Growing Your Baby - Parenthood from Pregnancy to Pre-school » Sextuplets

Jon and Kate Celebrate The Fourth Of July Together

Lisa — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:24:49 +0000

Even though they recently filed for divorce, Jon and Kate Gosselin showed a united front yesterday by celebrating the Fourth of July as a family.

The Jon and Kate plus 8 stars spent the day picking berries, playing games and light firecrackers.

People reports the couple agreed weeks ago to set aside their differences for the holiday.

“Jon pointed to the July 4 holiday and said, ‘What are we going to do about that?’” Kate told the mag in a recent cover story. “I absolutely cannot imagine not spending every single holiday with my kids. I don’t care what it takes. I will be there.”

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Victor and Digna Carpio Introduce Us To Their Sextuplets

Lisa — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:31:26 +0000

On October 6th last year Victor and Digna Carpio welcomed New York’s second-ever set of sextuplets.

The four boys and two girls arrived at 25 weeks, which is three months early, and weighing in at about a pound and a half each.

At first their delivery was kept a secret while doctors worked feverishly to make sure the infants all lived.

Now 5 months later, all six babies are home and keeping the family on their toes.

“They’re all doing just fine,” their beaming father Victor Carpio said as he sat on his living room couch, cradling Jaden in his arms and feeding him with a bottle.

Six empty bassinets lined up in two neat rows took up all the floor space in front of him. In a corner of the cluttered room was a 4-foot high stack of boxes filled with baby formula.

“That’s enough supply for just three of them,” Digna says, pointing to the stack of formula boxes.

She seemed tired and overwhelmed and fought back several yawns in the first interview she and her husband have given since the babies came home.

“It’s not easy to find time for sleeping,” she said.

Luckily, the city’s Administration for Children’s Services has stepped in to supply the family with two home health care aides. But that service is only available during daytime and is only expected to last for the first six months.

Every day after 6 p.m., mom, dad and their only other child, 7-year-old Jhancarlos, are on their own.

As you can imagine, feeding all six babies is a challenge for the couple. Victor and Digna always get up in tandem each night for feedings and put the babies in a line on pillows with their bottles propped with towels.

“Burping them is the biggest problem,” the busy dad says.

The Carpios say the nurses at Mount Sinai Medical Center, where the babies were born, did a terrific job training the infants to a feeding routine.

“They all wake up at the same time every four hours, and once we feed them they usually go right back to sleep,” Digna Carpio said.

Even simple things such as traveling have become a challenge, since the only car they own, a Toyota 4Runner, is too small.

“Whenever I leave the house with the babies I have to pack a suitcase like I’m going out of town,” Digna Carpio said. “This month alone, I have four hospital appointments for them. If we all go, that means six babies, me, and the two home care aides, and that means two cars.”

For now, the three cribs — with two babies assigned to each — are all neatly arranged in one of the three bedrooms of the small brick home the couple bought in Whitestone two years ago.

Many families who have had sextuplets have been given help from outside organizations. This family didn’t run a ‘help us’ campaign even though that is exactly what they need.

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UPDATE: Nigerian Mom Welcomes Sextuplets

Lisa — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:04:09 +0000

In a sad turn, the young mom that just delivered 6 tiny babies in Nigeria has passed away from complications associated with the delivery.

Ajoke Bello, 32, gave birth to the six babies by Caesarean section operation on Thursday and was initially in a stable condition.

But she developed complications from excessive bleeding at hospital in Sagamu, Ogun State, south-west Nigeria.

The naturally conceived babies – three girls and three boys – were in a stable condition, said medical officials.

The new mom died at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital yesterday morning.

Professor Femi Ajayi, the chairman of the board of the hospital, confirmed her death to the Nigerian Tribune newspaper:

“It was an unfortunate incident.

“The doctors and nurses at the hospital put in their best to ensure that the woman lived.

“She was under close monitoring as the medical team did not leave any stone unturned to ensure that she was alive.”

Charity groups have been making donations for the upkeep of the 6 babies.

