Is this proof that Cheryl has already given birth?

Fans seem to think so ...

Words by Jadie Troy-Pryde

For months, Cheryl and her boyfriend, Liam Payne, had everyone guessing about whether they were expecting the patter of tiny feet.

Although she stepped out just before Christmas with what looked suspiciously like a baby bump, she didn't actually confirm her pregnancy until this year when she released images from a photoshoot which see a glowing Cheryl tenderly cradling her stomach.

Last week, we even found out that Cheryl was reportedly staying at London's Portland Hospital - where other celebrity mums like Victoria Beckham, Jools Oliver and Elizabeth Hurley have all given birth - sparking fresh speculation that Cheryl was in labour.

However after a week-long social media silence, Cheryl returned to Instagram to share a picture and it has fans convinced that she has in fact given birth to her first child.

The post was supposed to alert fans to the fact that Cheryl had teamed up with fake eyelash company, Eylure, but instead all anyone could talk about was how un-pregnant Cheryl looked, with a flatter stomach and thinner face.

‘You look beautiful! Hope you are feeling great & the “nesting period” has begun!’ one fan commented.

Others simply wrote: 'Where is the baby?!', 'I hope the baby is fine!' and 'Show us your baby!'

One person even went so far as to claim that Cheryl has been 'pregnant for 11 months', while others were adamant that the pregnancy is 'fake'.

So what's the meaning behind this madness? Has she given birth and immediately dragged herself to an eyelash photoshoot, because bills? Or is there a chance that these photos were actually taken before she was pregnant?

We'll let you decide.