Marvel mum Kayla Glines has multiple reasons to be happy — as the world’s first TRIPLET to give birth to QUADS.
Against mind-boggling odds, 32-year-old Kayla gave birth to Reese, Jameson, Oaklee and Lincoln.
A cracking picture shows the tots snuggled up together… not unlike an old family album snap of Kayla as a baby alongside her triplet brother and sister.
Her amazing story covers more than a decade of hope, patience, despair and finally unbridled joy as her wish for a family with hubby Allen came true.
Two years ago she fell pregnant with triplets after fertility treatment.
Two of the tots survived but one died in the womb.
Delighted Kayla with her quads in hospital ( Image: GARYROBERTSPHOTO.COM)
So when she conceived again – this time naturally – Kayla was staggered to discover she was due to have four more children.
She said: “We just couldn’t believe it when I went for a scan and the doctor told me that I was pregnant with quads.
“We had been trying for so many years to fall pregnant naturally and to discover I was going to have four babies, especially when I’m a triplet myself, was just unbelievable.
“We were very nervous as we knew how risky a quad pregnancy can be, but luckily all the babies were born safely.”
Kayla and social worker Allen, who live in Salt Lake City, Utah, had already adopted her brother’s two daughters, now eight and six, before they started fertility treatment in 2016.
Two of the triplets were born safely in August 2017 and the quads arrived in March this year.
So the couple now have six children under the age of two – and eight in total.
Kayla added: “Sometimes Allen and I can’t believe what has happened to us. We spent 10 years trying for a family and now we have a massive family of eight children and us!”
The couple were heartbroken when after years of trying for a child, doctors said they wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally.
The full-time mum explained: “Allen and I were devastated. We had always wanted a family. We had been trying for years to fall pregnant and yet it had never happened.
“We sat down and discussed what we were going to do, as we couldn’t ever imagine not being parents.
“My brother had been struggling with his family and had suggested to us that we adopt his daughters Adysen and Amiliya.
Kayla and husband Alan were desperate to become parents ( Image: GARYROBERTSPHOTO.COM)
“Allen and I loved the girls dearly and if it would help my brother not to struggle, then we decided it was the way forward for us.
“It wasn’t how I imagined starting our family, but if it was meant to be this way, then so be it. We got stuck into the routines of bedtime and teatime, school runs… and I loved being a mum.”
Four years later, the couple decided to start fertility treatment, to see if Kayla could finally conceive a baby of their own.
She managed to fall pregnant with triplets, but at 27 weeks tragedy struck when one of the babies, a little girl who the couple had named Allie, died in the womb.
Kayla said: “It was heartbreaking. We couldn’t believe it. The other two triplets were still alive and doctors decided that it couldn’t wait.
“They had to be delivered that same night. Just that morning I’d been pregnant with three babies, now just hours later we had been told that one had died and the other two were about to be born.
“We didn’t even know if they would make it through, as it was 13 weeks early for them to arrive.”
Twin sons Parker and Grayson were born in August 2017.
Kayla added: “They were so tiny and needed to go straight into intensive care, but at least they were alive. The twins spent three months in hospital before doc-tors said they were well enough to go home. It was amazing when we finally brought them home, but we were still reeling from losing Allie.
Kayla, right, with her brother and sister, born as triplets ( Image: GARYROBERTSPHOTO.COM)
“And that meant that part of me still felt that there was something missing.
“So Allen and I decided that although we wouldn’t try any more fertility treatment, if I fell pregnant again it would be lovely to have another baby.
“We didn’t hold out much hope as we had tried for so long without anything happening. But then, amazingly, just a few months later, I did a pregnancy test and it was positive. It was wonderful.
“But I was adamant I didn’t have another multiple pregnancy and I said to Allen on the way to our first scan that I was glad we hadn’t tried fertility drugs, as I was relieved to be carrying only one baby this time.
“We knew only too well the heartbreaking risks of being pregnant with several babies at one time.”
But Kayla got the mother of all surprises when she lay on the scanning table and the sonographer ran the scanner over her stomach.
Expecting to see one heartbeat, Kayla watched agog as one, two, three and finally four appeared. Kayla recalled: “It was quadruplets. And naturally occurring ones too – because this time I hadn’t taken any fertility drugs at all.
“I was so shocked. And immediately I was just panicking about what had happened last time.
“It just felt so surreal, like a dream. I even had to take a couple of days off work, just to get my head around being pregnant with four babies.
“The pregnancy was hard. I was so sick and every day I was terrified that I was going to lose one or more of the babies. We had been through it before and I didn’t think we could cope with losing any more.
“We set goals week by week. I reached week 24 and despite the risks I eventually made it to 30 weeks pregnant without losing any of the babies.
“They were delivered then by Caesarean and the operating theatre was packed with people. We had two beautiful little girls, Oaklee and Lincoln, and two gorgeous boys, Jamesen and Reese.
“So now we have six children all under the age of two. And our family life is hectic.
“Grayson has special needs and needs a live-in nurse, the two older girls need taking to school and someone has to watch Parker, as well as the quadruplets. Luckily, friends and family help out when they can, which is brilliant.
“Sometimes Allen and I can’t believe what has happened to us. We spent 10 years trying for a family, and now we have a massive one!”
Medics are amazed at Kayla’s experience.
Shazia Malik, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the prestigious Portland Hospital in London, said: “This is an incredible story and despite the fact that twin pregnancies can be more likely with historic cases, we find with triplets and upwards, this is normally a random by chance incident, unless there has been some fertility treatment.
“I have never heard of this before and I do believe it is a world first.”
Sources:mirror.co.uk
