Two sisters share maternity ward and welcome babies three days apart

For sisters Graciella and Dianara, pregnancy was never going to be a solo journey.

Living under the same roof, the sisters discovered they were expecting just one day apart and spent the next nine months sharing every milestone together – from morning sickness and midnight snacks to obstetric appointments and preparing for their babies’ arrivals.

The experience became even more special when they welcomed their babies at St John of God Murdoch Hospital just three days apart.

“My sister tested first and got a positive result. The next day, she encouraged me to take a test as well, and to our surprise, mine came back positive too,” Graciella said.

“We were both so excited and immediately called our husbands to share the wonderful news.”

As if the timing wasn’t remarkable enough, the sisters say their four-year-old niece, Sohara, had predicted it all before either of them knew they were pregnant.

“She kept telling us that we both had babies in our tummies,” Graciella said.

“She also confidently predicted that my sister would have a boy and that I would have a girl. Amazingly, she was right.”

Throughout their pregnancies, the sisters shared every experience imaginable.

“It made the whole experience so much fun because we were literally going through everything together,” Graciella said.

“We’d find ourselves throwing up in the bathroom at the same time, meeting in the kitchen in the middle of the night because we were both hungry and going to all our appointments together.”

The pair even chose the same obstetrician, Dr Will Adams, attended ultrasound appointments together, organised maternity photo shoots, and prepared for their growing families.

“If I had to choose just one highlight, it would be going to our ultrasound appointments together,” Graciella said.

“Watching our babies grow and seeing them on the screen each time was such an emotional and special experience.”

When the sisters received dates for their births, one of their first conversations was about visiting each other in hospital after the babies arrived.

Fortunately, their babies were born just three days apart, allowing them to spend time together in the maternity ward and celebrate the beginning of a new generation.

“It honestly felt surreal that this had actually happened,” Graciella said.

“More than anything, we were just so happy and grateful that both babies arrived healthy and safe.”

The close timing delighted family members, who found themselves moving between hospital rooms to meet the newest arrivals.

“Our family was absolutely thrilled,” Graciella said.

“The hospital visits were definitely fun and a little chaotic, with family members going from one baby to the other.”

The sisters chose St John of God Murdoch Hospital for their births and said the experience exceeded their expectations.

“My sister and I would like to thank the wonderful team at St John of God Murdoch for the exceptional care we received throughout our pregnancies, births and postpartum stays,” Graciella said.

“We both felt incredibly supported, cared for and reassured every step of the way.”

“Having our babies delivered just three days apart made the experience even more special, and we are so grateful to the midwives, nurses, doctors and support staff who looked after both us and our babies with such kindness and professionalism.”

Now, as they begin life with newborns, the sisters hope the cousins’ unique beginning will become the foundation of a lifelong friendship.

“My biggest hope is that they grow up being the best of friends,” Graciella said.

“Since they were born only three days apart, they’ve already shared such a unique beginning to life, and I hope that special bond continues as they grow older.”

“I hope they always know they have a cousin who feels more like a sibling.”