Mother gives birth to sextuplets

CNN ^ | 1-18-04

[Indy Pendance]

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (AP) -- A woman pregnant with sextuplets has given birth to the five remaining babies more than a week after delivering the first, a hospital official said Saturday.

The four boys and two girls were three months premature.

[cyborg]

I hope they have lots of insurance, life is going to get pretty expensive! Six of everything... wow

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

I cannot abide the medical society that encourages such %4#@8&^ $4@^& mentality

[cyborg]

What do you mean? Personally I have a problem with fertility drugs but I suppose that's this couples' business.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

life is going to get pretty expensive! Six of everything... wow

And no hand me downs. The interesting thing is that the kids will have three different birthdays.

Spectrum is a great hospital, the kids will have the best of care there.

[ChefKeith]

did I get post 6?

[cyborg]

Oh good... I wonder how the McCaugheys are doing.

[IncPen]

That's not a birth, it's a freaking litter.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yes.

[ChefKeith]

O.K. I did my part in this birthing ;)

[Maigrey]

Ping!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Here is a little more for those who are interested.

Michigan's first sextuplets born


Sunday, January 18, 2004

By Kathleen Longcore
The Grand Rapids Press

Ben Van Houten has zero experience changing diapers.

But the 29-year-old Hamilton man is going to learn fast. His wife, Amy, 26, has given birth to the state's first sextuplets, born over a week's time at DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids.

Ranging from 1 pound 4 ounces to 2 pounds 1 ounce, the babies are all on respirators and in critical condition but have a good chance at survival, hospital officials say.

The first of the four boys and two girls, John Paul, was born a week ago. The other five joined their brother on Friday and Saturday: sextuplets with three different birthdays.

Ben Van Houten, a machine builder at EST Testing Solutions, was still on an adrenaline high hours after his wife delivered the last of the babies. He said he and his wife had been talking to their babies through her belly for months as she was on bed rest. But the full impact didn't hit him until he saw all six in their incubators.

"Now it's really settling in there. Wow, six babies. Wow, what a responsibility," Van Houten said Saturday as he met the media in the lobby of Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus. His wife, who has been hospitalized since early December, was in her room recovering from giving birth five times in 11 hours.

"She's tired," Van Houten said.

Doctors had been giving Amy Van Houten medication for weeks to suppress uterine contractions. They hoped to give the babies more time to develop. All six were natural births, unusual in cases like this, hospital officials said. Doctors often deliver premature multiples by Caesarean section to save the babies the stress of labor.

It also is unusual for one child to be delivered before the others. But it is possible when each baby has a separate placenta and amniotic sac, doctors say.

Born at 24 and 25 weeks gestation, they have a good chance of overcoming their prematurity thanks to new medications and technology, said Joan Rikli, director of neonatal services at DeVos Children's Hospital.

A medication that keeps the air sacs open in a tiny baby's lungs has "revolutionized the whole field" of neonatology, Rikli said, as have "gentler respirators" that give underdeveloped lungs many tiny puffs of air per minute.

Amy Van Houten, a teacher at Calvary Baptist School, could only briefly touch the most recent arrivals before they were whisked away to waiting teams of specialists -- a doctor, a nurse and a respiratory therapist for each baby.

Their births brought to 79 the number of babies in neonatal intensive care Saturday, Rikli said. "We actually got 13 new babies who needed intensive care in 24 hours, so we've been busy," she said.

Van Houten said the couple knew Friday they'd be having another baby, but they figured the rest would wait awhile.

They were wrong. Gerrit Calvin and Samantha Clair came into the world together at 4:37 p.m., and Nolan Benjamin, the biggest of the babies at 2 pounds 1 ounce, came along an hour and a half later. Peyton Scott arrived after a 5 1/2-hour lull.

Kennedy Alexis held out for her own birthday, making her appearance in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Ben Van Houten praised the doctors and nurses at DeVos Children's Hospital, pronouncing them "phenomenal."

And he was awed by his wife's strength throughout the pregnancy.

"She's never really had a negative attitude about anything, not her pain, not her medications," and not the months of bed rest.

Friday night was an exhausting but exhilarating night, Van Houten said, an answer to the prayers of family, friends and strangers.

"It seems like 60 million people are praying for us," he said. "And the Lord's just blessed us abundantly. From day one, his hand has been wrapped around us."

The couple used fertility drugs to become pregnant and opted against aborting any of the babies because it was contrary to their religious beliefs. They got through the difficult pregnancy on faith and by taking things one day at a time, he said.

"If you looked at the big picture, it would overwhelm you and you would never get any rest," he said. "Now I've got to figure out everything. It's going to be a big change."

The couple's church, Calvary Baptist Church in Holland, and the surrounding community has organized to help the couple when they bring their babies home. And they'll have two doting grandmothers nearby.

"My mom lives a mile from us in one direction and Amy's mom is a mile the other direction," he said.

Hospital nurses already have offered him several chances to learn how to change his babies' diapers. But he's resisting the opportunity.

"Nah, they're too small. I might break something."

© 2004 Grand Rapids Press.

[stands2reason]

Bobbie's Mr. S2R's cousin, but I know about as much as you do.

[Dianna]

The couple used fertility drugs to become pregnant and opted against aborting any of the babies because it was contrary to their religious beliefs.

I have great respect for them for not selectively reducing any of those precious little ones. However, any Dr who gave her the go ahead to have sex with this many eggs ripening is an idiot (I assume this was only fertility meds).

[Rebelbase]

The mother is just a breeder, per the Berkleyites.

[MaryFromMichigan]

We had our 4 one at a time. I can't imagine life with SIX BABIES at once!
I wish them well and send heart felt prayers for their fragile little ones.

I heard a Mom say about having twins, "You may wish there were two of you, but you never wish there was just one of them."
Must be true of all multiples, too :)

[tgslTakoma]

There is a website that tells more of the story of the Van Houten's instant family.

From that website, I've read through most of the news stories about this couple and am impressed with their strength. They also have a very large support network through their church.

[tgslTakoma]

Their births brought to 79 the number of babies in neonatal intensive care Saturday, Rikli said. "We actually got 13 new babies who needed intensive care in 24 hours, so we've been busy," she said.

The hospital must be huge to have a NICU that can accomodate 79 babies. It's fantastic what can be done nowadays for preemies... further blurring the line at which a baby is "viable."

A repeat of a "Roe" case now would be an eye-opener for many.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They also have a very large support network through their church.

This morning Amy spoke to the congregation by phone to thank them for all their prayers and support.

[Lizavetta]

The mother is just a breeder, per the Berkleyites

Yup, she should have "harvested" all but one, so as to cut down on overpopulation, don'tcha know.