Baby bloomer

WORRIED mum Amanda Morgan was flushed with relief after her doctor diagnosed what she feared were cancer symptoms as an early menopause.

But seven hours later she nipped to the loo while her partner Chris cooked tea-and gave birth to a 5lbs 6oz GIRL.

The baby made such a speedy exit stunned Amanda didn't even have time to shout to him for help.

And by the time Chris called up to her that tea was ready there was another little mouth to feed... tiny Caitlin Morgan's.

"It was such a shock-I'd had no morning sickness or tiredness and had absolutely no bump at all," says legal secretary Amanda as she cradles Caitlin in her arms.

"And at 40 I thought my baby-making days were long gone. We always avoided having sex during my fertile time and we'd been doing this for so long without anything ever happening, I thought I was no longer fertile. Looking back, it was obviously a big mistake!

Tests

"I'd put on about a pound in weight but just thought I'd been snacking too much.

"I had even had my usual monthly periods."

It was because her periods had been so heavy that the anxious mum had gone to the doctors that morning.

"My mum died from cancer so I worried there was something seriously wrong," says the mum, who also has sons Shaun, 13 and Ryan, ten, from a previous relationship.

"But I was very reassured when my doctor said I was experiencing the classic signs of the menopause. She then booked blood tests at hospital to check my hormone levels."

Amanda felt so drained she went home to rest after her appointment.

"Later Chris was cooking fish fingers and chips for the boys' tea and I felt a bit better," she recalls. "But when I popped to the bathroom I suddenly doubled up with a crippling pain.

"I put my hand down between my legs and had the fright of my life when I felt a baby's head. There was no time to even shout out to Chris.

"But a strange calm took over and with one push Caitlin was out. She barely cried, just wriggled. I grabbed a towel and wrapped her in it. At that moment I called out to Chris. He was already coming up the stairs to tell me tea was ready.

"But the urgency in my voice made him run up. He opened the door and his face went white. He was just gobsmacked. I don't think he could take it in at all."

Chris, 42, rushed to dial 999. "Fortunately, an ambulance was in our road on a hoax call," says Amanda. "

So the paramedics were here in minutes and cut the cord. I'll never forget the scene as so many people crammed into our tiny bathroom. It was surreal."

Amanda, of Neath, South Wales, and baby Caitlin were taken to Swansea's Singleton Hospital.

"I could barely speak to the doctors and nurses, I was in such a state of total shock," says Amanda.

Thrilled

Born three months premature, Caitlin was put in a ventilator-but after five weeks she was given a clean bill of health and allowed home. She is now 11 months old and weighs a healthy 12lb 5oz.

Delighted Amanda says: "Caitlin is Chris's first baby so he's particularly thrilled. We had discussed having a baby but because of my age, had decided against it.

"I'd chucked out all my old baby gear years ago so we had a lot of shopping to do.

"Even now I look back on photos just a few weeks before I had her and cannot believe I was pregnant.

"With the boys I had everything-morning sickness every day for months, swollen ankles and I had enormous bumps.

"They were both long labours and I certainly never had monthly periods with either of them.

"But Caitlin is the most adorable baby and we are all overjoyed to have her. She is also the easiest baby -a bit like my pregnancy really!"

Little Caitlin's so rare

SUE Jacobs, of the Royal College of Midwives, said cases like Amanda's were very rare. "In 25 years as a midwife this is only the third time I've come across one like this-but women do occasionally experience what seem like periods in pregnancy.

"In such cases it's because the bleeding is caused by the placenta and just happens to coincide with period dates.

"Fast labours like Amanda's are often uncomplicated. It just goes to show that nature can produce a healthy baby without any medical intervention whatsoever."