Weightlifter Delivers Surprise Baby During Training

Chilean Olympic weightlifter, Elizabeth Poblete, got the surprise of her life when she went into labor during a training session and delivered a child she didn't even know she was carrying.

Shortly after she reported not feeling well, the 22-year-old champion gave birth to a son, three months premature and weighing only 2.54 pounds. Just the week before, Poblete competed in and won a competition in Chile -- all the while, claiming she had no idea she was pregnant.

While some people wonder how missed periods, unexplained weight gain, morning sickness and even a baby's kicks can be ignored, it does happen, according to Discovery Health, which airs the show, "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant."

"Believe it or not, sometimes babies just don't make a lot of commotion in utero," explained Discover Health's website. "In addition, some women's babies rest naturally toward the back of the womb, so that motion and kicking aren't easily detected from outside the mother's body. Many women believe that fetal movements are just irregular or strong digestive activity!"

In addition, the strict diet and strenuous exercise regimen that female weightlifters adhere to can cause irregular menstruation, making it difficult to determine if and when a period was missed. Other issues like stress, obesity and a recent birth can also make it harder to detect a pregnancy.

The head trainer at the gym, Horacio Reis, was just as shocked as Poblete, telling the AFP news agency that the birth had been "a surprise."

"A week ago I acted as a judge in a competition in Chile and this girl was competing," Reis said. "I could see she was a big girl, round and strong. That's all I noticed."

No word yet on the new mom's future weightlifting plans.

Think you might be pregnant? Check out four safe exercises to stay in shape.