NORTHAMPTON – Typically Cooley Dickinson Childbirth Center nurses Arlenis Baez-Williams and Sandra Saravia stand beside their patients, offering words of reassurance and guiding them through the birth of their babies.
But on July 30, it was Baez-Williams’ and Saravia’s turn on the delivery room table. Surrounded by family and coworkers, both nurses gave birth to baby girls within four hours of each other. Saravia, of Orange, brought Mia Grace into the world at 6 that morning, while Baez-Williams, of Springfield, gave birth to Vivian at 10 a.m. The coincidence made the experience all the more magical, both women said.
“The probability of that is actually hilarious,” Saravia said. “I feel the chances are very low.”
Saravia announced her pregnancy with her first child to Baez-Williams on a FaceTime call. Baez-Williams celebrated her coworker’s milestone before revealing that she too was pregnant with her third and last baby. Immediately, Saravia began calculating their possible due dates, and realized the friends would give birth on or near Aug. 7.
“We were following each other along, going through symptoms we both experienced and solutions that worked for us, helping each other stay off our feet at much as we could,” Baez-Williams said.
As they hit 37 weeks, the expecting mothers knew their water could break at any time. Saravia said they thought Baez-Williams would deliver first, but Saravia’s water broke two days before her coworker.
It was a tough delivery, Saravia admitted, with 48 hours of contractions and nearly five hours of pushing, eventually culminating in a cesarean section. Despite the difficulty, both she and her daughter got through the delivery safely.
“I have a whole new perspective and it gave such an insight being a delivery nurse and postpartum nurse,” Saravia said. “Every woman has their own experience, but I’ve gained a different view on all the emotions and everything that comes with it. I’ve always had compassion for my patients, but I have a deeper connection with my work.”
Just as Saravia was delivering, Baez-Williams rushed to the hospital. She started early labor a few days prior, and her delivery team confirmed that her water was close to breaking on July 29. Baez-Williams decided to finish labor at home until the early morning of July 30.
Unlike Saravia, Baez-William’s daughter came into the world quickly. Her labor and delivery lasted about four hours.
“When I walked in, Sandra was just delivering her baby,” Baez-Williams said. “This is my last baby and Sandra’s first baby, so it felt like a dream.”
After a safe delivery, the coworkers and friends met with each other in the hospital, their swaddled daughters in hand.
Not only did the timing of Saravia and Baez-William’s births add to their experiences, but both delivery teams consisted of their coworkers and friends as well. Saravia said that knowing her nurses as well as she did increased her feelings of safety, security and trust through the process.
“I’m so grateful that we’re here, and even though my birth experience was hard, it was also magical,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better team to work with me and care for me during that time.”
