1 00:00:10,405 --> 00:00:15,005 Speaker 1: You're listening to a MoMA Mea podcast. Mama Mea acknowledges 2 00:00:15,045 --> 00:00:17,685 Speaker 1: the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast 3 00:00:17,765 --> 00:00:21,085 Speaker 1: is recorded on. Hey friends, I'm excited to share a 4 00:00:21,125 --> 00:00:24,605 Speaker 1: brand new episode of our sister Mama Mea podcast. It's 5 00:00:24,645 --> 00:00:26,525 Speaker 1: called Diary of a Birth. 6 00:00:26,285 --> 00:00:30,125 Speaker 2: And it's hosted by Cassenya Lukisch. This episode is about 7 00:00:30,165 --> 00:00:33,005 Speaker 2: an amazing woman who gave birth to quadruplets. I picked 8 00:00:33,005 --> 00:00:36,725 Speaker 2: this one for your no filter ears because it is 9 00:00:36,725 --> 00:00:39,485 Speaker 2: a cracker of a story. Imagine having four babies at once. 10 00:00:39,845 --> 00:00:42,805 Speaker 2: She answers all the questions that you've probably been wondering 11 00:00:42,925 --> 00:00:45,205 Speaker 2: since I said the word quadruplets, like how do you 12 00:00:45,245 --> 00:00:48,005 Speaker 2: actually fit them all in your body? And what is 13 00:00:48,005 --> 00:00:50,965 Speaker 2: the birth like? And also what happens when they come out? 14 00:00:51,205 --> 00:00:53,645 Speaker 2: How do you even remember which one is which? It 15 00:00:53,725 --> 00:00:57,125 Speaker 2: is a truly remarkable story, So take a listen and enjoy. 16 00:01:00,885 --> 00:01:03,725 Speaker 3: I'm Cassenya Lukitch and this is Diary of a Birth. 17 00:01:04,205 --> 00:01:06,285 Speaker 3: I'll never forget the day that I found out that 18 00:01:06,325 --> 00:01:08,925 Speaker 3: I was having my first baby, after two years of 19 00:01:08,925 --> 00:01:13,405 Speaker 3: infanteen and the constant cycle of two weeks of hope 20 00:01:13,965 --> 00:01:18,085 Speaker 3: then two weeks of disappointment. And anxiety. We got that 21 00:01:18,165 --> 00:01:21,445 Speaker 3: positive pregnancy test and it was one of the most 22 00:01:21,565 --> 00:01:25,165 Speaker 3: incredible days of my life. And if you, like me, 23 00:01:25,325 --> 00:01:28,285 Speaker 3: struggle with falling pregnant, you'll know what a wondrous surprise 24 00:01:28,365 --> 00:01:31,645 Speaker 3: it is to be told that finally you're with child, 25 00:01:32,205 --> 00:01:33,285 Speaker 3: just like today's mum. 26 00:01:33,765 --> 00:01:36,525 Speaker 4: And then she puts on the sound and it's got 27 00:01:36,525 --> 00:01:41,485 Speaker 4: the strong, like the strongest heartbeat ever, and oh, I 28 00:01:41,525 --> 00:01:44,485 Speaker 4: gets emotional because that sound is like it's the heartbeat 29 00:01:44,485 --> 00:01:46,645 Speaker 4: that's coming from inside you, and that's your baby, and 30 00:01:47,565 --> 00:01:49,725 Speaker 4: that's the sound like that you have longed for for 31 00:01:49,765 --> 00:01:53,565 Speaker 4: so long. We're just wailing like we're balley. 