“I feel like the luckiest mother in the world,” she says. Kimberly Fugate, who gave birth to unexpected identical quadruplets in February, has explained how her life has altered since then.
Kimberly Fugate, 43, of Jayess, Mississippi, who was anticipating triplets, was both surprised and happy when it was found midway through her Cesarean section that she was an ‘extra’ daughter. The chances of conceiving quadruplets are one in 729,000, while the chances of having identical kids are ‘absolutely unfathomable’ – almost 13 million to one.
Craig Fugate, Fugate’s husband, had no clue there was a fourth kid until he went to see his wife in the hospital after the delivery. Kim overheard announcing, “I have more feet,” that there was one more kid on the way. That last baby, who had been overlooked on ultrasound, had made her the mother of rare identical quadruplets at the age of 42. The pair was surprised. Yet, while there have been some ‘roller coaster’ moments for the mother-of-four, who also has an 11-year-old daughter with husband Craig, the huge family couldn’t be more joyful.
She stated that when the infants were born more than two months ago, they weighed between 2 and 2 and a half pounds and were very serious. They were in the NICU for more than three months and needed to be on ventilators to aid them breathe since their lungs were so small. There were moments when she wished for their safety. Several of the girls’ heart rates dropped, and she clutched her breath as she witnessed two of them be resuscitated.
Fortunately, in June, the girls were given the all-clear and were allowed to leave the NICU and come home with their parents and sister. They weigh between 18 and 22 pounds, and their doctor is thrilled with their development. They are normally in good health. One quad has a mild case of a growth disorder and is being observed routinely.
The family of seven upgraded from a two-bedroom trailer near Jayess, Mississippi, to a four-bedroom, double-wide mobile home. They also required a larger truck. Kimberly added that she feels exceptionally a fortunate mother in this world. She had no intention of having additional children, and a lot has happened since she had her quadruplets, Kenleigh, Kristen, Kayleigh, and Kelsey.
Even overnight, the infants still eat every three to four hours, and if they wake up simultaneously, she attempts to feed them together. She puts them on their floor seats, gives them a taste of food, and then circles through them. They’re really tolerant. And they’re learning to carry their own bottles, which is a plus.
She continued that they are quiet, happy infants. However, if they are all weeping at the same time, it may be stressful. Katelyn, her 11-year-old daughter, is a huge help. She assists with showers and feedings in the evenings. She assists them in falling asleep. She entertains them by playing with them. The mother also has her family around to assist her if she requires it. She thought that God chose her to have these quadruplets, and that He would care for them and enable them to live. Seeing how far they’ve gone makes her feel extremely fortunate.
Congratulations to the wonderful family.
