Real life: Multiple blessings
Giving birth to even just one child can be overwhelming. But when it’s not just one or two or even three, but four or five babies, then it takes frightening and emotional to a whole new level, writes Nomhle Mgabisa
NOLUTHANDO AND JOE Buthelezi from Vosloorus had been together for five years when they decided to seek medical intervention in order to conceive.
They approached obstetrician Dr Enki Pitsoe who prescribed ovulationinducing medication for Noluthando, already a mother of one.
“We went to see the doctor when Thando miscarried for the second time,” recalls Joe. “In no time we’d discovered that conception was successful and that we were expecting triplets. Thando was emotional when she learned the news while I just didn’t believe it at first,” he says. But the tests confirmed there was more than one baby. “I was happy,” recalls Joe.
Dr Pitsoe says earlier in the pregnancy the ultrasound had initially showed that Noluthando was carrying four babies.
“Three months later we could no longer see one of the babies and thought we’d lost the baby,” he recalls. ONE IN A MILLION Dr Pitsoe says a pregnancy of more than one baby is generally risky and with more babies on the way, the pregnancy became extremely high risk.
“The risks for the expectant mum includes hypertension and anaemia as the babies use up a lot of the mom’s iron. We knew we couldn’t go beyond eight months,” he says.
Last September, Noluthando delivered her one-in-a-million set of babies at seven months two weeks along, at the Clinix Botshelong-empilweni Private Hospital in Vosloorus, Ekhurhuleni.
Quintuplets pregnancies are said to occur once in 42 million pregnancies. Joe and Noluthando’s ones are South Africa’s fifth set since 1960.
A BEAUTIFUL SURPRISE Siyanda Lonwabo (a boy), Sbahle Unathi (a girl), Simosihle Phumeza (a girl), Silindile Vuyokazi (a girl) and Sindisiwe Yonela (a girl) were successfully delivered amid the doctor, hospital staff and parents’ shock. Their father is reportedly said to have almost collapsed from shock when five, instead of the expected three, babies popped out in five minutes during a caesarean section.
Siyanda weighed 1.62kg, while his sisters weighed 1.49kg, 1.43kg, 1.31kg and 1.27kg, respectively.
Dr Pitsoe says on the day of the delivery, staff at Botshelong neonatal ward had only prepared three beds.
“When number four followed we were surprised. But the biggest surprise that had me sweating was baby number five. We thought a sixth or seventh child would follow at that point which left us frightened and emotional for the five and their mum,” he recalls.
The five were released after only a month at the hospital to the comfort of their parents’ home. At the time of their release from hospital brother Siyanda weighed a healthy 2.6kg while sisters Sbahle weighed 2kg, Simosihle 2.3kg, Silindile 2.1kg and Sindisiwe 1.9kg.
The quints’ proud father says life now revolves around sourcing nannies, preparing extra space for babies and trying to get funding or donations as well as everything else needed to keep the babies going.
“It is hectic but because we love these babies we are gradually adjusting ourselves. We will take a weekend leave once a month to spend time on our own.
“Most of our friends and family members are happy for us and also envy this rare occurrence,” he adds. HISTORY IN THE MAKING This year is most likely to go down in history as the luckiest year in the country in the rare birth stakes.
Noluthando and Joe Buthelezi were not the only couple blessed with multiple babies.
IT student Inga Mafenuka (22) from Site C in Khayelitsha, Cape Town also joined that exclusive list of parents blessed with multiple bundles of joy when she delivered quadruplets last August.
According to reports, a chance of having quadruplets is about one in 800 000. And chances of them being identical quadruplets is between one in 11-million and 15-million.
Speaking of her pregnancy, Inga says she was caught off guard by the news at 16 weeks as she was focusing on finishing her studies. And, as if that was not enough, she learnt she was carrying quadruplets.
“I had no choice but to brace myself for the overwhelming journey ahead,” she relates.
At 29 weeks, Inga gave birth via caesarean section to two sets of girls and boys – Bubele, Buchule, Bunono and Bukhosi – at Tygerberg Hospital.
“It’s only when the babies were placed next to each other that the reality of this rare birth hit home for me and my mother Lulekwa. She was over the moon,” she adds.
Inga says she found out of her multiple pregnancy during a routine antenatal checkup at Michael Mapongwana Clinic.
“I was then referred to Tygerberg Hospital. My pregnancy was relatively smooth without any major complications,” she says.
Inga says she had gone for a normal check-up when doctors told her she needed to be admitted for a few days as she had preeclampsia.
“My blood pressure was too high. At this point I knew my babies’ and my life were very important and I did as I was advised. That Friday the new unexpected members of my family arrived prematurely at seven months.” The siblings weighed 980g, 1.1kg, 830g and 1.3kg at birth and spent two months in hospital. By the time the quads were discharged they weighed 2.4kg, 2kg, 1.8kg and 1.6kg.
“They’ve changed the lives of our small family. It’s always been my
ACCORDING TO REPORTS, A CHANCE OF HAVING QUADRUPLETS IS ABOUT ONE IN 800 000. AND CHANCES OF THEM BEING IDENTICAL QUADRUPLETS IS BETWEEN ONE IN 11-MILLION AND 15-MILLION