32 00:01:55,405 --> 00:01:58,205 Speaker 3: But for the woman telling this birth story, the moment 33 00:01:58,445 --> 00:02:02,685 Speaker 3: was extra surprising. Four times as shocking, you might say. 34 00:02:03,165 --> 00:02:05,685 Speaker 4: So she's put the wand on my belly and I've 35 00:02:05,725 --> 00:02:09,565 Speaker 4: seen like multiple like black circles, and then she's it 36 00:02:09,605 --> 00:02:12,765 Speaker 4: away and I see like the color dropped from her 37 00:02:12,805 --> 00:02:18,405 Speaker 4: face and I've instantly gone and she's gone. She goes, 38 00:02:18,445 --> 00:02:21,045 Speaker 4: this isn't twins, this is she's what even is is 39 00:02:21,285 --> 00:02:23,165 Speaker 4: quads quad quadruplets. 40 00:02:23,645 --> 00:02:26,645 Speaker 3: You won't believe the shocking rollercoaster of emotions she went 41 00:02:26,685 --> 00:02:28,685 Speaker 3: through over an incredible pregnancy. 42 00:02:29,285 --> 00:02:31,645 Speaker 4: I was so scared. There was not an inch of 43 00:02:31,685 --> 00:02:35,125 Speaker 4: excitement in me, to be completely honest, Like, I was 44 00:02:35,245 --> 00:02:37,805 Speaker 4: just so overwhelmed with fear because this was just so 45 00:02:37,965 --> 00:02:40,085 Speaker 4: unknown to me. Like I just didn't know what was happening. 46 00:02:40,525 --> 00:02:44,525 Speaker 4: Four babies, What the hell? Like I can't carry four babies? Like, 47 00:02:44,925 --> 00:02:45,765 Speaker 4: am I gonna die? 48 00:02:46,125 --> 00:02:49,285 Speaker 3: Get ready for the most incredible pregnancy story ever. 49 00:02:49,885 --> 00:02:52,325 Speaker 4: At thirty weeks I think I was measuring it. Fifty 50 00:02:52,325 --> 00:02:55,165 Speaker 4: two weeks pregnant, I was massive and my lungs were 51 00:02:55,165 --> 00:02:58,565 Speaker 4: getting compressed. I couldn't breathe properly because my lungs were 52 00:02:58,605 --> 00:03:01,445 Speaker 4: so squished. I couldn't eat much because my stomach was 53 00:03:01,445 --> 00:03:02,285 Speaker 4: getting squished. 54 00:03:02,765 --> 00:03:04,285 Speaker 3: So let's meet today's mum. 55 00:03:04,565 --> 00:03:06,845 Speaker 4: Hi, my name is Taylor, and this is the diary 56 00:03:06,885 --> 00:03:13,045 Speaker 4: of my birth with my quadruplets, Daisy, Archie, Billy, and Charlie. 57 00:03:14,045 --> 00:03:17,765 Speaker 3: Taylor chewed Hope. Glacken is nothing short of a superwoman. 58 00:03:18,205 --> 00:03:22,405 Speaker 3: Her story is unbelievable and you're in for such a 59 00:03:22,445 --> 00:03:25,365 Speaker 3: treat just to hear her tell it. But let's start 60 00:03:25,485 --> 00:03:28,165 Speaker 3: back before her life took its crazy turn. 61 00:03:29,445 --> 00:03:32,525 Speaker 4: Yeah, so life before the Cords was just very usual. 62 00:03:32,805 --> 00:03:35,165 Speaker 4: Sean and I met in high school, being together now 63 00:03:35,205 --> 00:03:38,445 Speaker 4: for over twelve years. We're very local to where we are, 64 00:03:38,485 --> 00:03:40,805 Speaker 4: we're kind of born and raised in this area, and 65 00:03:40,965 --> 00:03:45,245 Speaker 4: we're very family orientated people, so been together for a while, 66 00:03:45,525 --> 00:03:50,685 Speaker 4: got married back in twenty twenty two, host COVID kind 67 00:03:50,685 --> 00:03:53,525 Speaker 4: of thing, and I have always been very full was 68 00:03:53,565 --> 00:03:56,325 Speaker 4: short about wanting to start a family, So that's something 69 00:03:56,325 --> 00:03:58,525 Speaker 4: that we always knew