What's the longest you DIDN'T know you were pregnant?

[surprised]

I hope this question isn't offensive, but those who know someone who didn't find out til they were like 20+ weeks - were they quite big ladies?

After 2 babies I just can't comprehend not realizing...

[MrsFabuloso]

With my first pg (which ended in miscarriage) I found out at about 11 weeks. I didn't know because DH (at the time only my boyfriend of about 3 months) hadn't told me that the condom burst...silly man! When AF didn't turn up for a second month, and there was no other real reason for me not to have a period, I took a pg test.
With DS1, I was about 7 or 8 weeks. DD was only 7 months old and still breast feeding when I fell pg, and my period was really sporadic, so I just didn't really take into consideration I would get pg yet.
The other three pg's (1 ending in m/c) I was very early, 4-5 weeks.

As for people not knowing until VERY late in pregnancy, how would you not feel a baby moving inside you?? I can't comprehend that, because I always felt like they were trying to claw their way out of me by the time I was about 26 weeks or so!!

[onthefly]

It seems incongruous with my experience of pregnancy, but obviously it can happen. It must be incredibly distressing and traumatic, though, to suddenly be having a baby!
With IVF there's no chance of a surprise, so it's not happened to me.

[~TT40~]

I hope this question isn't offensive, but those who know someone who didn't find out til they were like 20+ weeks - were they quite big ladies?

After 2 babies I just can't comprehend not realizing...

My friends DIL was very slim. Bub just wasn't a big baby, and she didn't show, just looked a little bloated. Bub also didn't move much. Some babies aren't big movers, another friend who knew she was pregnant and had a live baby said it was normal for her to go days without feeling her son.

This same friend (with the DIL) is also a midwife and cared for a women who was in labour and didn't know she was pregnant. She was late 40s, and also thought she was going through menopause, putting on weight, feeling tired, period stopping etc.. even whilst labouring she kept repeating "I'm NOT having a baby". It was very traumatic, but she couldn't have had a better midwife, my friend is amazing and was with her the whole way, she didn't leave that womans side until many hours after her shift. and she felt ok to do it, because the woman had named the baby, so that was acceptance.

the thing that is really crap about it all, is it is required us midwives report it to docs because of the "no antenatal care". But on the flip side, that does ensure they do get the extra support around them. and you would be surprised who comes out of the wood work with old cribs and blankets and food for the mum. A village really did help the woman that day.