OU Student Unaware She Was Pregnant Until She Gave Birth in the Dorm

A University of Oklahoma student's unique birth experience got the attention of a television network.

Tuesday, June 16th 2009, 8:48 pm

By: News 9


By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- A University of Oklahoma student's unique birth experience got the attention of a television network.

Elizabeth Hess, 19, never expected to get national attention for giving birth to a baby boy, but then again she never expected to give birth.

Four months ago, Hess and her boyfriend never thought they would become the parents of a happy, healthy baby boy.

"I am so thankful he is healthy and we're both OK," Hess said.

Hess was living the typical college life at the University of Oklahoma and sharing a dorm with Morgan Foreman.

"We would go to dinner, go to Target or walk to class together. Yeah, we spent a lot of time together," Foreman said.

Hess carried the baby to birth without her boyfriend, family, friends and even herself knowing she was pregnant.

"I didn't go through what most people go through," Hess said. "I gained some weight. I pretty much thought it was like the ‘freshmen 15.'"

Hess was shocked when what she thought were bad menstrual cramps were actually contractions, and that led to the surprise birth of a seven pound baby in the dorm bathroom.

"She was shaking so bad, in such shock that I just reached down and pulled him out of the toilet and made sure he was breathing," Foreman said. "He wasn't screaming at first, so I patted his back and loosened the umbilical cord around his neck and made sure everything was OK and ran and grabbed my cell phone."

Hess and Foremand said the experience left a lasting bond and memory.

"I still look back on it today thinking that has to be a dream," Foreman said.

She is now baby Lane's godmother, and Elizabeth said she is forever grateful for her friend's help.

"I'm so glad Morgan was there. I honestly don't know what we would have done without her there," Hess said.

Foreman, who is studying to be a physician's assistant to an OBGYN said the birth experience has sealed her career aspirations.

"I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" on Discovery Health featured an episode on Hess and her story on Tuesday night.

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