From Business Insider · Shea Karssing · · 2m
Three friends, three babies, one group chat
After 25 years of friendship, three women had babies within three weeks of each other. Their WhatsApp group became their lifeline through motherhood.
In brief
After 25 years of friendship, three women had babies within three weeks of each other. Their WhatsApp group became their lifeline through motherhood. Three lifelong friends gave birth within three weeks of each other and found their group chat transformed into essential support for navigating motherhood across two…
Twenty five years of friendship
Shea Karssing, Laura-Kate, and Kirsten met at an all-girls boarding school in South Africa twenty five years ago. They partied through university and early adulthood together.
Three pregnancies at once
Laura-Kate got pregnant unexpectedly while her husband worked abroad. Kirsten and her American husband settled in the US. Shea was undergoing IVF treatment when all three discovered they were pregnant simultaneously.
The moment Shea told Laura-Kate
Shea stopped at a cafe near Laura-Kate's town on the way home from her fertility doctor. She was six weeks pregnant and struggled to say the words: I'm pregnant.
“I'm pregnant.”
Kirsten's surprise news
Shea called Kirsten in the US to share her pregnancy news. Kirsten had her own news to tell. All three friends discovered they were pregnant at the same time.
Three baby girls in three weeks
Each friend welcomed a baby girl within three weeks across three different cities on two continents. Their friendship acquired an entirely new vocabulary about latching, snot-sucking, and rashes.
WhatsApp became their lifeline
The group chat transformed into a twenty four hour maternal helpline. They sent memes when exhausted, celebrated milestones, and discussed everything from periods to husbands with complete intimacy.
“Does this look normal? Reply at 3 am: Yes, unfortunately.”
More surprises this year
In August, Kirsten gave birth to a baby boy. In September, Shea's baby girl arrived. Shea had gotten pregnant naturally after her earlier IVF journey.
Distance hasn't weakened their bond
Although they haven't been in the same room since Kirsten moved to the US three years ago, they remain as close as ever. Shea credits her friends with keeping her sane as a mother.
What the next twenty five years holds
In another twenty five years, they will be in their sixties and the children grown.Shea believes the best friendships grow with you, and her besties will still be there with new things to commiserate over.
“The best friendships don't stay the same, they grow with you.”
In short
Three lifelong friends gave birth within three weeks of each other and found their group chat transformed into essential support for navigating motherhood across two continents.
