Most of us enjoy surprises, but when it comes to pregnancies, some surprises can have a greater impact than others. For some parents, unexpected gender reveals can be particularly significant, such as expecting a girl but giving birth to a boy.
Nicole and Matthew Sisers were leading a simple and content life. Both were focused on their careers and enjoying themselves. Matthew worked as a successful chiropractor, providing him with the means to support his family. Nicole, too, was focused on her career but gradually preparing for motherhood. While she valued her career, her true desire was to become a full-time mother, cherishing every developmental milestone and relishing the experience of motherhood. At 31, Nicole was expecting her first child. She was healthy, resulting in rare visits to the doctor for checkups.
The only advice she received was to take care of herself and maintain a healthy diet. Both she and the baby were in good health; her life could continue almost without interruption. The only thing that had to change was to make the necessary preparations for the baby’s arrival. The parents made sure to buy everything they needed as the pregnancy progressed. Although Nicole enjoyed good health during her pregnancy, she suffered from severe morning sickness throughout.
Coping with this was never easy, but Nicole was determined to do everything possible to safeguard her son’s health. Even though she faced the option of using painkillers during labor, she considered all options before deciding against painkillers, opting instead for breathing exercises, cold showers, and using a yoga ball. Nicole, who had waited a while to have children, carefully studied available birth options and ultimately chose a natural home birth with the assistance of a midwife. She believed her small size and good health profile would facilitate a successful home birth.
Throughout her pregnancy, Nicole continued working in sales without feeling the need to stop. She hoped to give birth in January 2019, and she still had a little time to finalize the preparations. One of the things that the couple did differently was not to determine the sex of the baby before the birth date; this was the only surprise they wanted to keep. So the clothes they bought were in neutral colors. They decided to buy more items when they found out the baby’s sex. One morning at 36 weeks pregnant, Nicole’s water broke, and she was taken to the hospital.
The staff at Herbert Memorial Hospital in Michigan asked her about her previous scans. As the pregnancy did not require much intervention, Nicole had no previous scans. The next logical step was to do a scan to determine the best way to proceed. In an era where examinations during pregnancy are common, one might wonder why the parents did not take advantage of the opportunity for regular examinations. For Nicole, the reasoning behind her decision was her desire for a natural pregnancy and labor experience. When her water broke, and her body naturally went into labor, Nicole initially intended to have a natural home birth.
However, circumstances led her to the hospital, where she realized it was the safest option given the situation. After more than 45 hours of labor, Nicole prioritized the baby’s safety and opted for medical interventions, including an epidural and a suction birth. Despite feeling exhausted and deviating from her original plan, little Blakeley was born 2 hours later at 10 p.m. on December 30th, 2018, bringing immense joy to the parents who were surprised to learn that they had a baby girl. For the first time, she weighed nearly 2 kg at birth.
While the pain typically diminishes after childbirth, Nicole found hers to be unbearable, causing concern for the doctors. The suturing process and removal of the placenta revealed complications, prompting the doctors to conduct an ultrasound. Initially unable to detect the issue, the doctors eventually made a fascinating discovery. The source of Nicole’s excruciating pain was soon revealed: another baby’s head was visible inside her body.
The doctor initially doubted his diagnosis, but his experience affirmed its accuracy. Surprisingly, Nicole was carrying twins, a fact neither she nor her husband had considered. Nicole was so stunned by the revelation that she accused the hospital staff of lying. The news was difficult for her to comprehend, as she had never expected to give birth to twins. Little Tom was born 59 minutes later, weighing slightly more than his sister at 2.68 kg.
Throughout the entire pregnancy, he remained hidden behind his sister’s back. Unfortunately, he encountered breathing problems and had to be transferred to a nearby hospital, Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids, which could provide better assistance. Nicole and her daughter Blakeley remained at Gerber Memorial, while Matthew was reunited with his son Tom at the other hospital. It was a challenging time for the family, but they soon returned home and began their life as a family. Expecting to be a family of three, they unexpectedly became a family of four.
Nicole embraces every moment of her busy life raising the twins and applauds their ability to handle every responsibility with ease. It’s hard for her to imagine herself now with only one child; it’s as if the second child had always been destined, even if they didn’t know it during the pregnancy. Nicole finds it comforting to think that Blake and Kate will always have each other.
Each child has two names; the girl’s name is Blakeley Fate, and the boy’s name is Tom Matthew, after her father who was by her side during her first days on this earth. Have you enjoyed this unexpected twist in the story? It’s always nice to have a happy and inspiring ending.