This mom also has 2 other children and her husband reportedly ‘fled’ after the news of the sextuplets arrival.

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Nigerian Mom Welcomes Sextuplets

Lisa — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:43:08 +0000

A Nigerian woman welcomed a set of sextuplets yesterday at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.

Amuda Ajoke Bello, who already has two children at home, increased her family to eight in just minutes.

Just after birth the babies, three boys and three girls, were all transferred to the Neo-natal Unit of the Hospital for more attention.

Two of the babies have now been moved to Lagos while the four others are said to be in incubators at the hospital.

The father apparently fled after he received the news. What a nice guy…

Fame Hasn’t Changed The Gosselins

Lisa — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:48:34 +0000

Even though she had 8 babies in three years, has a television show viewed by 3 million people each week and a best-selling book, Kate Gosselin – mother of twins and sextuplets – insists she is the same person she always was.

“We are the same people and have not changed within ourselves, but our situation in everyday life has changed,” the busy mom recently revealed.

“The fact that we cannot go anywhere without being surrounded by fans — that part is difficult for me and always will be. I am finding, though, that with the release of our first book I am enjoying signing it and seeing the joy on people’s faces as they talk about it,” she continues.

Jon and Kate Gosselins are parents of twins Mady and Cara, 8, and sextuplets Collin, Leah, Joel, Hannah, Aaden and Alexis, 4. The Pennsylvania family became household names through the top-rated TLC show “Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht,” which airs new episodes at 9 p.m. Mondays.

During a recent interview Kate spoke about her new book Multiple Blessings, which talks of her dramatic pregnancy, long hospital stay and the joy and chaos of bringing the babies home.

“Reliving the very difficult experiences in our lives was difficult when writing the book. But I now know without a doubt that God loves us and will always provide for us. We just need to let go of our control and allow God to have control.”

“Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht” truly is a reality show. The cameras reveal the chaos of their home, but also the loving, caring and organized environment the couple create.

“Jon is as elated that our story is in print for our children, as am I. He looks at our show as our job, and it has its goods and bads, the same as with any job,” Kate continues

“We are really blessed, because the show allows us to both work from home and at least one parent is here with our kids all the time.”

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NY Couple Welcomes Sextuplets

Lisa — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:33:00 +0000

Life will never be the same for Victor and Digna Carpio.

On Oct. 6, the Queens couple welcomed New York’s second-ever set of sextuplets.

The four boys and two girls arrival has been secret while doctors worked feverishly to make sure the infants all lived.

“I’ve watched each of my babies fight so hard to survive,” said Digna Carpio, 31, her eyes welling up with tears. “Life is beautiful, and we’re so thankful.”

Each baby weighed 1-1/2 to 2 pounds after arriving in the 25th week of Digna’s pregnancy.

They remain identified only as babies A, B, C, D, E and F because the parents have yet to give them names. They plan to choose names by the end of next week, when they turn 1 month old.

UPDATE: The four boys have been named Justin, Jezreel, Joel and Jaden. The two girls are Danelia and Genesis.

“The doctors couldn’t believe how much they weighed,” said Victor Carpio, 36, a maintenance worker at the New York City Housing Authority. “The two girls [known as E and F] were the heaviest ones,” he added, smiling.

Doctors initially gave girl F only a 25% chance of survival because of problems with her heart. It now looks as if she will beat the odds and survive.

“They had to perform surgery last week to repair a heart valve,” Digna Carpio said. “But she’s doing much better now, and they tell me her chances are better than 75%.”

Even though they’d been preparing for the big delivery day for months, the birth caught them and their only other child, 7-year-old Jhancarlos, by surprise.

“I’d just dropped my son off at school when I get a call from my wife at the hospital,” Victor Carpio recalled.

By the time Victor Carpio arrived at Mount Sinai Medical Center around 10 a.m., accompanied by his sister Eulalia Carpio, the doctors were preparing for the Caesarean section delivery.

Baby A, a boy, was born at 10:36 a.m.
Three more boys – B, C and D – arrived at 10:38.
Last came the girls – baby E 10:39 and F at 10:40.

