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Micka Wright Perry, 46, and her daughter Annicka Perry Gustin, 25, had the rare experience of joint pregnancies
In a conversation with PEOPLE, Perry said the moment she learned the mother-daughter duo would have overlapping pregnancies was “one of the best moments of my life”
Throughout their concurrent pregnancy journeys, Gustin says her mom gave her lots of advice to quell her anxieties around childbirth
To reveal the exciting news of her first pregnancy, Annicka Perry Gustin gathered her 10 siblings and her mom — who had gotten pregnant herself only 10 weeks prior — into their family’s kitchen.
Captured in a video she later uploaded to Instagram, Gustin’s mom, Micka Wright Perry, opened a box to discover the positive pregnancy test, announcing to the family between giddy laughs, “Annicka’s pregnant” — and then embracing her daughter in a momma bear hug.
“It was one of the best moments of my life,” Perry, 46, tells PEOPLE, reflecting on the special moment. “I have a lot of great moments, but just how much I treasure and love motherhood and the joy that it brings and then knowing that Annicka would be having those same joys in her life, was definitely one of my favorites.”
On July 22, Perry, a content creator and sister to Ballerina Farm founder Hannah Neeleman, welcomed baby daughter Lottie, her 11th child. Shortly after Perry gave birth, she and her daughter Gustin — who is set to give birth this fall — opened up with PEOPLE about the unexpected joys of their overlapping pregnancies, the advice they shared and the excitement of new motherhood.
When Perry first announced her pregnancy in February, Gustin, 25, admits to PEOPLE that it “brought up a bit of emotion” for both of them. “I was a little bit sad because I wanted to be pregnant so bad,” she admits.
Zanna Perry
Micka Wright Perry and Annicka Perry Gustin
Gustin and her husband had been trying for a baby for six months, leaving the couple with lots of uncertainty over the future of their journey to becoming parents.
“But we ended up getting pregnant two weeks after my mom announced her pregnancy — and so that was really exciting for both of us,” Gustin says.
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When the pair revealed the news to their thousands of followers on Instagram, they received an outpouring of support as people eagerly followed along their concurrent pregnancy journeys.
“It took off in such a way — people were so interested and involved that we were pregnant at the same time,” says Perry.
“I feel like it didn’t feel weird for us at all,” Gustin adds. “My mom has been pregnant my whole life, so it’s strange that I’m pregnant now, but it just felt so normal.”
Related: Pregnant Mom and Daughter, Who Are Set to Give Birth 10 Weeks Apart, Recreate Iconic Father of the Bride Scene
Strange or not, the unique circumstances allowed for Gustin to lean on her mom amid the normal worries of a first-time pregnancy, she tells PEOPLE. “There’s a lot of anxiety around if my baby is healthy, if it’s going to be OK, if I’m doing everything alright.”
Zanna Perry
Micka Wright Perry and Annicka Perry Gustin
“Just being able to hear a lot of advice from her on how to deal with mourning sickness and it’s really normal to cry every day for a week with pregnancy hormones and how to set up insurance — I feel like that’s been all so, so helpful,” says Gustin.
She even got to accompany her mom to the hospital as she delivered baby Lottie, which she said was “so educational and so helpful.”
“It sparked a little bit of anxiety because that’s going to be me in 10 weeks and that’s kind of intimidating,” jokes Gustin, “but also so exciting.”
And Gustin and Perry have another reason to be excited: Gustin is in the process of moving next door to her mom, which will give their daughters the chance to be “best friends and wear matching dresses,” says Perry.
“I really loved growing up with my cousins. My cousins were some of my best friends and I really valued those relationships,” adds Gustin. “So knowing that my little girl is going to have a family member that’s so close in age with her — I just think it’s going to be so fun for them.”
Read the original article on People