would come. We just didn't know 70 00:03:58,525 --> 00:04:01,365 Speaker 4: that it would come this quick. But yeah, we're very 71 00:04:01,365 --> 00:04:04,925 Speaker 4: sport orientated people, very social. We love our friends, but 72 00:04:05,005 --> 00:04:08,045 Speaker 4: we're also real home people. We love getting around and 73 00:04:08,085 --> 00:04:11,285 Speaker 4: doing DIY and yeah, that was kind of just us 74 00:04:11,325 --> 00:04:15,325 Speaker 4: go around travel camping, and things have changed very quickly. 75 00:04:15,885 --> 00:04:19,405 Speaker 3: Taylor had endured a lot of health issues in the past. 76 00:04:19,605 --> 00:04:24,165 Speaker 4: So falling pregnant wasn't what I expected. So back when 77 00:04:24,365 --> 00:04:26,565 Speaker 4: I was in my very very early twenties, I was 78 00:04:26,605 --> 00:04:30,765 Speaker 4: told I had pcos so polcistic ovary syndrome and I 79 00:04:30,805 --> 00:04:32,725 Speaker 4: was kind of told, do you want to have babies now? 80 00:04:32,805 --> 00:04:34,725 Speaker 4: And I said no, but I do down the future. 81 00:04:34,845 --> 00:04:36,605 Speaker 4: So we kind of just brushed it to the side 82 00:04:36,605 --> 00:04:39,965 Speaker 4: and I just continued on managing my symptoms. But it 83 00:04:40,005 --> 00:04:42,605 Speaker 4: wasn't until we got engaged, and I knew that we 84 00:04:42,645 --> 00:04:45,085 Speaker 4: wanted to have babies coming up, and so that's when 85 00:04:45,085 --> 00:04:47,725 Speaker 4: I started preparing my body. Went and seeing my doctor 86 00:04:47,805 --> 00:04:49,765 Speaker 4: and said, look, this is what's going to be our 87 00:04:49,805 --> 00:04:51,605 Speaker 4: plan for the next few years. Can you help me 88 00:04:51,685 --> 00:04:54,645 Speaker 4: start getting my body ready. So we started doing a 89 00:04:54,645 --> 00:04:57,645 Speaker 4: bit of investigating and it led me very quickly to 90 00:04:57,725 --> 00:05:03,005 Speaker 4: specialists and surprised to me, I had stage four endometriosis, 91 00:05:03,645 --> 00:05:07,205 Speaker 4: so I didn't necessarily have painful periods or the pain 92 00:05:07,285 --> 00:05:09,965 Speaker 4: as such during a mental cycle. A lot of people 93 00:05:10,005 --> 00:05:14,485 Speaker 4: explain with the edemitriosis, I had other issues bowe issues 94 00:05:14,525 --> 00:05:18,045 Speaker 4: and pain like that because my ovary was attached to 95 00:05:18,085 --> 00:05:22,285 Speaker 4: my bow with enemitriosis. So I was lucky enough to 96 00:05:22,325 --> 00:05:25,645 Speaker 4: have all that removed and keep my ovary intact, which 97 00:05:25,725 --> 00:05:28,405 Speaker 4: was great. And they also seen that, yeah, my ovaries 98 00:05:28,405 --> 00:05:32,085 Speaker 4: were quite enlarged because of the PCOS two, so all 99 00:05:32,125 --> 00:05:33,845 Speaker 4: of that all cleaned up and they were like, Okay, 100 00:05:34,085 --> 00:05:36,645 Speaker 4: you should be really fertile, now go on your way, 101 00:05:36,885 --> 00:05:38,685 Speaker 4: and that most definitely wasn't the case. 102 00:05:39,405 --> 00:05:41,925 Speaker 3: Like so many women, Taylor realized that while she knew 103 00:05:42,005 --> 00:05:45,125 Speaker 3: how babies were made, she didn't really know how to 104 00:05:45,245 --> 00:05:46,605 Speaker 3: fall pregnant. 