This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation Madison Knight. It has been edited for length and clarity.
In 2020, I had just moved to a new city in Alabama and was trying to meet new people when my work colleague suggested I meet her niece. She was sure we’d get on, and she was right — we became inseparable.
Over the next five years, we went on to get engaged and get married, moving through a lot of life’s major events with each other. We decided that when it came to having kids, we would do everything in our power to get pregnant at similar times.
We weren’t expecting what life was about to throw our way.
I got pregnant with twins
I’d gotten off of birth control in June 2024, not because we were trying to have a baby, but just because I had been on it for so long and needed a break. A month later, I found out I was pregnant. I called Jamesen immediately, and told her it was turn now — I wouldn’t be doing this alone.
Leading up to my eight-week scan, I had a gut feeling I would be having twins. Sure enough, the ultrasound technician looked up at me during the ultrasound and asked how I felt about having two.
From the hospital, I met Jamesen for breakfast to break the news by simply handing her the ultrasound photos, letting her figure it out.
Courtesy of Madison Knight
In October, Jamesen called me to say there was a faint line on her pregnancy test. I immediately got in the car to get more pregnancy tests with her to know for sure. She was pregnant too, and in the lead-up to her eight-week scan, I said several times how crazy it would be if she were to have twins too.
I like to think I manifested multiples for her.
My friend got pregnant with triplets
She called me after her ultrasound and asked to meet for breakfast, handing me the ultrasound photos in the parking lot before we went in to eat. I could see two sacks in the photos, but she kept saying, “No,” and then finally told me to keep counting. Jamesen wasn’t having twins; she was having triplets.
We stood together in the parking lot, me crying happy tears and Jamesen just smiling and laughing.
Courtesy of Madison Knight
For the next six months, we both had a support system in each other, which meant a lot because pregnancy is hard, but pregnancies with multiples are often even harder. Going through the same thing at the same time meant we could talk about all our pains, fears, and plans together, fully understanding one another like no one else could.
I was on bed rest toward the end of my pregnancy, and Jamesen, even though heavily pregnant, came to visit me all the time, making sure I had everything I needed.
Luckily, our husbands also became friends, able to offer support to each other as they considered the mammoth changes ahead.
Our babies were born 1 month apart
I had my two babies, one girl and one boy, in February 2025, and Jamesen had her three boys in March.
Once all the babies were born, life became chaotic, but in the most beautiful of ways. With my working from home flexibility, and Jamesen working shifts as an ER nurse, we live in each other’s pockets when we aren’t working.
Courtesy of Madison Knight
We’re either at my house or hers — we only live 10 minutes from each other — because we can’t quite make it further with all the babies yet. Looking in through a window, you might assume we were a fully functioning day care — complete with bouncers, swings, diapers, wipes, teething toys, play pens, changing mats, and highchairs scattered everywhere.
She never has to think about what to bring to mine and vice versa. We’re all set up with everything we both need in each other’s houses.
Being together brings calm to chaos. We just drink coffee on tap while holding and entertaining babies.
We are there for each other
There have been times when Jamesen needed help when her husband is on night shifts. And I’ve called her when we’re all sick and not managing. We are there with each other through it all.
What I’m most grateful for is how I haven’t felt alone since having babies, thanks to Jamesen.
I have lots of friends who have babies, and family around too, but Jamesen is the only other person I know who gets what it’s like to parent multiples.
It’s truly the best feeling to have someone so close to me, whom I trust completely, to walk through this parenting life with. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to do this without her, and I look forward to continuing together as our kids grow up.