“It was incredible seeing all six of them in the arms of those smiling nurses,” Victor Carpio said. “We couldn’t ask for better treatment from any hospital.”

Tony Avella, the couple’s local City Council member, who has launched a collection drive for baby bottles, diapers, strollers and other supplies they will need.

He is asking donors to bring such goods to his office at 38-50 Bell Blvd., suite C in Bayside, or call (718) 747-2137 for pickup. The City Councillor is not accepting any monetary donations.

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The Gosselins Get The Cover Of Good Housekeeping

Lisa — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:40:53 +0000

Jon and Kate Gosselin show off their beautiful family on the cover of November’s Good Housekeeping.

The couple and their 8 children (sextuplets and twins) have been very busy filming their hit TLC show Jon and Kate plus 8.

If you caught last night’s episode than you were able to see the chaotic footage from the Good Housekeeping cover photo shoot. The article also features an exclusive excerpt from The Gosselins’ new book, “Multiple Blessings”

Here are some quotes from the interview:

During the First Months with Eight Children
KATE: “There were days I just wanted to cover my head with a pillow. But I knew my babies were counting on me, and I had to keep it together. I had to keep it together for Jon, who was falling apart – he’d been laid off when I was pregnant and was applying for every job under the sun.”

The Strain on their Marriage
KATE: “But our marriage is going to go through many more years of fine-tuning. Right now it’s taking a beating, because we have a house full of children. People see us arguing, and they say ‘When will Kate and Jon split up?’ Well, never. He’s the only one who’s been by my side through all of this.”

Life Will Never Be Normal Again
KATE: “People come here and say, ‘I feel like I’m watching your show.’ That’s because this is our show. We will never feel normal again, TV show or not. Does anyone see a family with twins and sextuplets every day? No. It took me until the little kids were almost two to completely accept it.”

Parenting Eight Kids
KATE: “I’m trying to focus on the enjoyable moments, rather than keeping them clean every minute. You have to realize you’re setting the rules for life. With six, we have no room for error.”
KATE: “It’s hard to turn my brain off at night. When I choose Leah to take to the grocery store, and I don’t know when I can tell the rest of them when their chances will be, that’s guilt.”
KATE: “Mady will come in and close the toilet lid and sit there and talk to me while I’m in the shower. I like to hear what they have to say. For me, that’s more like normal parenting.”

When They’re All Grown Up
JON: “I suddenly realized that I’m going to have five son-in-laws.”
KATE: “I have very vivid dreams of our family in the future – a house full of love, laughter, and lots of grandkids to spoil. I’m already worried about that empty-nest syndrome. Just as they came in a big group and overwhelmed us, they will likely leave in a big group, and the quiet will be even more deafening.”

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NYC Couple Expecting Sextuplets

Lisa — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:34:42 +0000

Victor and Digna Carpio are set to become New York State’s second couple – and perhaps the first Hispanics in the U.S to have sextuplets.

The couple, who already have a 7 year-old son, tried unsuccessfully for a second baby for will be welcoming 6 babies (4 boys and 2 girls) this winter.

Digna, 31, learned the unbelievable news nearly five months ago after she became ill during a workout at her gym.

“I suddenly felt faint, and my heart began racing wildly,” she told the Daily News in an exclusive interview.

She rushed to the emergency room at Flushing Hospital, where doctors told her she was two weeks pregnant.

A few weeks later, in a return visit for a sonogram, doctors said she was carrying quintuplets.

“They also warned me there was a mass behind the babies that could be a tumor. I thought I was going to die.”

The final shock came days later – the unknown mass was actually a sixth fetus.

“Mami, that’s too many babies,” her son shrieked. “They’ll destroy the house!”

He soon warmed to the idea of having enough brothers to form a basketball team. “Now he reads and sings to the babies every day,” his mother said proudly.

The mom-to-be, who stands just 5ft tall, is in her 21st week, but she looks ready to give birth at any moment. These days she finds it hard even to walk and spends most mornings in bed sleeping.

