Imagine not knowing you were pregnant and then suddenly giving birth on the front lawn of your home. That’s exactly what a New Jersey woman named Elizabeth Whitehead experienced Tuesday, LaceyPatch.com reports. Whitehead believed that her period had arrived when she started experiencing the familiar cramps. The cramps, however, got much worse, evolving into very intense labor pains. A short time later, Whitehead had birthed a 2.5 pound baby on the front lawn of her New Jersey home.

According to LaceyPatch.com, Whitehead’s boyfriend immediately called 911 and arriving law enforcement officers worked quickly to help the baby breath. Whitehead had reportedly taken several pregnancy tests after missing her period, but both tests came back negative.

The young couple’s baby is being cared for at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Doctors are keeping a close watch over the baby, as he was only 24 weeks old at birth.

Just how common are unexpected births such as this one? One study discovered that approximately one in every 7,225 women learns that she is pregnant only minutes before delivering a child.

There are plenty of unexpected birth stories similar to Whitehead’s. Earlier this month, for example, a woman gave birth after training for a half-marathon. Prior to giving birth, Trish Staine had run for several hours as part of her training program for the June 22 Garry Bjorklund half-marathon. The day after her run, Staine woke up with extremely intense back pain. When Staine and her husband arrived at the E.R., doctors discovered a fetal heartbeat.

Has something similar ever happened to you or anyone you know? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.