock' when she was told by A&E staff that not only was she pregnant, but her baby was crowning.

The 23-year-old from Folkestone, Kent, had thought nothing of gaining two stone in four months, taking her to 13 stone.

She also attributed the mood swings she experienced to depression, and assumed her back pain was due to heavy lifting at work.

But on March 26th this year, boyfriend Ben Funnell, 24, also a support worker, rushed her into hospital after she woke up suffering from painful cramps.

Amanda said: 'After being examined by a nurse, they broke the news to me that I wasn't suffering from stomach cramps, but I was at least 35 weeks pregnant - and in labour.

'I was in total shock, and so was Ben - I just kept telling everyone I couldn't be having a baby, it wasn't possible!'

Incredibly, Amanda was in labour eight hours before she arrived at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, and she was soon cradling baby Terrance - nicknamed 'Teddy' - born a healthy 5lb 2oz.

Oblivious to her pregnancy, she had spent the previous eight months enjoying karaoke nights and parties where she consumed alcohol.

Thankfully, baby Teddy was healthy, but placed in an incubator for a few hours for monitoring.

Friends had joked about Amanda being pregnant while she worried about her weight gain, but she ignored the comments as she was taking the contraceptive pill and experiencing regular periods.

She said: 'Friends joked about me being pregnant as my appetite and waistline grew, but I'd always been a big eater so put it down to that.

'I tried to lose weight, cutting out junk food and doing the 5:2 diet, but nothing seemed to make a difference.

'The only craving I had was for watered-down coke, and I explained away my sudden back pain as a side effect of heavy lifting at my voluntary job at a Savers store.

'I often suffered stomach cramps after eating too much, so assumed it was that when I woke up at 3am. The next morning the pain was indescribable, so I was rushed to A&E.'

Once the shock of being parents had worn off, Ben and Amanda, who had been together for three years, broke the news to friends over Facebook.

Amanda said: 'It was hard to adjust to being a mum. Most people have nine months to get used to the idea, while I had about 15 minutes!

'The hardest thing for me was getting used to not having much sleep, but after a few weeks I'd adjusted to waking up to Teddy's cries.

'Ben and I had talked about babies in the past, but thought that was something way off in our future. Apparently, Teddy had other plans!'

Amanda has now begun working at the same company as Ben, and the two have moved into their own flat with six-month-old Terrance.

She said: 'Teddy absolutely turned my life upside down, but I wouldn't change what happened for the world. I'm so grateful for my new life with my little family.'