Two best friends who gave birth just two days apart have described the friendship that saw them pregnant for the second time together.
When Shauna Wheeler, 41, and Ivy Chichester, 37, of Richmond, Virginia, found out they were both pregnant again, they were shocked.
The two moms and best friends previously found out they were pregnant at the same time and their first children were born just a week apart.
But on their second time, the pair say they had a truly fortuitous experience.
In an interview with Today, Ivy and Shauna described the stunning and comforting moment they discovered they were both expecting again.
Shauna Wheeler, 41, and Ivy Chichester, 37, gave birth just two days apart and described their friendship as “so determined.”
‘One week ago [Ivy] actually confirmed she was pregnant, she said she might be pregnant. I kind of giggled because I feel like that’s what people always think, but at the time it was so early for her that she really had symptoms,” Shauna said.
Ivy told Today she knew she was pregnant, adding she “felt the egg implant.”
She explained that the possibility that she was pregnant came as a surprise and she had “mixed feelings” about the idea of welcoming another child, so Shauna advised her to “wait a few days” and “not stress out.” “.
Just a week later, Ivy confirmed she was pregnant and told her group of friends, whom she refers to as her “mother tribe.”
Unknown to Ivy, Shauna also suspected that she might have a child.
After confirming she had a bun in the oven, Shauna Ivy shared the news.
“I said to her, ‘I know you’re worried about this, but hopefully the fact that we’re doing this together can help both of us with our fears of pregnancy,'” Shauna said.
And while Ivy was worried about having another baby, Shauna had her own fears as well.
Shauna said she fears she may not be able to carry another pregnancy to term because she miscarried after giving birth to her first child.
“It was just so nice to really have a judgment-free zone where I could talk about whatever I was feeling and have that mental and emotional support from my village,” Ivy told Today.
“Those conversations helped me through the struggles, and because Shauna was pregnant, we were able to support each other on a slightly larger level because we were both going through it at the same time.”
In an interview with Today , Ivy and Shauna described the breathtaking and comforting moment they discovered they were both pregnant
Shauna scheduled her cesarean on December 12, while Ivy planned to give birth sometime in early December.
In the first week of this month, Shauna had a routine check-up when doctors expressed concerns about her high blood pressure.
The next thing she knew, she was being sent to the birthing and delivery room to be monitored, and she soon informed her “mother tribe” that her baby was on the way.
Shauna gave birth to her baby on December 5th and two days later Ivy’s newborn was born.
“It felt surreal, but also right. It felt like we were supposed to be in the hospital at the same time and have our babies around the same time and that our friendship was meant to be,” Ivy explained.
And their pregnancies aren’t the end of their best friend’s happy accidents.
Shauna gave birth to their now two-year-old daughter a week before their son Ivy was born.
Aside from having children of the same age, Shauna’s birthday is the same day as Ivy’s sister’s birthday.
They relied on each other – which made their pregnancy experiences easier – and hope their children will be lifelong friends
Also, the travel agent who booked Shauna’s honeymoon is actually related to Ivy’s husband.
Even before the arrival of their new babies, the expectant mothers joked that they were in the hospital at the same time as the birth.
But they never imagined giving birth just two days apart and two rooms apart.
The best friends met in April 2021 through an app called Peanut that helps moms meet other moms.
Ivy had just settled in Richmond after moving around a lot due to her job in sales.
Her new move left her feeling lonelier than ever and wanting to find connections with other moms, and then along came Shauna, who she “just clicked” with.
A little over a year later, the moms have a “village” of six friends who are also parents — all the same age and all women of color — who they describe as “everything.”
Ivy added that the relationships have been “so impressive for my mental health.”
And after giving birth to both pairs of their children around the same time, they hope their children will follow in their footsteps and become lifelong friends.
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