Bride and her four bridesmaids all pregnant at the same time
Watch: Bride and her four bridesmaids are all pregnant at same time
A bride-to-be has revealed how her and four of her bridesmaids have found themselves all pregnant at the same time and are looking forward to their babies being "ready-made best friends".
Sophie Hare, 27, from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, had always hoped to have children at the same time as her friends but didn’t imagine it would actually happen.
So she was over the moon when she found out in October 2023 that her sister-in-law, Megan Booth, 29, was expecting.
Two months later her other sister-in-law, Amber Freeman, 26, and long-term best friend, Annabel Forrest, 27, also then both announced they were having a baby.
Sophie and her fiancée, Ross Booth, 35, a farmer and PT, found out they were expecting their own baby at the end of December and when she rang to tell her friend, Rachel Fletcher, 30, the news she found out she was also pregnant and they were due just a week apart.
Having found out they were all due to welcome little ones, the friends have been going through the ups and downs of pregnancy together and showed off their growing bumps at Sophie's hen do in March 2024.
Speaking of the unusual baby boom, Sophie, who owns beauty salon Hare and Beauty, says "it's really nice going through pregnancy with her best friends.
"It's a different kind of support as we're all going through this at the same time," she explains.
Sophie met her fiancée, Ross, two years ago – after he reached out to her on Instagram. The pair got engaged in July 2023 and are tying the knot at the end of the month.
The couple started trying for a baby in autumn 2023 but had no idea their friends were also planning to start a family at the same time.
"None of us knew we were trying for babies," Sophie explains. "We found out in October 2023 that Megan was expecting.
"Then in the run up to Christmas Amber told us and then Annabel told us with a Christmas card.
"I rang Rachel to tell her about me at 12 weeks and she was said 'no way, I'm 11 weeks'. It's crazy."
While they have loved being able to go through pregnancy together, Sophie says the unique situation has had an impact on her wedding preparations as she's had to re-buy everyone's bridesmaids dresses to incorporate growing baby bumps.
Though most of the friends are pregnant with their first child, Amber is expecting her second, but all have said they have benefitted from being able to share first scans, kicks and any concerns with each other.
"I had a really itchy belly and asked if anyone else had had that. They had so it really put me at ease," Sophie explains.
In March this year Sophie and three of her bridesmaids showed off their growing tummies at her hen do, but Megan had to skip the event as she had just given birth to her little girl, who is now just over a month old.
Sophie's pregnancy meant some adaptations had to be made to the event.
"My friend, Alex, had planned it all and had to change it when I told her I was pregnant," Sophie explains.
The friends enjoyed a weekend of afternoon tea, pizza making, karaoke, a Mamma Mia themed night, pottery painting and relaxing massages.
While Sophie is now focussed on her wedding day, she is also looking forward to becoming a mum and seeing her baby grow up with her friends' children.
"I love including my friends in my life and now we'll all be able to do the same thing with our kids," she explains.
"I'm genuinely so excited for that."
Commenting on being pregnant at the same time as her friends Annabel says: "As a bridesmaid and fellow first time mum-to-be with the bride, I'm absolutely over the moon.
"We've been friends since we were babies, and now our little ones will grow up side by side, creating memories just like we did."
Megan adds: "I've loved being pregnant at the same time as Sophie, it's so nice to have someone to experience pregnancy with who understands what you're going through and to compare notes with.
"I'm really excited for our girls to grow up together being so close in age! Who knows, maybe they'll end up being bridesmaid for each other as well."
Amber says: "Our babies will be cousins born nine weeks apart and will share a unique bond that will be very special."
Additional reporting SWNS.
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