It was not planned, but three sisters welcomed what they described as a marvellous moment in their family history, after giving birth to girls in the same month.

The siblings, 34-year-old Heather Hewitt McNeil, 31-year-old Krystal Hewitt and 27-year-old Venessa Hewitt had their daughters on March 5, 10 and 30, respectively.

Explaining the coincidence, Heather said she and her sisters who are from Kingston, were engaged in a conversation last year July about missing their menstrual periods.

Heather said she was not alarmed as she usually had irregular periods but decided to make some checks with her sisters after they were experiencing the same situation.

“Krystal mentioned that she missed her period, so she was suspecting that maybe she was pregnant, I said I was late too but it was a bit the norm for me to sometimes delay, so I didn’t really take it as anything until I realised too many days had passed,” she told the Jamaica Observer during a conferenced phone interview with her sisters recently.

“So when Krystal announced that she did the test and she found out that she was pregnant, a few days after I said, just to be on the safe side, let me check and then I found out I was pregnant too,” she added, noting that Venessa did the test a few days after her and found out that she was also expecting.

Krystal, who already had a six-year-old son, and Heather, who had a five-year-old daughter before their newborns, admitted they were extremely excited for Venessa who is now a first-time mom.

And, after finding out that they would be having girls, following ultrasounds, the sisters’ joy intensified.

“Before I did my ultrasound, I always wanted a girl, a mini-me. So I never needed the ultrasound to tell me it was a girl because even if it was a boy, I already went and bought girl clothes, so that boy would have been wearing girl clothes. I was excited to see my sisters having girls as well,” said Venessa, whose daughter Oriah Hewitt-Johnson, was born on the same day as her grandfather Sydney Hewitt.

Krsytal, who welcomed her baby K’lyn Fonseca, chimed in: “I was super excited because I love girls. My first child was a girl [who passed] and then when I realised I was being blessed with another girl, that is when I became extremely excited. The first ultrasound showed me a boy but when I did the second ultrasound, and I found out it was a girl – oh, my God, I was so excited because I do cosmetology as a side hustle so I love to comb hair. I said not one but three heads of hair to comb and they are going to be like triplets.”

Contrary to Krystal, Heather was anticipating a boy.

“I’m not a girly-girl like Krystal. I wanted a boy for my first pregnancy and after pregnancy number two, when I found out it was a girl, I said, here I go again. The excitement for me was when I found out that three of us were having girls and to know that they can really grow as close first cousins and will be having birthdays very closely,” stated Heather, who now shares the same birthday as her newborn, Jamoya McNeil.

Their relatives, the sisters shared, were also basking in delight.

In fact, before the women shared the great news with their relatives, their mother Sharon Hewitt was almost certain that only two of them were pregnant.

Over the last few months preparing for their newborns, the women endured daunting and fun experiences.

Krystal said she was really worried about Venessa’s labour experience as she has an extremely low tolerance level for pain.

“I was more concerned for Venessa and helping her to prepare because she asks a lot of questions. If she feels her belly hurting her she text and ask if our belly hurting us as well, so Heather and I have to be there for her,” she said.

Venessa, who had a challenging delivery, was really looking forward to Mother’s Day: “I didn’t even remember anything about it. My co-worker said to me, ‘You will be experiencing Mother’s Day for the first time’. I was said, oh yes, I am a mother. Still shocked even now, that I gave birth.”

Heather contracted the novel coronavirus during her second trimester.

“Even at that time, they were really there for me. They were checking up on me because we didn’t want anything to spoil the historic experience. At times we would remind each other to pray and touch our bellies. We even shopped at the same place – Baby by Kels Boutique, which has matching outfits,” she said.

As they embark on the journey of raising daughters at the same time, the sisters are hoping that their newborns will remain healthy and strong and achieve all their goals when they get older.

“I just want her to be proud of herself and I hope to God that I will be a good example to my daughter and that she will make me proud and most of all make herself proud, live her life and be truthful to herself. She doesn’t smile at all – so I was saying to her ‘If you think you going come turn tomboy you going be one in very pretty dress because I was waiting a long time for you,” said Krystal between laughs.

Heather added: “The number one thing for me, was for her to have a really deep connection with God. I want her to accomplish all her dreams, reach for the skies and even beyond. I don’t want it to be a case where she limits herself and I want to be here to support her and guide her throughout every chapter of her life.”

Venessa thrillingly said, “Just the other day when I was watching the Champs [ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships] and Carifta Games, I was like, come Oriah watch the TV because that is how you going to run and make mommy proud and I want her to become a swimmer like Alia Atkinson – everything I see I want her to become.”

Their relatives, the sisters said, were also basking in delight. Before sharing the great news, their mother was almost certain that only two of them were pregnant.

Additionally, Heather’s partner Jason, Krystal’s partner Tariq Fonseca and Venessa’s partner Orian Johnson couldn’t wait to meet their daughters.