Theirs is a friendship that has stood the test of time… and morning sickness, cravings, mood swings, and everything a woman experiences during pregnancy!
But really, how many women can say they were pregnant at the same time as their best friend? High school pals Apeng Ordas and Phebe Ragotero wear this as a badge of honor as they could claim they both didn’t feel alone during those exciting but challenging nine months simply because they had each other.
Friends since 2005, Apeng and Phebe were witnesses to each other’s many milestones and turning points in life. They drifted apart for a time but found their way back to each other. And just when they thought their bond would never be stronger than ever, they found themselves navigating through pregnancy together.
Besties Apeng Ordas and Phebe Ragotero were pregnant at the same time“It was in November 2020 when I took a pregnancy test. My period was already delayed for five days. I didn’t really want to take a test because I’ve already been hurt many times by negative results. But deep inside, I was hoping and praying, what if this was finally the time that God would grant my prayer,” narrated Apeng. “And boy was I right! It was the first time I saw two lines for a result. It was faint, but yes they were there. Phebe went to the comfort room with me, and we were laughing and crying at the same time upon seeing the result.”
Phebe, for her part, shares: “Two weeks after knowing that Apeng was pregnant, I noticed I still hadn’t gotten my period for the month. I shrugged it off thinking it was just normal since I had PCOS before. But I started feeling different. I’d always feel exhausted even when I hadn’t done much and I had a heightened sense of smell. That’s when it hit me because whenever I was pregnant, I was very sensitive to the smell of food. So I tested and the pregnancy test yielded a positive result.”
While it was the first time for Apeng, this was Phebe’s third pregnancy. “We were both excited because it was our dream from even before to have a child at the same time. Unfortunately, I had issues with getting pregnant,” said Apeng. “And now finally, we would be having our ‘twin’ babies. Plus, we were really excited to do our tandem maternity shoot with Freshminds Digital Photography, which was a gift from my baby’s soon-to-be ninong and ninang.”
Apeng did not have to look far and wide for someone to guide her on her pregnancy journey. “I’d always call her whenever I needed to know or confirm something,” she said.
“She’d ask me whenever she felt something weird or strange, as sometimes she gets paranoid and it’s understandable because that was her first time being pregnant,” shared Phebe. “I’d also remind her of the essentials that should be on her hospital bag when she delivers, especially the documents that should be in there.”
Future besties Shemaiah Pherl and Bart GabrielApeng gave birth to a beautiful baby girl she and husband Renne named Shemaiah Pherl, while Phebe and husband Burt welcomed a baby boy they lovingly called Bart Gabriel.
Now that they are both moms, they continue to share lessons and tips with each other. For Apeng, it’s being wise when shopping for baby items as they are everywhere on the internet. Meanwhile, Phebe believes that it’s okay to invest in more expensive stuff as long as they are of good quality and you are going to use them for a long time, such as UV sterilizers and anti-colic baby bottles.
These gal pals were there for each other through life’s ups and downs—their pregnancies included!
