Best friends, sisters-in-law and roommates in the maternity ward
in Bradford Regional Medical Center – Jennifer Jordan and Angela
Shipman believe in doing things together.
Each one had a baby girl Wednesday at BRMC, just hours
apart.
Bella Autumn Shipman, born to Angela and Robb Shipman of Lewis
Run, spent the first five hours of her life in BRMC before meeting
her new cousin, Delaney Rae Jordan, born to Jennifer and Jon
Jordan, of Bradford.
Jennifer Jordan and Robb Shipman are siblings.
Bella was born at 8:23 a.m. and was the smaller of the two –
weighing five pounds, 14 ounces at 18 inches long. Delaney was born
at 1:15 p.m. and weighed six pounds, nine ounces at 19 inches
long.
Angela Shipman and Jennifer Jordan explained that they had the
same due date all along and that it was supposed to be in June.
They also thought they were going to have boys rather than
girls.
“We thought they were going to be June-bugs but they ended up
being May-flowers,” joked Shipman.
The moms-to-be attended many of their preliminary appointments
together and even found out that they would both be having girls at
separate appointments on the same day in February.
They went on to explain that, as their due date approached,
Shipman had elected to have a planned Cesarean section, which was
set for last Wednesday. Jordan, however, had not planned her
delivery. Shortly after the Shipmans left for their appointment,
she and her husband received a phone call from the Jordans.
“We called them and said, ‘guess where we’re headed?'” said
Jennifer Jordan. Delaney ended up being born by C-section as
well.
“It was definitely a crazy day,” added Shipman. “The nurses told
us that this is the first time they have had situations with
relatives like this that were so similar.”
Both Bella and Delaney are the third child in their respective
families – and this is not the first time that the two families
have gone through the process together. The Shipmans’ oldest
daughter, McKenna, and the Jordans’ middle daughter, Kelsey, were
born just two months apart seven years ago.
“It is definitely nice to have somebody that is going through
the same thing you are to talk to and ask questions,” commented
Jennifer Jordan.
Angela Shipman offered an explanation of how she and her husband
chose their daughter’s name. She explained that Bella’s
grandmother, Linda Taylor – referred to as “Grandma Belle” by her
grandchildren, passed away on Oct. 15, 2006. Bella was named for
her and Autumn was chosen because it was Taylor’s favorite
season.
When asked how they chose the name Delaney, Jon Jordan responded
saying, “it was a long struggle with a baby naming book.”
The mothers explained that their relationship began long before
either of them were married.
“We were best friends in high school,” said Shipman. “Then it
just worked out later that I married her brother.”
The Shipmans also have a two-year-old son, Parker, and the
Jordans have a 12-year-old daughter, Carrygan.
