Surprise Baby! Mom Learns She's Pregnant 10 Hours Before Giving Birth to Her First Child

Nicci Garlic went to a local urgent care facility complaining of a stomach issue, but 10 hours later, she delivered her first child, her surprise baby, without knowing she was pregnant all these months at the Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Illinois on Wednesday, February 2.

The mom and her husband, Kelsie Garlic, have been married since 2014 and have faced the challenges of having a baby from the onset. After trying for some time, the couple was resigned to believing that they could never have kids of their own.

But on that unexpected day, Nicci and Kelsie welcomed their son, Charlie Keith Garlic, via a cesarian section. Nicci had no idea that she was carrying a child and into her 34th week of pregnancy.

However, the hospital staff did not let her go home anymore because Nicci had signs of preeclampsia. The couple agreed with their doctors that she needed to undergo C-section as soon as possible to reduce the risks to Nicci and their baby. Fortunately, the procedure was a success.

"[He's] a miracle baby that we didn't know existed," Kelsie said, according to People. "We found out we were pregnant, and we had the child, the whole thing, in 10, eight hours. It's unreal."

Why Was Nicci Not Aware of the Pregnancy?

Nicci, who is in her mid-30s, stopped having her period about two years ago and has suffered from ovulation complications for most of her reproductive life. Thus, the couple sought fertility treatments early in their marriage without good results.

Kelsie said that his wife had to go to therapy because the thought that she could not bear children affected her mental health. After three years of failed in vitro fertilization, Nicci and Kelsie decided to try fostering animals, specifically senior dogs, instead. Their foster dogs became permanent additions to their family.

Then in 2019, the pair decided they would foster kids and went through all the necessary procedures with Illinois' Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). They were soon matched with two boys, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old, and have been foster parents for almost two years.

On the day of their baby's birth, Nicci was still at work as a school teacher, but she decided to go home in the middle of the day because of her stomach pains. Kelsie drove her to Urgent Care and then brought their boys to their karate classes. A few minutes later, the husband received a call from his wife, who informed him about the surprise baby.

Help for the Surprise Baby

Kelsie opened a GoFundMe page after the unexpected birth to ask for financial assistance since his wife has no paid maternity leave. He admitted that they are "deeply afraid of our financial future" with several foster animals, two growing foster kids, and a new baby they have not prepared for.

The fundraiser has reached over $40,000 as of press time, with donations coming from as far as Australia. Some donated $222 to reflect the lucky birthday of the surprise baby. The money will also help Nicci and Kelsie work through the development of their foster kids.