This has to be one of the greatest coincidences of all time. These seven educators who work together at Oak Street Elementary in Goddard, Kansas didn’t plan any baby fiesta, but last year, they were all pregnant at the same time, although at different stages of the baby journey.
The continued line-up of pregnancies became so shocking that staff at the school began to joke that “it was the water.”
The school’s principal Ashley Miller quickly had substitutes lined up to replace each woman as she went on maternity leave. Speaking to KSN local news, she joked that “a sponsorship from like Pampers or Huggie” would be well appreciated at that point. [1]
The school posted the amazing story on Facebook in March 2019, revealing that they were expecting eight new arrivals since one mom was heavy with two babies. The women’s due dates ranged from March to October.
“We are so excited to welcome these EIGHT little tiger cubs to our #265Family! (Yes, we counted correctly.),” the school wrote.
Moms by chance, friends by choice
The teachers were excited to be expecting their bundles of joy at the same time, and according to fourth-grade teacher Tara Johnson, the beautiful coincidence turned out to be an awesome experience.
“To be experiencing life at the same time with these ladies I love so much already is really, really cool and it’s a really fun experience,” Johnson said.
“To me, it just becomes comical because it was a lot when there were three of us and then there were four of us and then there were five of us and then there were seven of us,” Johnson continued.
With so many women pregnant at the same time, the other female staff brought up several jokes about the amazing scenario, including warning each other “not to drink the water.”
According to a third-grade teacher, Tiffany Schmidt, the silly joke made her pregnancy reveal to the principal less awkward. “When I actually went in to tell her, I’m like, “By the way, I drank the water.’”
Another expectant mom, fourth-grade teacher Kelli Jo Sheahon said the spectacular timing of the pregnancies solidifies their bond as a family and a strong mom tribe.
“One of the things the Goddard School District talks about a lot is being one big family. That’s one of the things that they really push and really strive for and so this kind of proves it,“ Sheahon said.
The women would have all been delivered of their babies by now, and we certainly hope they are all doing okay.
Perfectly-timed baby booms are more common than we imagine
Two or three women in the same circle being pregnant at the same time is quite common, but high numbers such as seven, eight, and nine are just mind-blowing and super-awesome. Could it be the weather? The season of the year? Or as we all know, simple coincidence?
While the teachers in Kansas were rubbing their bellies together, the wives of seven firefighters in the Salisbury Fire Department of North Carolina were also pregnant at the same time. [2] Their due dates ranged from March till September and the women decided to do a special photo-shoot before the younglings started to drop.
They were captured looking like true heroes in their husbands’ firefighter uniforms by photographer Brianna Mitschele. Mitschele gave each mom a cute baby onesie with her child’s name and the number of the station printed in front.
“We took a bunch of fun group shots during the session,” Mitschele wrote on her blog, “and right when we were finishing up, the rescue truck received a medical call and left with their lights flashing and blaring the air horn.”
Six out of the seven women are first-time moms and the first out of the “hot seven babies” was expected to pop out within the week of the shoot.
Wait… we are not done yet. Maine had a baby boom too and they snatched first-place with nine nurses who work at the same hospital being pregnant at the same time. [3]
The news was posted on Facebook by the Maine Medical Center where the women worked. The expectant moms posed for a picture in green scrubs and black tops while clutching their lovely baby bumps. The pack of babies was expected to arrive from April to July.
Who doesn’t love a baby season full of adorable cheeks every now and then?
References
- “Baby boom: 7 Goddard elementary school teachers expecting.” KSN. Emily Younger. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ” 7 Wives of Firefighters From 1 North Carolina Station Get Pregnant at Same Time. NBC New York. Gianna Bruzzese. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ” There’s a baby boom at this Maine hospital. Nine nurses are pregnant at the same time.” USA Today. N’dea Yancey-Bragg. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- “The Future of Salisbury Fire Dept. Recruits.” BM Flash Point. Brianna.