A family in our ward just had quintuplets -- maybe six or eight weeks ago -- and there are shifts set up around the clock to help them. I signed up for the 7-10pm shift last night. Wow, what a joy!
There were four adults there (the parents, a grandma, and me), the quints, and also the two older children (ages 7 and 4). All four of us adults were BUSY the whole time! It was not uncommon for one of us to be holding two babies at once, something that will only be possible for a few more weeks before the babies get too big.
I was interested to see some of the organizational set ups to make things workable. The baby room is right as you enter the house and has five cribs lining the walls with a five foot open square space in the middle. Right now, only two cribs are in use. Across from the baby room is a formal dining room that has been converted into a sitting/caring/changing/feeding room for the babies. There are two changing tables and a large shelf with baskets in all of cubbyholes to hold bibs, burp cloths, 0-3 month sleepers for girls, 0-3 month sleepers for boys, 0-3 month onsies for girls, 0-3 month onsies for boys, all of the same categories in premies, blankets for boys, blankets for girls, etc.
In order to help all of the people who are assisting, and also probably the tired parents, each child has been given a color that he/she wears solely (as much as possible). That way you can keep track of who has been fed, who's diaper was changed, and who is who.
The quints are still pretty small (about the size most of my babies start as), but quite alert and seem to be growing well. Lots of miracles in that family! I can't help but wonder how the parents are coping and if they try to avoid too much forward thought and planning right now. There is SO much to occupy the whole family (and myriads of others!) with just the minute to minute needs of the household. Others have taken over the care organization for the quint shifts and the daily play dates for the four year old. Friends and businesses have donated a lot (a 12 seater van, dental work for the quints until they leave home, formula for a year, etc.). But wow, huh? You can read more at their website:
http://www.wilkinsonquints.org/
The media page has some great spots. A short but very good one is the Austin-American Statesman Slideshow.
I have signed up for another evening shift in a few weeks. It's hard to find a free shift -- amazing, huh? Even the eight hour overnight shifts that happen daily are full! The parents also attend all of the three hour Church block together with their two older children. This is a community effort, and I sure felt blessed to help for a little while. What an eye-opening experience.
5 comments:
I don't have a whole lot of vocab for that except "Wow." repeated a few times while shaking my head. I watched some of the news stories. That's pretty amazing. I'm so glad the babies were big and healthy! Incredible. What an opportunity to be involved in such a unique experience. Are they "identical?"
I wish you could meet the parents. They are really neat people, and news casts can't capture that very well.
The mother has an aura of gentle and very capable goodness about her, even after a long day of craziness! I'm sure she breaks down on occasion (or maybe even regularly!), but I believe our Father in Heaven sent those babies to her and her husband knowing that they would be in great hands. I would trust her with my five, which is something I say about VERY few people.
They aren't identical, obviously, since there are two boys and three girls. One of the boys looks remarkably like his dad and quite different from all of the others. The four others all resemble each other in various degrees -- I could line them up so that you almost can see a progression of change from one to the other. However, looks are so subject to change at their age.
That's so awesome. Heavenly Father really knows what we all can handle. Maybe *that's* why my life is relatively simple right now! I'm a wimp!! :)
I wouldn't say things for you have been entirely simple -- you've had some growth experiences that have stretched you to your max. We all get that kind of a workout, tailor-made for our potential. (And then some people get a REALLY BIG WORKOUT, like the Wilkinsons!).
But I'm being preachy . . .
No you're not. And who said preachy is bad anyway?
:)
I have more to post about this whole topic, but it'll have to wait. :) nite.
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