In the overwhelming days prior to pregnancy, it’s normal for a woman not to have full awareness of her situation at all times. This woman, however, certainly couldn’t imagine such a thing would happen to her.
Shannon Therrian’s story is one for the ages…
Shannon, the hero of our story, is a young woman from Manchester, UK.
She was happily married with Jordan, her sweetheart from High School, for about 3 years before it happened…
Shannon and her husband had been trying to have a baby for some time when they finally succeeded. Shannon wanted to let him know in a memorable way.
She thought their anniversary date was a great choice.
She booked a restaurant for a romantic dinner. She was visibly nervous yet excited to inform him of such news.
How would Jordan react though?
Despite her initial anxiety, her husband was extremely happy to hear the news. They talked about their future for hours while contemplating on their child’s name.
Life was good…
Shortly after, Shannon’s life returned to normal. She went back to working from home, while planning everything regarding her pregnancy.
Jordan was just as passionate about organizing everything.
Since they were soon going to be a family of 3, they needed to find a new apartment to accommodate their child.
Shannon began searching for apartments in her hometown of Manchester immediately.
In a brutal real estate market, Shannon and Jordan had a hard time finding the right apartment for their needs and available budget.
They found one offer though that was hard to refuse…
After talking with the landlord, they made an appointment to go check the apartment in person.
Everything seemed normal at first…
Weeks passed seemingly in no time, and Shannon finally used her paid maternity leave to focus on her pregnancy. Gradually, difficulties related to pregnancy started arising but Jordan was always there to support her.
That wasn’t enough though…
While Jordan tried his best to help Shannon, she felt like it wasn’t enough. She needed someone who had been through this before and could be there when Jordan was working.
She had a novel idea…
She would ask her mother, Janis, if she’d like to move in with them for the last few months of pregnancy. They had recently moved in a larger apartment with a second bedroom so she could use that.
What would she say though?
Janis, without much pressure, agreed to come help her daughter as she was going through this challenging experience.
She would never imagine she’d help in such a way though…
Shannon was now on her 7th month of pregnancy and it was getting more challenging. Her mother, however, was always there to comfort and assist her.
Jordan also tried to help as much as he could.
Suddenly, as Shannon was in her 9th month of pregnancy, she started feeling labor pains. But they weren’t that bad so she didn’t think much of it.
It was then that it happened…
Thankfully for Shannon and her mother Janis, Jordan was on leave and was able to assist them.
They didn’t know what was about to happen yet, until Shannon tried standing on her feet…
It was at this moment that she realized her baby wasn’t going to wait that much longer.
"All of a sudden I could feel him ready to pop out of me” Shannon said to the press.
"We are not making it to the hospital, we are having this baby here”, Shannon said while trying to remain calm.
Thankfully for her, her mother’s calmness proved decisive.
Ms. Janis wasn’t a newbie, she had worked in a hospital for years, and had a strong resolve.
She had also been through 3 pregnancies herself. She was the right person to help Shannon pull this off.
Janis decided that the bathtub was the best place for the pregnant woman to give birth and immediately told Jordan to call the Hospital and ask for direct guidance.
Shannon, with the help of her mother and husband, managed to give birth to a beautiful boy. Janis caught her new grandson in a towel as Shannon stood in her bathtub.
This was about to get better though…
Dad's role in all of this was talking to the 911 dispatcher who told him to tie the baby's umbilical cord with a string. "Scrambling around in a panic, I found a shoelace and tied it off," Jordan said.
Certainly a memorable experience…
Ms.
Janis had just become a grandmother and she was overwhelmed: "It was amazing, absolutely something you'd never really desire to go through, but on hindsight, it was the most profound experience I had in my life," she said.
Shannon was initially terrified but the very moment she saw her son, she was relieved and elated.
She did it: her beautiful son was here, safe and taken care of.
The most important thing for the new mother was to rest and recover from this experience. Her mother and husband catered to all her needs for days afterwards.
She’d never stop making plans however…
Shannon, as soon as she surpassed the initial shock, started thinking about accommodating their son in his room.
She already had everything that he’d need in the starting months, but she was thinking about his room in the long-term.
Grandma Janis, as she very proudly called herself, was over the moon.
She played and took care of her grandson all the time, undoubtedly reminding her of past memories…
Only 1% of babies are born at home in the USA every year, and only a quarter of that consists of unplanned births.
This goes to show how Shannon’s case was an extremely rare one.
One thing is certain: this story will be remembered for generations in the family of Shannon and Jordan.
It’s definitely one of the most memorable birth stories we’ve ever heard.
The best news is that everyone in the story is happy and healthy, ready to enjoy this new chapter of their lives.
We can only pray that they stay as happy and lucky as they are now.