Batley teenager who thought she had appendicitis has surprise baby on holiday in Turkey

A teenager who was taken to hospital with suspected appendicitis while celebrating her 18th birthday in Turkey ended up giving birth to a surprise baby girl.

Iona Miller, from Batley, West Yorkshire, had no idea she was eight months pregnant when she took a trip to the Antalya region with her mum, Sarah Richardson.

Within 24 hours of arriving, she was rushed to hospital with unbearable stomach pains.

But rather than being a medical problem, the twinges turned out to be contractions.

Sarah said: "Iona said 'mum there's something between my legs', so I pulled the cover up and the baby's head was there.

"It was all a bit of shock and they managed to get the baby out and then asked me to leave the room while they took care of the baby and Iona."

Despite having just delivered a baby weighing 5lb 9oz, Iona was confused about what had happened, asking her mum "whose baby is that?".

Baby Alanah was born on 7 December - one day after her mum turned 18.

She had no giveaway bump, which doctors have told her may be because her unborn baby was positioned closer to her back.

Her only symptom was persistent back pain, which she had dismissed as due to a recurring injury caused by playing rugby.

Speaking from their hotel room, Sarah said: "There was no hint whatsoever she was pregnant.

"She even she'd been to the doctors because she had chickenpox just before we came out [to Turkey]. Even the doctor had no clue she was pregnant."

The family are now out of hospital but are unable to leave the country until they have Alanah's citizenship and passport documentation and are unsure whether they will be home before Christmas.

Sarah said: "We've only just managed to post [the birth certificate] off yesterday and they will receive it by Monday and then we need to await that to see if we'll get the emergency travel document."

Iona's partner, who is in the UK and is yet met to meet his two-week old daughter, says he is upset to be missing out on the first moments.

Sarah said: "He joked that he sent [Iona] out here to get a watch, not a baby."

As they wait to find out if they will be able to return before Christmas, the family are enjoying spending time with their new arrival.

Iona said: "She's good, she's just doing the normal stuff she just feeds and sleeps and that's all she ever does."

The family say the staff in the hotel they are staying at have been "amazing" and have provided a cot and baby clothes for them.

Sarah added: "The staff are really excited as it's the first baby they have had stay here.

"They have said they'll help us celebrate if we are stuck out here so hopefully we will try to make the best of a bad situation."

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