Woman gives birth to eight babies
 

BELLFLOWER, Calif. – Newborn octuplets in Southern California are a feisty bunch that appear healthy even at nine weeks premature, a doctor said Tuesday.
Three babies are being given oxygen but appeared to be doing well, said Dr. Mandhir Gupta, a neonatologist at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center. Two of the newborns were initially on ventilators but no longer need them.
At least four could be ready for their first oral feeding later Tuesday.
"All babies were delivered vigorous, crying, kicking. Everyone was very excited," said Dr. Karen E. Maples, chief of service for obstetrics and gynecology and the physician who personally delivered Baby No. 8.
The mother, who has not been identified, gave birth Monday to the six boys and two girls weighing between 1 pound, 8 ounces, and 3 pounds, 4 ounces. She was resting comfortably Tuesday and was elated at welcoming eight children to her family, Gupta said.
The eighth baby surprised the parents and doctors who had prepared to deliver seven children.
"It is quite easy to miss a baby when you're anticipating seven," said Dr. Harold Henry, chief of maternal and fetal medicine and one of 46 doctors, nurses and assistants who delivered the children by Caesarean section.
Two of the newborns — the second live octuplets born in U.S. history — were initially put on ventilators but were later removed.
The mother checked into the hospital in her 23rd week of pregnancy. Hospital officials would not say whether she had used fertility drugs, which make multiple births more likely.
The babies — dubbed with the letters A-through-H — will probably remain in the hospital for at least two months and the mother could be released in a week.
The world's first live octuplets were born in March 1967 in Mexico City, but all died within 14 hours, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
The United States' first live octuplets were born in Houston in 1998, three months premature. The tiniest died a week after the birth. The surviving siblings turned 10 in December.

Link please!! :)

They were saying on the Today show this morning that she was hoping to breast feed. I can't imagine!

Neither can I. I couldn't imagine having eight babies,either!

Wow, just being pregnant with 1 is wearing me out!!
I couldn't imagine 8!

I used to live down the road from this hospital.

It's kinda creepy to me. I just don't believe that women were not meant to give birth to litters. Still, if they can afford all those kids and genuinely want and love them, more power to them.

Um hello...she used fertility drugs :rolleyes:

If you use fertility drugs and get knocked up 8 times over, you shouldn't be one of those peeps that sells out their kids' childhood to make enough money to live... If you can't support that many, don't allow that many to be implanted.

I don't know if she'll be one of those people who accepts diapers and minivans from companies trying to capitalize on the kids... BUT, I hope she won't be.

Breeders like this seriously weird me out.

lol

Considering the fact that they have chosen to remain anonymous, I'm thinking they aren't going to sell out. Then again, maybe they think they'll get even more money for "going public". I tend to think it's the former though.

That all depends on how early the babies were born. The earlier they are born, the higher the likelihood of significant impairments. Because none of the babies are on ventilators, they have to be at least 30-31 weeks gestational age. The number of babies only determines the likelihood to reach term, not the likelihood that the babies will be abnormal. As long as these babies don't have brain bleeds, they should be cognitively normal (in less, of course, they have disorders that are not related to prematurity, ie. Downs Syndrome.)

Nope. Not the same initial. They used the first eight letters of the alphabet.:rolleyes:

My impression was that the birthing team of 46 staff used the letters of the alphabet to designate who would take care of which babies as they came out. So the nurse who was to take the first baby had an A on her hat, the one to take the second had a B, etc. I don't think those are their legal names, just what they were referring them to as they were born to keep them straight.