A mum-to-be with a gigantic ππππ¦ bump – which was so large that doctors thought she had a secret twin – has given ππ’π«ππ‘ to a 13lb newππ¨π«π§.
First time mum Amber Cumberland, 21, from Aston, Oxfordshire, gave ππ’π«ππ‘ to her daughter Emilia on April 16, weighing a whopping 12lb 14oz.
Baby Emilia created such a big bump during pregnancy that doctors werenβt sure if there would be a surprise second ππππ¦ in labour.
But instead, she is believed to be the second biggest ππππ¦ girl ever ππ¨π«π§ in the UK after the 2012 record breaker at 14lbs 4oz.
Amber was induced almost two weeks overdue and spent 24 hours in labour until ππππ¦ Emilia entered the world via an emergency C-section.
‘Before the pregnancy I was 12.5st and a size 14 and at the end of the pregnancy, I couldnβt fit into anything smaller than a size 20 and was about 17st,’ said Amber, who is 5β9. ‘Since the ππ’π«ππ‘ Iβm back in size 16 and weighing just under 15st.’
Amber said: ‘Doctors thought it was twins during pregnancy because she was so big, even though we could only see one on the ultrasounds.
‘We heard it so much we actually started to believe there was another one hiding in there.
‘It became a game when we went to the supermarket to see if we would get a comment about the size of the bump and we always did.
‘When she came out Scottβs face was white and all the surgeons were looking at each other in shock and laughing – they brought her to me and said “Congratulations youβve had a toddler”.
‘We were just so glad it was only one ππππ¦ and that she was healthy.’
Baby Emilia began measuring big in the third trimester, reaching the average size of a 36 week ππππ¦ by her 32 week scan and was estimated at 8lb 12oz on an extra growth scan at 36 weeks.
Amberβs partner and Emiliaβs dad, Scott Joy, 22, spent 42 hours in the car park of John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in the space of three days leading up to the ππ’π«ππ‘ – not allowed to join Amber until she was in active labour due to Covid restrictions.
Amber said: ‘I got to eight centimetres dilated and she couldnβt go any further – if she went any further down they wouldnβt be able to get her back up and she wouldβve got stuck.
‘During the C-section it took two people to lift her out and one to hold everything back to get her out.
‘The whole outfit we brought didnβt fit her but luckily we had some spare 0-3 month clothes packed and the hospital staff had to hunt down bigger nappies from paediatrics for us.
‘Nurses at the hospital even stayed over time to see the weight of the ππππ¦ and take photos with her because she was so big.’
Amberβs giant pregnancy bump created lots of painful complications that meant the first time mum couldnβt wait to be induced and get her ππππ¦ out.
She tried home remedies to induce herself and get things moving but nothing worked.
Amber said: ‘I was so desperate to get her out I tried everything – I ate half a kilogram of raw pineapple, used essential oils and bath salts, even acupressure – anything I read online that might help.
‘The bump was so big I got lots of stretch marks and my skin was so weak from being stretched out that they would bleed if I stood up too quickly.
‘My stomach muscles completely split to the point where the doctors could barely distinguish them during the C-section and said they were the worst theyβd ever seen.
‘I also had awful sciatica and compressed nerves in my hips and legs because of the weight of her and I couldnβt even roll over in bed without Scott to help me.’
Just over a week after giving ππ’π«ππ‘ Amber is starting to heal but expects to take a while to fully recover due to the damage done to her body by the difficult pregnancy and ππ’π«ππ‘.
She is currently on a waiting list for physiotherapy to help heal her badly split stomach muscles.
Amber said: ‘Iβve still got a completely numb bit of skin around my belly button where the nerves have just given up.
‘Because of the damage to my stomach muscles the stitches have no support and I have to be really careful.
‘I canβt pick Emilia up or breastfeed her because sheβs so heavy and thereβs no protection for my organs, but Iβm slowly getting better.
‘Iβm still as uncomfortable as when I was pregnant but I do feel a lot lighter and have no more trapped nerves which Iβm very grateful for.
‘Weβre both so overjoyed with our gorgeous little girl.’
