8 babies born in CA.. WOW

[Dew-Ax-238]

8 babies born to California parents who expected 7 



By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON
Associated Press
2009-01-27 05:18 PM  Fonts Size:   

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Doctors methodically delivered a mother's seven babies, five boys and two girls, just as they had repeatedly rehearsed.
Then came the eighth.

The surprising sixth boy and eighth child made Monday's mass birth not just remarkable but historic.

"It is quite easy to miss a baby when you're anticipating seven," said Dr. Harold Henry, chief of maternal and fetal medicine and one of 46 doctors, nurses and assistants who delivered the children by Caesarean section at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center. "Ultrasound doesn't show you everything."

Just five minutes after the first birth, the unexpected eighth baby came out at 10:48 a.m.

"My eyes were wide," Dr. Karen Maples said.

It was just the second live octuplets birth in U.S. history.

Doctors said the babies _ who weighed between 1 pound, 8 ounces (0.69 kilograms), and 3 pounds, 4 ounces (1.47 kilograms) _ were born nine weeks premature but described their condition as stable. Two were placed on ventilators and a third needed oxygen.

"The babies are all doing well, and the mom is also doing well," Henry said. "There were no complications from the surgery to the best of my knowledge."

Hospital officials would not release the mother's name nor say whether she had used fertility drugs.

They did say she planned to breast feed all the children.

"She's a very strong woman, so she probably will be able to handle all eight babies," said Dr. Mandhir Gupta, a neo-natologist who cared for the infants.

The mother checked into the hospital in her 23rd week of pregnancy and gave birth seven weeks later. The babies _ dubbed with the letters A-through-H _ will probably remain in the hospital for at least two months and the mother should be released in a week, Maples said.

The world's first live octuplets were born in March 1967 in Mexico City, but all died within 14 hours, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

The United States' first live octuplets were born in Houston in 1998, three months premature. The tiniest died a week after the birth. The surviving siblings turned 10 in December.

Their parents, Nkem Chukwu and Iyke Louis Udobi, told The Associated Press that they were delighted to hear another mother managed the same feat.

"It's a blessing, truly a blessing," Chukwu said. "We'll keep praying for them."

Dr. Richard Paulson, director of the fertility program at the University of Southern California, said the latest births likely resulted from the use of fertility drugs, and that the children could face serious health risks.

"It's a risky decision to try to have all eight babies," said Paulson, who had no role in the delivery. "I would not recommend it under any circumstances, but I respect a parent's decision."

The Bellflower medical center, located about 17 miles (27 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles, has an advanced neonatal unit. The most infants previously delivered at the hospital was five, the Los Angeles Times said.

[MelodyB]

"It's a risky decision to try to have all eight babies," said Paulson, who had no role in the delivery. "I would not recommend it under any circumstances, but I respect a parent's decision."

Its a risky decision to TRY to have all eight babies? UGH. They make it sound like there is another option. I know what they are meaning by that, and it makes me sick.

I am glad this woman "chose" to have all her babies. But for me, it wouldnt be a choice. God made that choice already when He allowed her to conceive that many. It was Gods choice.

[Dew-Ax-238]

AMEN!! thanks for pointing that out.... I missed it.. I over looked that LOL

[Dew-Ax-238]

I can't imagine having 8 babies,,, never heard of that one before.. the most I've ever heard of was 6

[Nelle]

Ooo.. Bellflower. Thats where my brother and his lady go to church! Very pretty.

[SippinTea]

"It is quite easy to miss a baby when you're anticipating seven," said Dr. Harold Henry,

That line cracks me up! Cheaper by the dozen, anyone?

Mel, I know what you're saying, but it's extremely unlikely for women to naturally get pregnant with that many babies. Off the top of my head I don't remember the probabilities, but generally women have to be using fertility drugs (or have other 'help') in order for that to happen. In which case, they know the risk up front, and choose to take it. It's risky for both mother and children, not just either/or. But the abortion thing? Nuh uh. No way. If they want to take the risk of using fertility drugs, fine. But don't choose which children to keep and which to dispose of after they're already conceived. The choice comes BEFORE that point--not after.

[MelodyB]

Very well said. I started typing, and I got all flustered and didnt really know how to put into words what I wanted to say, but naturally, you said it better.

Thanks.

[SippinTea]

*laugh* You're welcome.

[Sis]

"It is quite easy to miss a baby when you're anticipating seven," said Dr. Harold Henry,

That line cracks me up! Cheaper by the dozen, anyone?

Mel, I know what you're saying, but it's extremely unlikely for women to naturally get pregnant with that many babies. Off the top of my head I don't remember the probabilities, but generally women have to be using fertility drugs (or have other 'help') in order for that to happen. In which case, they know the risk up front, and choose to take it. It's risky for both mother and children, not just either/or. But the abortion thing? Nuh uh. No way. If they want to take the risk of using fertility drugs, fine. But don't choose which children to keep and which to dispose of after they're already conceived. The choice comes BEFORE that point--not after.

True, but they wouldn't have taken on life without God, and it's still up to God to give it or prevent it. Usually what happens is one or two babies don't get enough nourishment and may die but God saw fit to let all the babies live. So it wouldn't be up to man to take any of the lives away.

[Chseeads]

I don't see how she could ever have enough milk to breastfeed them all.

