Many mature women dream of retirement, spontaneous vacations, grandchildren and a life of leisure. Susan Tollefsen has something else in store for her golden years.
As a lump grew in her belly, she feared cancer until an ultrasound technician performed a sonogram and told her she was nearly 30 weeks pregnant. To see how she came across this miracle baby, read more.
Susan and her boyfriend, Nick (who is 11 years her junior) were desperately trying to have a child of their own. The mum–to–be told the Daily Mail:
I contacted fertility clinics in Britain but all of them refused to treat me because of my age. But there are no such age limits in some foreign clinics.
Limited by their homeland, the couple underwent treatments in Russia where Susan unknowingly became pregnant. Puzzled about how she missed the signs? After her last round of IVF, Susan had severe bleeding, which she now believes was a miscarriage of another baby (potentially a twin.) Having never been pregnant before, she was unaware of pregnancy symptoms.
Beyond excited for the bouncing baby girl to arrive, the pair are rushing to get the house ready. They plan to name her Freya, the goddess of fertility and birth.
Do you think you'd notice if you were 30 weeks pregnant?
Source
Mothercare
mytheresa
DAY Birger et Mikkelsen
She had a belly "lump" developing after IVF and never once considered she might actually be pregnant?? OK...
1i'm sorry, but this woman is 57????
2So if you did think it was a tumor, wouldn't you go to the doctor sooner?
3I just don't see why you'd do IVF, but then not take a zillion tests as soon as you could?! Maybe she didn't because of the severe bleeding, I don't know, but then pants not fitting...Yeah, I'd get it.
4Yeah, trust me, SugarKat. You count the minutes until you can take the HPT after IVF and many women jump the gun because they are too excited to wait! I get the bleeding throwing her off, but yes, I'd think that in the weeks following, you'd get clued in.
5"Having never been pregnant before, she was unaware of pregnancy symptoms." Riiiiiight. She was desperately trying to get pregnant and never once read up on pregnancy symptoms? In my experience, people that are obsessed with pregnancy know more about symptoms and the whole child-bearing experience than those who are actually pregnant.
And she's fifty-freaking-seven! No thank you!
6I just read further... 30 WEEKS?!?!?! Whaaaaa?
I know someone that claims they did not know she was pregnant, went to the hospital with abdominal pains and gave birth to a baby boy that night. I still don't buy that she didn't know it. I think she just didn't want to face it.
I don't know about you girls that have had babies before, but during the last trimester, it was impossible to not notice my pregnancy. I had a BABY IN MY BELLY! She kicked and moved and hiccuped. I mean c'mon!
7I've never understood how women are that far along and do not know they are pregnant. That aside, I can't imagine being 62 and dropping my first child off at kindergarten.
8i met a woman who had this happen to her. she wasn't very "with it".
at 57 i can see why most clincs wouldn't treat her, seems kind of late to just be starting out. the rest of us will be empty nesters at her age, grandparents even.
i wouldn't do it, but it seems to be the wave of the future doesn't it? look at some of these celeb moms; 45 is the latest. in a few years it will be 50.
9Scary that women who aren't 'with it' are going to be a mommy. I had a friend that didn't know she was preggers for 5 months, but she always had weird cycles. Most women at 57 are going through menopause. She should have thought something though.
10I dont think that being 57 and pregnant is very fair to your future child....10 years old and your 67, 20 and your 77? its selfish.
11I worked with a woman who was 52 when her periods stopped. She figured she was in menopause and didn't give much thought to it. She went to the gynecologist for her annual and the doctor was like 'ummmm.......are you aware that you're pregnant?'
The moral of the story is is ain't over till it's over. And if this 57 year old woman wants a baby why does anyone else care to judge her so harshly? She'll probably give it all the love it needs.
12I should have mentioned that I'm the product of older parents and never had the slightest awareness of just how much older than everyone else's parents they were. It's all about what you get from the parents you have; not about the age.
13Given that I'm just a few days from giving birth, I cannot imagine a) NOT knowing that I was pregnant at 30 weeks or b) having a baby at age 57 (I'm 38 and it's definitely harder than it was at 33!!) But hey, that's my own baggage
14I could see if she wasn't on IVF and didn't know. My own mother didn't know until December when she was 40 that she was going to have me, and I was born in February. She thought she was going through menopause
But going through IVF AND not knowing...kinda dumb.
