US hospital sees eight staff members give birth within five months

‘This unit is one big family and those babies are our new additions’

The mothers pose for a photograph with their babies. (Kendra Howell/Anderson Hospital's Pavilion for Women)

Eight members of staff at a hospital in Illinois, US have given birth within five months of one another.

Seven obstetrics nurses and one obstetrics technician at Anderson Hospital’s Pavilion for Women in Maryville make up the group, which are now known as the “Elite 8.”

The women, who gave birth to their children from July to December 2018, announced the news earlier this month.

“The Pavilion for Women had their own baby boom going…and it exploded!” Pavilion officials wrote in a Facebook post alongside a photo of the new mums and their babies.

On hearing the news of the eight pregnancies last year, Kendra Howell, a labour nurse at the Women’s Pavilion, tells The Independent: “Everyone was ecstatic! We couldn’t believe it.”

In July, the then-pregnant women posed for a photo outside the hospital, showing off their baby bumps.

Months later, the new mums recreated their photo – this time, holding their babies.

“When they came for their ‘follow-up’ photo, everyone was so excited to see them all together and see how adorable they all are!” says Howell.

“This unit is one big family and those babies are our new additions.”

Susan Lentz was the first in the group to give birth on 25 July and welcomed the arrival of her daughter, Anna Grace. The last of the eight to give birth, Michele Embick, welcomed her daughter Charlotte Rose on 19 December.

Howell adds that several of the women are back at work and three are currently on maternity leave.

The mothers pose for a photograph with their babies at Anderson Hospital's Pavilion for Women (Kendra Howell/Anderson Hospital Pavilion for Women)

“They have met a few times to have play dates and will definitely continue to do that,” she says.

“They enjoyed sharing their pregnancy quirks and stories with each other and will continue with the fun and learning as their kiddos grow up together.”