'The force was strong with this one' Mum's hilarious photo of baby holding her IUD coil goes viral

A new mum has shared an image of her newborn baby holding the IUD coil that was supposed to stop her getting pregnant.

Lucy Hellein shared an adorable picture of her baby boy who was born on the 27th April on her Facebook to show her family and friends. But this was a birth story with a difference, as it featured the Mirena device - a brand of hormone-releasing IUD coil - that she was using as birth control to stop her getting pregnant in the first place.

An IUD, otherwise known as the coil, is a small T-shaped plastic or copper device that's inserted into the womb and stops the sperm and egg from surviving in the womb or fallopian tubes.

Mirena is a type of hormonal IUD that's inserted into the uterus as a form of long-term birth control. The T-shaped plastic frame releases a type of progestin - a synthetic hormone - to stop pregnancy. An IUD is advertised as being 99% effective, but as Lucy discovered that 1% room for default shouldn't be underestimated!

Next to the picture of son Dexter, Lucy shares details of his birthday and weight whilst explaining that her IUD was found behind her placenta.

Calling her son a 'miracle', the mum-of-two used hilarious hashtags such as #theforcewasstrongwiththisone to reference the incredible odds that her baby managed to grow despite her being on birth control.

Lucy wrote, 'Mirena fail! Dexter Tyler, 27 April 2017 @ 0840, (His original due date was May 4th, 9lbs 1oz, 21.5in, Mirena found behind my placenta ❤'

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154835561293962&set=a.427611873961.207718.593053961&type=3&theater

Since being posted less than a week ago, the photo has gone viral and been shared over 70k times.

Commenters have shared their surprise that Lucy was able to get pregnant whilst having the implant, with one Facebook user noting that her baby must have been 'a fighter'.

One Facebook user wrote, 'Just means he was a fighter from the word go.'

Whilst another added, 'I mean he kicked mirenas butt! He's gonna rule the world when he's older!'

A third agreed, 'your little jedi is already taking over the world'

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154837339323962&set=a.10150277147783962.339338.593053961&type=3&theater

Lucy spoke to the Metro about her story, explaining that she was scared that having the IUD in her body could effect her baby.

'This was actually my third Mirena, my first two worked great. I had this one inserted back in August.'

'I found out I was pregnant in December and I’ll admit I was scared because of the Mirena.'

The mum from Alabama, US, said that although her baby wasn't planned she feels 'incredibly blessed' to have had him.

'My Mirena was no where to be found on ultrasound so my OB assumed that it had fallen out, but I wasn't convinced.'

'Dexter was definitely meant to be. His original due date was May 4th and even the doctor said 'the force was strong with this one'. Although he wasn't planned, my family and I feel incredibly blessed.'