A Surprising Pregnancy
When Alexandra found out she was pregnant, she was incredibly happy. In fact, together with her partner Antonin, they announced to the world that they would soon be the proud parents of another child in their lives.
It was going to be their second child, to be exact. However, little did they know that their whole life was about to change drastically.
Unpredictable News
Given that routine check-ups are fairly normal in any pregnancy, Alexandra was quite calm when she went to her appointment. She figured everything would turn out for the best.
However, the doctor found something he hadn't seen before. At that very moment, he announced that the couple would be expecting twins!
Twins Ran In The Family
This news didn't come quite as a surprise to the couple because the twin gene actually runs in both families. Talk about coincidences!
Both of them felt that they would be able to handle twins easily enough. However, the surprises didn't end there. The couple had no idea what was in store for them.
More Unexpected News
Just when the couple was getting their head around the idea of having twins, the doctor called them up. Was it good news or bad news?
They had to go again to the hospital because, apparently, something had come to light that hadn't before. The 23-year-olds soon found out that they would be having not twins, but triplets after all!
Constant Visits To The Hospital
Ever since that day, Alexandra had to revisit her doctor at least three more times before the number of babies she was having finally settled.
The nurses were amazed, the doctors couldn't believe their eyes, and the couple was speechless. The girl was pregnant not to three, not to four, but to five babies!
The Challenge Of Five
Alexandra was quite aware that having five kids at once was an almost impossible task. In spite of that, she was optimistic enough.
However, she was still looking forward to becoming a great mother. In fact, even the idea of breastfeeding five babies didn't put her off. She was up for the challenge.
A New Life Full Of People
By the time the big date came around, Alexandra realized her life from now on would change forever. Never again would she find herself in an empty room.
On the contrary, she'd always have the company of her kids, her husband or other adults. In fact, her delivery room was filled to the brim with 40 doctors in it.
Antonin Almost Misses The Delivery
On the day of Alexandra's delivery, Antonin was way out of town. In fact, he was in a very slow commute when a call from the hospital alerted him to the situation.
His nerves were on edge during the whole train ride. There was no way he was gonna miss the quintuplets' birth. After loads of tears and a great deal of stress, Antonin reached the hospital just in time.
The Uniqueness Of Quintuplets
Have you ever met someone who had a twin brother or sister? While not the norm, it's not that uncommon. However, we can't say the same about quintuplets!
The strange thing about them is that they can look completely identical or just really similar. And you know what? There's no way of knowing that beforehand.
Baby Names
Since the news that they were having quintuplets arrived early on, the couple had the chance to think about possible baby names before their birth.
They decided on the following names: Deniel, Alex, Michael, Tereza and Martin. The novelty was so grand that the birth made the news all over the country.
Let The Quintuplets All Over The World Unite
After the news of the birth broke out, people became curious about the exact number of quintuplets that are born every year. Do you dare guess the number?
Fortunately enough, births are registered in every country. According to the National Vital Statistics, around 70 births of this kind have been reported since 2005.
Another Unique Case Of Quintuplets
The first case of quintuplets ever reported dates back to 1934. Unlike Alexandra's kids, the five kids born in the 30s were all female. How crazy is that?
The kids were born in Ontario, and they became such a novelty, that locals and tourists visited the kids. The quintuplets' home became some sort of tourist landmark.
Cheaper By The Dozen
Whoever said life's cheaper by the dozen was terribly wrong. Alexandra and Antonin soon realized that the cost of five babies was extremely high.
Even a stroller that could hold that much babies was too high. Just imagine the number of diapers they'd have to buy for a year! They had definitely not expected this.
The Statistics Of Quintuplets
If the news about quintuplets was surprising to the general public, imagine for the parents! No one can ever be prepared for such a news.
In fact, even from a statistical point of view, being pregnant to quintuplets is extremely unlikely. The majority of these cases occur as a consequence of fertility treatments.
The Hardest Pregnancy
You'll never hear that pregnancy is a walk in the park. However, being pregnant to quintuplets is a whole other type of experience all together.
While these pregnancies only last an average of 29 weeks, which is nearly two months less than a normal pregnancy, the hardships that the body endures are more strenuous.
Other-Wordly Sonogram
The image below shows an outstanding ultrasound of quintuplets. Have you ever seen anything like it? I seriously doubt it!
In case you didn't know, these babies are born really small. They weigh about 2 pounds. This implies extra care and medical assistance.
Strength In Numbers
The one thing that is for certain is that you'll never be bored with quintuplets. Endless games, fun and adventure. In fact, you better keep an eye out for mischief or silly pranks.
If you thought you and your brother fight a lot, you have no idea what a quintuplets' fight brings in store for the parents.
Everywhere You Go, Babies!
Back in 2004, Hollywood got wing of this phenomenon and decided to create a comedy TV show inspired in a family of quintuplets. The representation in the media helped make the issue more visible.
In fact, plenty of support groups have been created in order to help parents deal with the emotional strain of having newborn quintuplets.
Check Out History's Quintuplets
If this story really interested you, then don't miss the chance of reading about more amazing stories like this one.
Some of history's most well-known quintuplets belong to all sorts of places. Search for the Diligenti family or the Fiscers and learn more about these families.
Alexandra's Positivity
After having read this amazing story, I bet you agree that there is no doubt that Alexandra is an extraordinary women.
In the face of the unknown, she remained positive all along. Not only that, but she was also very creative with her solutions. Wouldn't you say so too?