A grieving woman who found her partner dead in bed one morning discovered she was pregnant eight months after his death.

Stephanie Thompson and her partner Dan Muirhead had been trying for a baby for two and a half years and had even discussed baby names.

But despite noticing she was putting on weight after his tragic death last year, she had no idea she was pregnant until four weeks before the birth, the Plymouth Herald reports.

Dan died on May 23 last year. The couple had gone to bed the night before but when Steph tried to get her boyfriend up for work the next morning he didn't stir.

She called the paramedics who instructed her to carry out CPR on him until they arrived, but they were unable to do anything to bring the 29-year-old back – a postmortem discovered that he had two heart conditions which led to his death.

Eight months later, as she was beginning to piece her life back together after losing her partner of six years, she found out she was pregnant.

(Image: Cornwall Live)

Having felt constantly bloated and uncomfortable, Steph let Dan's stepmother feel her stomach. She broke the news that she thought she might be pregnant, or had gallstones.

She booked an appointment with her doctor in January this year, and after putting a heart monitor on Steph's stomach, found that she was heavily pregnant.

Just four weeks later Stephanie, who lives in Plympton, gave birth to a happy, healthy boy called Jesse.

(Image: Cornwall Live )

"I was so focused on everything that happened last year, I had felt bloated but just thought I had put on weight," 24-year-old Steph told the Plymouth Herald .

"I wasn't sure how to react – straight away I knew I still had a part of Dan which was amazing, but at the same time heartbreaking for him not to be here.

"We had been trying for a baby for two-and-a-half years, and we had always talked about being parents, Dan always said how much he was excited to be a dad.

"Jesse was one of the names we discussed for a baby. I must have been caught pregnant a few weeks before Dan died."

(Image: Cornwall Live )

Steph gave birth to Jesse on February 11, but with so little warning she had no preparation time to get ready for bringing a baby up.

She initially told one of Dan's best friends, Mark, the sudden news – the pair worked together for JEM Scaffolding.

He relayed the message to the scaffolding firm team, who collectively wanted to do something to help Steph out.

They rallied around and within two weeks, Steph had enough of everything needed to look after the baby for months ahead.

(Image: Cornwall Live )

Richard Barnes, operations manager at JEM Scaffolding, said: "As a whole we decided we needed to do something. The lads brought in bits and pieces and after putting in a message to my son's rugby club, the ladies in that really stepped up.

"They gave Steph everything she needed for the first six to 12 months – push chairs, cots, toys, clothes, the lot.

"Dan's death has still left everyone in shock, it has affected everyone here at work too.

"We will do what we can to help Steph in the future."

Steph and Richard met six year's ago when she was a barmaid in a Princetown pub that Dan used to go to. Steph loved his gentle nature and down to earth personality.

Care worker Steph said: "I'm over the moon to have Jesse, and part of Dan lives on. But it is still very painful. I have said I will tell Jesse who his dad was and what happened.

"We are so thankful to JEMs for everything they have done."