A DREGHORN mum has given birth to her third child - having been completely unaware that she was pregnant.

In fact, it was only a stroke of complete luck that meant Natasha Hardie was at a hospital when Alya-mae was born on March 1.

“She sure surprised everyone but she’s the best surprise that ever did come,” Natasha told the Times.

The 30-year-old shared her remarkable story with this week as she began to settle in to life at home again, now as a mum of three.

Natasha explained she had gone to see her GP on Thursday, February 29, having been suffering from "severe back pain" earlier in the week.

She was tested for what was thought to be an infection, and when the result came back negative she was referred to the orthopaedics department at Crosshouse Hospital the following day for an X-ray.

This, too, came back without any concerns being flagged, and Natasha was sent for an MRI scan to see if the root of the problem could be found.

She told the Times: “When I went to the MRI they were just checking the spine at first to see where the pain was coming from.

“As soon as I came out of there I went all funny, as if I was going to faint.

“They told me to lie down but I couldn’t because I needed the toilet."

What happened next was something that, to put it mildly, was unexpected.

Natasha added: “I went to the toilet, and then I was like 'naw, this isn’t the toilet' – so I had to press all the alarms.”

With Natasha unable to move, two members of hospital staff had to assist her as what was happening began to become clear.

She was taken for an ultrasound, and after some difficulties, orthopaedics staff confirmed what was really happening.

“It was a baby and it was coming," Natasha explained.

"I didn’t even get to the labour ward. I had to give birth on the ultrasound bed in orthopaedics.

“The midwives missed it and the A&E doctors missed it – so it was the radiologist that delivered her with another doctor.

“She came out too quick and no one had an idea. It was over in something like 40 seconds.”

Natasha said hospital staff had told her the pregnancy was being considered a full term.

She continued: “I went up myself to the X-ray, because that’s all I was going up for.

“A&E had to phone my mum to let her know about her granddaughter. She didn’t know what to say because no one had a clue.

“Everybody has been so shocked, myself especially. I’m still in shock. It will take me a wee while to get over that."

Even with the benefit of hindsight Natasha says she had no indication of what was to come.

“I had no symptoms at all," she commented. "I didn’t feel her. I didn’t feel anything.

“I was still getting regular cycles so everything was just happening normally. It was only when I was getting back pain.

“With my other two pregnancies, I couldn’t eat spicy food, but I’ve been eating Chinese food and nothing’s felt different.”

It has been all systems go ever since Friday for Natasha, whose second child only celebrated her first birthday in September.

"I got rid of all her stuff as well," Natasha added, "so it’s been like starting again.

“I had no clue about it all. My family has had to pull together to get everything, but it’s been done in days.”

Despite all the shock, Natasha said she was enormously relieved to have actually been at a hospital at the time.

She added: “I’m really relieved the doctor actually sent me to the hospital and I was in the right place at the right time.

“If not, God knows where I would have been at the time.

“I still have two wee ones, so where would I have been if I never got sent there? And who would have been with me?

"A big thanks must go to all staff in the orthopaedics department for delivering her safe and giving me time to take in the shock."

Natasha is now doing well at home alongside her "perfect wee girl" who she named Ayla-mae Hardie a few days after her birth.