Four blimey! Mum, 30, reveals what it was like to discover she was having natural quadruplets during a routine scan, her husband’s reaction – and just how tough life is with five under THREE
- Natalie Maree recalled the moment she found out she was having quadruplets
- The WA mum said she was having a scan when the sonographer broke the news
- Natalie gave birth to the quads via C-section in July and already had one toddler
- She speaks about the daily reality of a big family and it taking 1.5 hours to feed
A mother has recalled the moment she found out she was having four babies instead of one at a seven-week scan – and how she copes raising quadruplets and a toddler.
Natalie Maree, 30, from Roebourne in Western Australia, and her husband Kahn had struggled for years with fertility issues before they had their daughter Kiki, 2.
She thought she had lucked out when she becane pregnant again, but little did she know she was actually carrying four babies.
Natalie said her ‘jaw dropped’ when she found out she was expecting quadruplets during the routine sonography scan.
A mother has recalled the moment she found out she was having four babies instead of one at a seven-week sonographer scan (Natalie Maree pictured)
‘At our seven-week dating scan, I lay down and the sonographer ran the wand over my belly,’ Natalie told That’s Life.
‘Squinting at the fuzzy screen, I spotted two sacs. “Twins!” I squealed, pointing.’
But the sonographer was quick to correct her, telling her there weren’t in fact just two babies, but four.
‘”Triplets!” I cried. But slowly the sonographer shook his head. Then, without a word, he held up four fingers!’ Natalie recalled.
She said her husband, Kahn, ‘almost passed out’.
The mum-of-five gave birth to the quadruplets via C-section, following months of weekly scans to check that they were growing okay (pictured pregnant)
Natalie revealed it takes her and Kahn one and a half hours to feed all four babies (pictured), and as soon as they go to sleep she is ‘counting’ down until the next one
Natalie was diagnosed with ‘unexplained infertility’, called ‘anovulation’, several years ago – and this required ovulation induction – or injecting hormones to stimulate regular ovulation (pictured with her husband Kahn and daughter Kiki)
Natalie was diagnosed with ‘unexplained infertility’, called ‘anovulation’, several years ago. The condition meant she had to have hormones injected into her to stimulate regular ovulation.
Twins run in her family so there was a ‘small chance’ she would have a multiple pregnancy, but nothing could have prepared her for the moment when she found out she was having four more kids.
The mum-of-five gave birth to the quadruplets via C-section at 34 weeks, following months of weekly scans to check that they were developing well.
Natalie and Kahn’s quadruplets, Maioha Kahn (2.3kg), Frankee Gene (1.92kg), Marley Rose (2.2kg) and Maddison Grace (2.1kg) were born on July 21 within the space of minutes.
Natalie has also been real about the ‘post-baby body bounce back’, recently sharing two pictures of herself on Instagram including one in her T-shirt (pictured)
In the other photo Natalie (pictured) posted, she has pulled the T-shirt up to reveal her five-week post-partum stomach
Since their birth, Natalie has been sharing regular updates about daily family life on her Instagram page, Kiki and the Quads.
What is anovulation?
* Anovulation occurs when an egg does not release, or ovulate, from a woman’s ovaries.
* Chronic anovulation is a common cause of infertility. According to the National Institutes of Health, these conditions account for almost 30 percent of female infertility.
* Anovulation is typically, although not always, coupled with irregular or lack of menstruation. However, with anovulatory cycles, there may be bleeding, which a woman may mistake for a normal menstruation, although this would only rarely occur on a regular, monthly basis.
Source: Fertility Women and Infants
She revealed it takes her and Kahn one and a half hours to feed all four babies, and as soon as they go to sleep she is ‘counting’ down until the next feed.
Natalie has also debunked myths about the ‘post-baby body bounce back’, recently sharing two pictures of herself on Instagram.
In one of the snaps, she can be seen smiling in a T-shirt, while in the other she has pulled the T-shirt up to reveal her five-week post-partum stomach.
‘If I only posted the first picture, the comments would have been along the lines of “you look great for just having quads”,’ Natalie posted.
‘If I only posted the second photo I would’ve received “you should be so proud of what your body has done”.’
She said while there were ‘parts of her’ that wanted to only post the first photo, there was another part of her that wanted to ‘prevent a false sense of reality’ and only share the second.
‘But the reality is I grew four miracles in this belly,’ Natalie said.
‘The reality is I feel beautiful in the first photo. The reality is I am god damn proud of what my body has done and can do.’
Natalie added: ‘The reality is I’d be lying to myself and all of you if I said I loved what my belly looks like now.’
Since their birth, Natalie has been sharing regular updates about daily family life on her Instagram page, Kiki and the Quads (the quads pictured with their sister)
Natalie’s honest post resonated with thousands of parents around the world, who thanked the mum for ‘keeping it real’ and being so ‘brave’.
‘Absolutely no one can tell you how you should feel,’ one fellow mum posted.
‘They can certainly comment on how beautiful you look. But, I know personally that doesn’t help you.’
She added: ‘I only grew twins and I hate my stomach. But, I was blessed with two healthy beautiful babies and this is what gets me through’.
To find out more about Natalie Maree and her family, you can visit her Instagram page here.
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