22 minutes
Image copyrightSaloum Arby
Subtitle,
Only two cases of non-kids are remembered in history, but they did not survive the first few days.
The only babies in the world who are nonuplets – nine babies born at the same time – have turned one and “in perfect health,” their father told the BBC.
“They’re all crawling now. Some can sit up and even walk if they hold onto something,” said Abdelkader Arby, a Malian army officer.
Abdelkader Arby said the mother, Halima Cissé, 26, is doing well too.
All are cared for in the clinic from Morocco, where they were born.
“It’s not easy, but it’s great. While it’s sometimes exhausting, seeing all the babies in perfect health (lined up) from right to left makes us feel relieved. We forget everything,” the official said.
The father has just returned to Morocco for the first time in six months, together with his eldest daughter Souda, three years old.
“I am overwhelmed to be reunited with my entire family: my wife, children and myself.”
Record and birthday to remember
Mr Arby said the nurses and some people from his building attended the small birthday party.
“Nothing is better than the first year. We will remember this great moment.”
Image copyrightSaloum Arby
Subtitle,
Abdelkader Arby, Halima Cissé and their daughter Souda met in Morocco.
The babies hit them Guinness World Record of most children born in a single birth who survived.
Before the birth, on May 4, 2021, Ms Cissé was flown to Morocco by the Malian government to receive specialized care.
Multiple births are risky, and mothers carrying more than four fetuses at a time are advised to terminate the pregnancy in some countries where abortion is legal.
There is also a risk of babies developing health problems due to their premature birth, such as sepsis and cerebral palsy.
popularity
The mother and her children are currently living in what their father called a “medical apartment” owned by the owners of the Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca, where the babies were born.
“Apart from my wife, there are also nurses here who help to look after the children,” said the father.
“The clinic gave them a menu that tells them what to feed them at any time of the day or night,” he added.
Image copyrightEPA
Subtitle,
The mother and her children live in an apartment that looks like an annex to the hospital where they were born.
The babies – five girls and four boys – were born by caesarean section at the age of 30 weeks and weighed between 500g and 1kg.
The children are called Mohammed VI, Oumar, Elhadji and Bah, while the girls are called Kadidia, Fatouma, Hawa, Adama and Oumou.
Each of them has a unique personality, his father said.
“They all have different characters. Some are quiet, others make more noise and cry a lot. Some want to be held all the time. They are all very different, which is completely normal.”
They have not yet been to Mali, but are already very popular in the country, the father concludes.
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