Childhood friends Heather Colwell and Stephanie (Steph) Speakman became mothers within eight months of one another, but a sheer stroke of luck meant the friends found themselves giving birth to their second babies in the same hospital, on the same day — just one hour apart.
“It’s not something I ever thought I would experience. It was a surreal moment,” Steph recounts.
For Heather and Steph, finding out they were both pregnant with their second babies — just 10 days apart — was a special moment in itself. However, the experience was made even more magical when, through pure chance, babies Margot and Lenny ended up sharing a birthday.
“Heather had received her letter from the hospital first with the date of her elective caesarean delivery and I was patiently waiting for mine. It arrived a week later with the same date for my delivery — 1 June — only an hour apart!” Steph says.
The friends say that while they had joked about giving birth on the same day, it was pure chance that they found themselves in surgery one after the other.
“None of it was planned or organised,” Heather says. “It was just meant to be.”
Childhood friends Steph Speakman (left) with son Lenny and Heather Colwell (right) with daughter Margot
Both mothers were part of the new Mercy Hospital for Women (MHW) enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for elective caesareans, which enables mothers to return home sooner after birth.
First introduced as a pilot pathway in April 2021, the successful model is now the business-as-usual approach for most elective caesearean births at MHW.
MHW Acting Midwifery Unit Manager Keira McMahon says the evidence-based ERAS pathway supports women to start moving, eating and drinking sooner after surgery. The clinical outcomes are better, with fewer complications and re-admissions.
“We aim to engage and empower women in the recovery process,” Keira says. “If a woman is mobile sooner, she can be more independent and return home with her baby sooner.”
Heather and Steph with baby Margot and baby Lenny at Mercy Hospital for Women
Heather, who had an emergency caesarean with her first child, Owen, and Steph, who had a complicated vaginal birth with her first son, Tyson, both commended the ERAS program.
“The care team spoke to me about all the research behind ERAS,” Steph says. I felt really comfortable and at no point was I ever stressed or nervous about giving birth.
“I was out of the hospital this time within 30 hours which was amazing — there’s nothing like your own home.”
“I just hated being apart from my first-born, Owen,” Heather adds. “Being able to go home and have the support of family made a huge difference for me.”
Steph and Heather say the hospital staff made them feel “very special” on their serendipitous birthing day.
“Everyone in the delivery room knew that we knew each other,” Steph says. “All of the surgeons, doctors and everyone there were passing messages between the doors. It was fun.”
“Not many people can say ‘I had major surgery and it was awesome’,” Heather says with a laugh.
“I think the experience has brought us even closer together,” Steph says. “And now Lenny and Margot are forced to be best friends too.”
Last reviewed October 26, 2022.