A woman who thought she couldn’t have children naturally was overjoyed to fall pregnant with her first child - after losing nine stone.

Jodie Griffiths, 28, dreamed of starting a family with husband, Phil Griffiths, 36, a procurement, but found out she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition that affects how the ovary's work - in 2019 and struggled to conceive.

She started gaining weight in her teens but really saw her waistline ‘balloon’ after battling depression and while undergoing fertility treatment.

The pair even looked into adoption, but Jodie claims she was turned down because of her overweight frame.

She found herself turning to food for comfort - spending up to £300 a month on nightly takeaways including McDonalds, kebabs and pizza.

At her biggest, Jodie was tipping the scales at 22st 6lb and struggling to squeeze into a size 24.

Desperate to turn her life around, Jodie forked out £8,500 on a private gastric sleeve operation and lost a whopping nine stone - dropping down to 13st 6lbs and slipping into a size 12-14.

Just two months after the operation, Jodie fell pregnant naturally and the excited couple welcomed their little girl, Freya Griffiths, June 17 2022, weighing 5lb 8oz at

Leighton hospital, Crewe.

Jodie, a sales service coordinator, from Northwich, Weaverham, Cheshire, said: "I would never have believed a year ago that I would be having my own baby.

"For a while, I thought being a mum wasn't on the cards for me.

“I often ate to feel better - having a takeaway every night and a full family-sized galaxy bar to myself.

“I was easily spending £300 a month on takeaways.

"I pay back less a month on my loan for the surgery than I used to spend on food, so it was worth every penny.

"I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat to have Freya in our lives."

Jodie started gaining weight in her teens and saw her weight go up and down over the years.

She met her partner, Phil, in 2013, and the pair were excited to start a family after getting engaged in 2016.

For the next few years, Jodie struggled with her mental health and battled anxiety and depression.

She often turned to food for comfort and saw the weight starting to creep on.