It might be fair to say Jeff Benoit has led a portion of his life with his head in the clouds. His love for aviation has been an ongoing theme throughout his life and has led to the unique monikers of he and wife Megan’s three children, Amelia, Orville, and Wilbur.
Yes, the Benoit children are named after American aviation pioneers Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and Orville and Wilbur Wright, brothers credited with inventing, building, and flying the world’s first successful motor-operated airplane.
Orville and Wilbur Benoit are the newest set of twins delivered at RiverView Health. The two boys were born via caesarian section on Aug. 30 with the help of Dr. Erik Kanten and Dr. Kari Wessman. Orville arrived first at 7:11 am, followed by Wilbur, who was breach. Not only is Orville the older brother, but he also has a little weight on Wilbur: Orville weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 19.5 inches long, while Wilbur weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and was 20 inches long.
“If I were to describe the birth experience in one word, I would say ‘quick’. They were only born a minute apart. The procedure itself went very well,” Megan shared. “My nurses were definitely a blessing after my C-section. The things they do and help you with is unquestionably a labor of love.”
Navigating the Name Game
Amelia was born at RiverView on Aug. 10, 2018. Jeff chose her name from a list Megan gave him, not realizing then that the decision would clear the runway for Orville and Wilbur.
“Jeff has always loved aviation and even did a 5th-grade report on Amelia Earhart, so it was an obvious choice,” Megan said of the name Amelia.
Aviation has been a passion in Jeff’s life since his father, Greg, started taking him flying at a young age. That passion also led to his certification as an airplane mechanic.
The Benoit children are also named after family members. Amelia “Jane” is after Jeff’s godmother, Orville “Peter” is a name from both sides of Jeff’s family, and Wilbur “Ervin” is the name of Jeff’s godfather.
Best Care Possible at RiverView Health
RiverView Health has also been a common theme for the Benoit family, as Jeff was born at RiverView, just like his three kids. Megan was born in Council Bluffs, IA. Jeff’s mom, Joyce, is also a long-time, beloved registered nurse at RiverView.
Megan is grateful for the care she received at RiverView with her pregnancies, especially with the complications that can arise from multiple births. “I was extremely blessed with an uncomplicated pregnancy, other than normal pregnancy symptoms. Any questions or concerns I did have, Dr. Kanten and Merry (Spivey) would answer confidently. Dr. Kanten’s collaboration with Dr. Wessman on making sure I had the best care possible definitely eased any pregnancy-related fears that I may have been feeling.”
Megan reports that the boys are both healthy and doing well. They each have their own personality; Orville is only happy when he’s eating, and Wilbur likes his sleep.
“Having twins is like simultaneously feeling like a rock star and feeling completely inadequate,” Megan stated. “You’re constantly taking care of your kids, thinking, ‘I need a break!’ But as soon as someone wants to watch them to give you a break, it’s time to nurse them again, and it’s just easier to deal with the craziness. However, breaks are still very much welcomed.”