[World Traveler]

Eight? How sad.
I mean, if you had 7 you could  name them after the days of the week. If you had nine you could field a baseball team or five would give you a basketball team.
But what can you do with eight?
I guess you could start your own television show. Oh wait, that one was already done.
Eight? How sad.

[Sis]

Eight? How sad.
I mean, if you had 7 you could  name them after the days of the week. If you had nine you could field a baseball team or five would give you a basketball team.
But what can you do with eight?
I guess you could start your own television show. Oh wait, that one was already done.
Eight? How sad.

They could name one after the month they were born. And the rest could be the days of the week.

[SippinTea]

I don't see how she could ever have enough milk to breastfeed them all.

She wouldn't. The moms I've known of that had multiples had to choose which babies to breastfeed, and which to feed with formula. And considering the health problems that typically arise for multiples, it sort of becomes an issue of who needs mom's milk more.

Okay, I admit it. I've always been intrigued by couples who had that many babies at once. And I enjoy reading about how they handle all the logistics of taking care of that many kiddos at once. Maybe there's something wrong with me.

[Sis]

Maybe some day you will have multiples and you're studying up for it! You never know!

[SippinTea]

Perhaps. But God would have to give me special strength then, 'cause I'm not exactly a very strong woman. I think there's a good chance a pregnancy like that would kill me.

[Sis]

He would! 

[Chseeads]

Perhaps. But God would have to give me special strength then, 'cause I'm not exactly a very strong woman. I think there's a good chance a pregnancy like that would kill me.

You're a cold, mean, spiteful woman....those kind always outlast all the rest.

[SippinTea]

*sigh* I'm glad not everyone agrees with you, Seth.

[Chseeads]

You're glad you won't outlast the rest?

[Newsman]

More details on the octuplets family.


John 
---------------------
Family: Octuplets' mother has 6 other children
By THOMAS WATKINS, Associated Press Writer Thomas Watkins, Associated Press Writer
35 mins ago

WHITTIER, Calif. – The woman who gave birth to octuplets this week has six other children and never expected to have eight more when she took fertility treatment, her mother said.

Angela Suleman said her daughter expects a big challenge raising 14 children. The good news, she said, is all the babies appear healthy.

"I looked at those babies. They are so tiny and so beautiful," Suleman told The Los Angeles Times on Thursday.

Suleman's daughter gave birth to the octuplets Monday at a hospital in Bellflower but has requested that doctors keep her name confidential. Media knew little about the woman until a family acquaintance told CBS' "The Early Show" on Thursday that the mother is "fairly young" and lives with her parents and her six children, including twins.

Within hours, media had camped out at the family's home in Whittier, where the babies' grandfather pulled up in a minivan in the evening and briefly spoke to The Associated Press. Beside him were two children — a 7-year-old and 6-year-old — who said they were excited to have eight new siblings.

But the grandfather warned that media may have a tougher time finding the family after the babies are released from the hospital.

"We have a huge house, not here," said the man, who would only identify himself as Ed. "You are never going to know where it is."

Suleman said her daughter had embryos implanted last year, and after finding out she was pregnant with multiple babies was given the option by doctors of selectively reducing the number of embryos. The woman declined.

"What do you suggest she should have done? She refused to have them killed," Suleman told the Times. "That is a very painful thing."

Dr. Harold Henry said the woman was already pregnant when she came to Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center, and she was counseled on the option of aborting some of the fetuses. Doctors had been expecting only seven babies, but an eighth was born in the cesarean delivery.

The six boys and two girls, the second octuplets born alive in the United States, have garnered worldwide attention as media have attempted to find out more about the mother and her family. Hours after media gathered outside the Whittier home, Kaiser issued a statement on behalf of the mother requesting privacy.

"Please know, in our own time, we will share additional details about this miraculous experience," the statement read. "The babies continue to grow strong everyday and make good progress. My family and I are ecstatic about all of their arrivals. Needless to say the eighth was a surprise to us all, but a blessing as well."

Dr. Mandhir Gupta said seven of the babies were breathing without assistance. One was still receiving oxygen through a tube in his nose.

Seven of the infants were being tube-fed donated breast milk. One of the boys was expected to begin feedings Friday.

All babies continued to receive an intravenous nutritional combination. They were expected to remain in the hospital for several more weeks.

Some fertility specialists have said the children face increased health risks because they are octuplets and born nine weeks premature. At birth, they ranged between 1 pound, 8 ounces and 3 pounds, 4 ounces.

Doctors say they advise against higher-order births, but acknowledge the decision is not theirs to make.

"Who am I to say that six is the limit?" said Dr. Jeffrey Steinberg, medical director of Fertility Institutes, which has clinics in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York City. "There are people who like to have big families."

Dr. James Grifo, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the NYU School of Medicine, added: "I don't think it's our job to tell them how many babies they're allowed to have. I am not a policeman for reproduction in the United States. My role is to educate patients."

___

Associated Press writer Shaya Tayefe Mohajer in Bellflower and AP science writer Alicia Chang in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

[Chseeads]

Holy moley.

[nwlife]

Just think, 14 flavors of cheese running around!!!

Or even worse, 14 rugrats that I help to spring forth!

[The Purple Fuzzy]

[MelodyB]

14?

Dear Lord.

[Sis]

There was a Baptist preacher back home that had 15........... with his wife, of course. They did it the hard way. Only one set of twins. The rest were single births. That poor woman must have worn maternity clothes for 20 years!