15i'm sure this couple will be great parents since they have been waiting so long for their baby. however, i can't help but feel bad for this child because his/her parents are goign to be so old. when i was born, my parents were in their early 20s and my grandparents were in their late 40s/early 50s. i enjoyed having parents and grandparents who were young and had a lot of energy ... it was great.
16Agree with many of the comments above. If you are IMPLANTING FERTILISED EMBRYOS in your uterus, is it not ONE of the things you might consider when your uterus starts to swell?
17I think that is soo selfish, sorry. That child is going to be without a mother for most of her life. C'mon now!
18I never understand how people do not know they are pregnant. If you are trying to get pregnant then don't you read about signs and symptoms etc. I had never been pregnant and I knew that when I was feeling sick I might be! Come on now!
19Well, let's see...there's the pain in your lower back, the breast tenderness and that's just the first month. There's the fact that the baby starts moving and you can feel it by the fifth month. Too wacky.
20I don't get it either.
I am 28 weeks pregnant and my belly is huge, my back hurts,
I feel the baby kicking constantly... how could you not know? Weird!
21Wowie!
22A friend of mine found out she was pregnant past 4 months - she thought she had aerophagia.. *rolleyes*
I've never been pregnant but I can't imagine how you can NOT notice your body change!
Marci makes a very good point, but I'm with Kiwitwist, I can't help thinking it's a bit cruel to decide to have a child that 'late', knowing he/she will probably lose a parent very early..
23The first thing that popped into my mind was that she probably knew it was either "tumor OR pregnancy", but didn't want to seek any medical treatment in her "home country" for fear that doctors might discourage her from continuing with the possible pregnancy.
24I would never dream of having a baby at that age.
wow...i'm sure that baby will be loved very much and provisions will be made if anything were to happen. congrats to the happy couple. its never to late to follow your dreams.
25I'm sorry, but that's awful. There is a good chance that this child will be orphaned in his/her teens. And for her to not even realize she was pregnant after IVF, she doesn't sound like the brightest crayon in the box, either.
26Sorry...she's too old to have a baby
So sad when they do this...who's going to raise the baby
once they're gone?
27Buffy, I agree. These people are simply selfish. Who is going to play with this child when he/she is 5? Who will be there to congratulate him/her when he/she graduates HS?
They should have adopted a pet instead of bringing a child into this world will eventually have to take care of his/her parents while still too young to take care of himself/herself.
28She seems less stupid once you read the entire article. Turns out all the pregnancy tests she took came back negative and none of her doctors thought she was pregnant.
As for the age debate, should she have to give up her dream of having children just because life conspired against her when she was younger?
29Here, here, Marci!
30Twinkle...
The interests of a child ALWAYS come first, PERIOD. That is non-negotiable, and anyone who disagrees has no business bringing a child into the world.
Plenty of parents give up their dreams for the sake of their children, and I don't see why that shouldn't apply here as well.
31
32i have no right to judge anyone, i am not god.
33This comment makes no sense in regards to Twinkles statement:
"Plenty of parents give up their dreams for the sake of their children, and I don't see why that shouldn't apply here as well."
Lots of parents give up their "dream" career to stay home and raise their children. Twinkle was merely stating, why should she give up on her dream to have a child.
Are you saying just because she is older, she will not be a good parent? Reading this, I see nowhere in the article where it states this couple does not have the best interests for their child. They plan on raising it in a loving home.
They WANTED a child. It will be a blessing to them. They will love and care for it. Which is more than what most kids born in the world get.
34how could someone be 57 and not known the signs of pregnancy!!? i've known the signs since i was about 15, geez! Especially when you are actively tryng....strange.
35i also don't understand. i can understand the beginning kicks feeling like gas pains, but gosh, you get to a certain point and it actually makes you uncomfortable!! how would you NOT know.
36WOMEN are their own worst enemy. Especially the 'self-righteous' ones. You are bombing on a 'married' woman wanting to have a child (first one) with her husband. Complainig about 'age 45 and older' having children but none of you say a word if the man is 57 (Michael Douglas and the lot) having babies. STOP YOUR DOUBLE STANDARD HOLIER THAN THOU attacks on each other and STOP buying into the 'propaganda' that women are old at 40. MEN told you that so they can have an excuse (at 55) to go after YOUR 21 year old daughters!
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