An American couple from Texas say their lives changed completely after the arrival of quadruplets this July. The arrival of four babies, ready to take on a single child, meant a daily need of 47 diapers, 32 bottles and a box and a half of baby wipes.
Gaby and Patrick Hagler said they are trying to have a fourth and final child together. Together they already have a twoyearold son and a child from a previous relationship. However, when they took the 12week exam, they said they were shocked to learn they were expecting more than one.
At the age of 40, Gaby told the British tabloid Mirror that she didn’t think she was naturally expecting quadruplets, after all the chance was one in a million.
In order not to risk it, Gaby had to sew up her cervix to avoid the possibility of miscarriage with an operation called cerclage. Because of the high risk, she was carefully monitored throughout her pregnancy.
At 34 weeks, Gaby gave birth to Adam weighing 5 pounds; Bennett at 4.5 pounds; Coby weighing 4 pounds; and Dane at 4 lbs. They were born on June 22 this year via a planned Caesarean section.
Four months later, the couple say the babies use 47 diapers, 32 bottles, a pack and a half of baby wipes and three loads of baby clothes in the washing machine every day.
“Sometimes I get confused about quadruplets because Bennett and Coby look so alike,” said Gaby, who is a realtor. “I have to paint one of my toenails to tell them apart.”
“We thought it would be great to have a fourth and final child, and we had no idea they were quadruplets until the doctor who did the ultrasound told us,” Patrick said. “I thought at first she was telling stories from different angles, but then it turned out they were different babies.”
A friend of the couple created a GoFundMe page to help them raise money so they can buy a van so the couple can easily transport their family, now nine.
“We were very grateful to the donors, thanks to them we were able to buy the van,” said Gaby. “It was a great help that we now have to use our pension funds,” he said.