intervened and brought the pair closer together.

Both mums welcomed their newest additions into the world three hours apart.

Megan went into natural labour at her parents home in Barraba on Sunday night and was brought in to Tamworth Hospital by ambulance. She was going to be sent home on Tuesday because her waters hadn’t broken.

“It was decided that I would be kept in overnight and induced on Wednesday morning,” she said.

“Between 8am and 8.30am on Wednesday I started having

contractions.”

Two-and-a-hal f hours later 3.69kg Rani Ella Chandler arrived.

In the mean-time Deb – who lives with her husband Sam and their daughter Bridgett, nearly two, at Upper Horton- had been brought into Tamara Private Hospital on Tuesday night with high blood pressure.

“I was induced on Wednesday morning about 7.15am,” she said.

Ashlee Dawn McDouall was born at 1.26pm Wednesday afternoon and weighed 3.96kg.

When Megan, who is two-and-a-half-years younger than Deb, called to announce she was pregnant with her second child nine months ago something inside Deb clicked.

“I hadn’t been feeling well and when Megan told me, something just clicked,” Mrs McDouall said.

Megan was originally given a due date sometime between May 9 and May 11 and Deb’s due date was May11.

“We didn’t plan any of it, it just happened that way,” Mrs Chandler said.

The sisters admitted to thinking about one another more than themselves during their respective labours.

“I kept thinking about how Deb was and asking questions,” Mrs Chandler said.

The sisters’ first babies are also relatively close in age.

Mrs Chandler’s daughter Ebony will turn three on August 24, and Mrs McDouall’s daughter Bridgett will be two on May 31.

“There is only nine months difference between them and they are best friends,” Mrs Chandler said.