EXCLUSIVE: Teen mom, 17, who had NO idea she was pregnant, reveals she only gave birth to a stranger’s BATH – and had to BITE through the umbilical cord in a desperate attempt to save her baby

A teen mom who had no idea she was pregnant has revealed how she gave birth in a stranger’s bathtub before having to bite through her baby’s umbilical cord.

Reis Richardson, now 18, of Anchorage, Alaska, was alone on the dog when she suddenly started having painful cramps — so she took a bath in hopes of calming them down.

But the pain only increased and when she bent down to see where it came from, she was stunned and shocked to feel a baby’s head.

Moments later, the then 17-year-old said the newborn came out face down, with Journey recalling to DailyMail.com how her baby girl was bright purple and not breathing.

She was forced to give her newborn daughter mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for five minutes before successfully resuscitating the baby boy, whom she has since named Finn.

Now Journey is candid about the terrifying experience — revealing how doctors even brushed off her concerns that she might be pregnant after she went to them for help after receiving a positive test.

But the medical professional she saw just told her it’s normal to get a positive result when you have an ovarian cyst — and sent her off, with Journey feeling safe in the knowledge that the test was wrong.

However, during her mother Anneke’s 49th birthday party, Journey experienced intensely painful cramps – she even joked with her younger sister, who also had cramps, that they were both “going into labor.”

Just a day later, Journey gave birth to her daughter.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Journey recalled how she was “really confused” by the painful cramps, which she knew were “not normal” — explaining that even after realizing she was in labor, she felt like she was “physically (the baby) ) couldn’t push it out’.

Journey, who was alone at the time, would later learn that she was experiencing “back labour” – a lower back pain caused by the baby’s head pressing against the mother’s spine and tailbone – which can make an already uncomfortable situation even worse.

She said it ‘hurt a lot’ and revealed that she could hear her skin tear when she was finally able to give birth after using the base of her right hand to push against her back.

But the newborn wasn’t breathing, and Journey said her first thought was, “Wow, I just killed my baby.”

She sprang into action quickly, knowing she had to “do everything I could to make sure it was all right.”

Her father, Chad, 50, had been providing CPR regularly at their home, which Journey had picked up on over time.

She started giving the newborn mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and after about five minutes she had successfully resuscitated the baby – as she bled to death after giving birth without medication.

After making sure her baby was alive, Journey thought, “Here I am in a stranger’s bathtub with a baby.”

She said the dog she cared for stayed right next to the bathtub the entire time she was in labor and repeatedly came over to lick her face.

But even after she managed to resuscitate her little girl, she faced yet another obstacle: the umbilical cord.

The new mom had no medical equipment to cut it and explained she had to bite through it herself.

Journey revealed how she called 911 only two hours after giving birth and stated that she was nervous about calling emergency services because her father worked as a first responder.

She said her father “has always been my best friend,” so she was nervous about how he would react.

Eventually, the teen called both her parents, but neither answered because they were watching TV.

Instead, Journey sent them both a cryptic text saying something bad had happened and she was on her way to the hospital.

The fire department took Journey to the emergency room and eventually got in touch with her parents.

When Journey’s father answered the phone, the firefighter on the other end of the line said, “Congratulations Grandpa, they’re both healthy.”

Journey’s mother was also shocked to discover that her daughter had given birth because she was so small.

Journey, who is 5ft 2in, weighed 110lb at full term – which was just ninelb more than her usual weight.

Her parents arrived at the hospital and asked to see the family’s newest addition.

Journey said: ‘I didn’t even think keeping Finn would be an option, but when my parents asked to see her, I realized I could.

“I never thought I wanted kids… I didn’t really like kids.”

She explained that she was nervous that she “wouldn’t do well as a mother” and that she would never want to give birth to a child if she couldn’t give them the best life possible.

But after having Finn, Journey said, “The first time I saw Finn, I would have done everything in my power at that point to save her.”

The proud mum, who is now 18, has said her entire family is taking care of the baby and that Finn’s father is still involved in his daughter’s life.

Journey has had no long-term health problems as a result of giving birth without assistance – despite some scarring in her uterus from giving birth, the placenta tore her lining.

Finn was born with a rare condition, Klippel-Feil syndrome, in which two or more vertebrae in the neck are fused together from birth.

All of Finn’s seven vertebrae are fused, making it an even rarer case.

People with Klippel-Feil syndrome may have short neck restricted movement.

Journey concluded that she “loves Finn very much” and said they are now a “happy family” along with her dogs and cat.