#LaborGoals: Mom Gives Birth to 4 Babies in 4 Minutes
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We've all heard stories about wild childbirths where women unexpectedly go into labor and are forced to deliver their babies on the side of the road or, worse, in a moving car. But first-time moms-to-be can take some comfort in knowing that their labor will probably last much, much longer (anywhere from eight hours or more, according to experts).
Unless, of course, you're Katie Muchard. The upstate New Yorker was pregnant for the first time, with quadruplets, and had been on bed rest for several weeks. But last Friday night, she and husband Chris were concerned she had blood clots in her legs, so they headed straight to the hospital. Doctors quickly determined that the issue was with her placenta, and Katie would need to deliver her babies via C-section immediately.
Emergency C-sections are notoriously fast—delivery typically takes a couple of minutes—but Muchard's was even speedier. The Muchard quads were born in four minutes, or an average of one baby per minute! Ten weeks premature, the couple's three boys and one girl range in weight from 1 pound, 15 ounces to 3 pounds, 10 ounces, and are spending the next several weeks gaining weight and strength in the NICU. Chris is currently on baby duty 24/7, while Mama takes some much-needed time to recuperate in the hospital. The couple are reportedly tired but feel "blessed" knowing they'll get to hold their babies some time this week.
Congratulations to the Muchards!
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Bonnie Gibbs Vengrow is a New York City-based writer and editor who traded in her Blackberry and Metro card for playdates and PB&J sandwiches—and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch her feisty, funny son grow up. Follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.