“She eats every 10 minutes because there’s not much room in her stomach for food,” her husband said. “Vegetables and low-salt stuff for the babies.”

Digna had such a rough go during the first four months of her pregnancy that her doctors tried to convince her reduce four of the babies to improve the chances of survival for the other two.

After suffering through miscarriages two times following the birth of her son, Digna refused to voluntarily give up another baby.

Luckily, the latest round of tests done just last week at Mount Sinai Hospital, show all six babies are developing well, and Diagna remains in excellent health.

The average gestation for sextuplets, medical experts say, is 29 weeks.

“When I get to 24 weeks, my doctors are going to admit me to the hospital,” she said. “For us, this is all a miracle. And now it’s in God’s hands.”

Not only are sextuplet births rare – less than 200 are known to have occurred worldwide – but the odds are even slimmer against all the babies surviving; only 14 sets of sextuplets have done so in the U.S.

The only previous example in New York City were the Boniellos, four girls and two boys, born to a Queens couple at Stony Brook University Medical Center on March 24, 1997.

The most recent U.S. set to survive were the Byler sextuplets in St. Petersburg, Fla., who just celebrated their first birthday, last September and the Mache sextuplets last July.

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Tunisian Woman Welcomes Country’s First Set Of Sextuplets

Lisa — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:20:58 +0000

A woman in Tunisia has given birth to sextuplets, setting a national record, Syria’s Al-Watan Daily said on Tuesday.

The babies, three boys and three girls, were delivered by Caesarian section in a maternity hospital in the country’s capital, Tunis.

Five of the babies and the mother are in satisfactory condition, but the sixth child suffers from perinatal asphyxia.

Tunisia’s previous record was set by a 28-year-old woman from the central town of Kasserine, who gave birth to quintuplets in December 2007.

Multiple births overseas has been under scrutiny lately after it was been revealed the low prices of fertility treatments.

This allows low income families to conceive when there are issues, but also brings more children than these families can afford.

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Byler Sextuplets Celebrate 1st Birthday!

Lisa — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:05:06 +0000

It has been a year since the Byler babies made news for being Florida’s first set of sextuplets.

A lot has changed for this family in a year.

“It’s been a fast year in a sense,” Karoline said one recent morning as Eli and Ryan played in the family room and Charlie lounged nearby in a swing. The other three sleepy heads were still in their cribs. “They spent the first two months of their lives in the hospital.”

The babies were released one, sometimes two at a time, with all home by Thanksgiving.

Charlie, Jackson and Ryan had to be hospitalized a few days for pneumonia, but otherwise everyone was healthy. Charlie and Brady had reflux and were put on medicine to curb the spit-ups.

Charlie, the most fragile of the bunch, is still on oxygen, but now needs it “only once in a blue moon,” Karoline said.

The need for oxygen means that the family still has access to round the clock nurses, which are being paid for by Medicaid.

“You’re there for just one baby, but you can’t not pick up just one baby,” said nurse Judy Schwab, who spooned sweet potatoes and strained peas into the mouths of two who were seated at a table with six built-in high chair seats.

Because of the nurses, Karoline is free to run errands. She also gets the opportunity to sleep through the night “like a normal person.” Volunteers also still pitch in. Two Girl Scout troops made the Bylers their service project, with one raising money for six weeks of maid service.

While having help makes things easier, the family rarely goes out.

The couple says that it takes at least 30 minutes to get everyone and everything packed and loaded into the nine-seat Dodge Sprinter, which runs on diesel and costs more than $100 to fill up.

When at their destination, the family finds themselves a target for onlookers and questions.

Ben has found that this experience has made him more patient. He used to worry more about being late.

“It’s slowed me down a lot,” he said.

Looking back, he is amazed at how much easier it has been that he thought.

“Things have kind of fallen into place.”

Now, as the family readies for the tumultuous toddler years, Ben anticipates one of the biggest jobs he’ll have: teaching five little boys how to go potty standing up.

“It’s going to be really wild.”

*The babies ride in 2 – Triple Decker Model 3002 strollers ($390. ea) with Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seats($80)* Related Articles:

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