Your stories

Danielle Vernon told her story to BBC Radio Berkshire's Maggie Philbin on the Andrew Peach breakfast show, weekdays from 7am to 10am:

Danielle Vernon from Brighton Hill in Basingstoke is 15-years-old, and on December 29 suddenly went into labour. She only discovered she was pregnant nine days before.

Now Danielle is the mother of three-week-old Faith, and has had to grow up fast.

Danielle says: "Before I had Faith I found out nine days before I gave birth to her.

"I had my suspicions that I was pregnant two months before so I was in denial.

"It was only about a month before that I thought I could be pregnant, so I started to panic quite a bit.

"I told my friends at school that I could be pregnant and they told me I should tell my mum, but it's easier said than done. I tried to but I just couldn't."

Mum Karen Vernon said she was "shocked" when she discovered her 15-year-old was expecting a baby.

Maggie Philbin with Danielle and Faith

"It wasn't happening really," she says, reflecting back. "I couldn't be angry, the damage was already done. The case was: eventually getting in with it, but I did cry for two days."

After visiting the mid-wife and doctors, the family were told they had at least nine weeks to prepare for the labour. But nine days later Danielle dramatically discovered that she was about to give birth.

"I didn't know I was in labour, I just had a pain in my bladder," she recalls.

"My mother came in the room and I had to describe the pain. They realised I was in labour but it was too late to get into the car to take me to hospital."

Hayley lept into action when she discovered her sister was in pain.

"I was awake all night anyway," she says, "I heard my sister moving about in pain so I went into her bedroom and realised she was in labour, and I knew it was too soon to get into the car.

"Instinct took over and I did what I had to do really."

Maggie Philbin talks to the Vernon family

There wasn't enough time to wait for an ambulance so the operator talked Hayley through how to deliver the baby. Hayley managed to calm Danielle and her mother down while listening to the operator.

Faith was born at 3.30am - after just 45 minutes of labour - weighing 7lb 14oz.

Ambulance crew had arrived in time to cut the umbilical cord and took Danielle and Faith to Basingstoke hospital, where they stayed overnight.

Despite having a healthy baby girl who she wouldn't "change for the world", Danielle told BBC Radio Berkshire that she never thought she'd end up being a teenage mum.

She says: "I was one of those people who thought, 'ah that's not going to happen to me'. But it has. I had the morning after pill as well but it didn't work."

Danielle was studying for her GCSEs at Brighton Hill Community College. What are her plans now?

"I'm studying at home and then going in for my exams," she says. "After school I'm going to take a year off and then college after."

And what advice does she have to other young people who are at risk of becoming pregnant?

"I wish I was a bit older," she says, "cos then I'd have more experience.

"If you plan to have children, make sure you're in a stable relationship or old enough not to regret it."

______________________

The father of Faith has not been mentioned in this story for legal reasons.