105 00:05:46,885 --> 00:05:48,965 Speaker 4: Just kept going with trying. Was kind of a bit 106 00:05:49,045 --> 00:05:52,685 Speaker 4: naive in the situation. I was studying to be a 107 00:05:52,685 --> 00:05:56,565 Speaker 4: primary teacher, and I still didn't know that much about 108 00:05:56,605 --> 00:05:59,405 Speaker 4: the female body. Like I just I was really naive. 109 00:05:59,485 --> 00:06:02,365 Speaker 4: It was amazing how much I didn't know. And here 110 00:06:02,365 --> 00:06:05,445 Speaker 4: I am being a woman for what I was twenty 111 00:06:05,485 --> 00:06:07,325 Speaker 4: seven I think at the time, and I didn't even 112 00:06:07,365 --> 00:06:11,285 Speaker 4: know these things on how to get But anyways, we 113 00:06:11,365 --> 00:06:14,405 Speaker 4: kept trying, and yeah, didn't work. I was then put 114 00:06:14,445 --> 00:06:18,245 Speaker 4: on it's called lectrosol, so it encourages ovulation. Because I 115 00:06:18,285 --> 00:06:21,765 Speaker 4: wasn't ovulating. I wasn't having a period, So I was 116 00:06:21,765 --> 00:06:25,485 Speaker 4: put on medication to enforce a period, to enforce ovulation, 117 00:06:25,685 --> 00:06:29,405 Speaker 4: and still nothing was happening, no ovulation. I got put 118 00:06:29,445 --> 00:06:33,245 Speaker 4: to a fertility specialist. She goes, you're not getting pregnant 119 00:06:33,445 --> 00:06:35,645 Speaker 4: in any way, shape or form on this medication at 120 00:06:35,645 --> 00:06:38,645 Speaker 4: the moment. So in order to get me just to ovulate, 121 00:06:38,685 --> 00:06:41,765 Speaker 4: she had to triple my dose for double the time 122 00:06:41,885 --> 00:06:45,405 Speaker 4: with this lectrosol. And we're tracking. I was getting blood 123 00:06:45,445 --> 00:06:48,205 Speaker 4: tests tracking when I'm ovulating. Here we are trying to 124 00:06:48,285 --> 00:06:52,005 Speaker 4: have sex every second day, like it's just ridiculous. It 125 00:06:52,205 --> 00:06:56,005 Speaker 4: just makes everything feel so procedural, and it just takes 126 00:06:56,085 --> 00:06:58,485 Speaker 4: the fun out of everything, and it's just not the 127 00:06:58,525 --> 00:07:01,245 Speaker 4: way that you plan to get pregnant. It takes a 128 00:07:01,325 --> 00:07:04,685 Speaker 4: surprise out of it, It takes the joy out of Yeah, 129 00:07:04,725 --> 00:07:07,685 Speaker 4: it just it just made everything feel really medical. But 130 00:07:07,925 --> 00:07:09,965 Speaker 4: that's what we had to do, and so be it 131 00:07:10,005 --> 00:07:10,525 Speaker 4: will do it. 132 00:07:11,045 --> 00:07:14,405 Speaker 3: After a year of tracking ovulation and not falling pregnant, 133 00:07:14,925 --> 00:07:18,405 Speaker 3: Taylor's next step was IVF, but the doctors warned her 134 00:07:18,565 --> 00:07:21,445 Speaker 3: that it wasn't going to be straightforward for her. 135 00:07:21,885 --> 00:07:24,285 Speaker 4: So my ovar is with chocolate block with follicles, which 136 00:07:24,285 --> 00:07:25,925 Speaker 4: I was like, oh, that's great. Doesn't that mean I 137 00:07:25,965 --> 00:07:29,245 Speaker 4: have this really high chance? But how she explained it 138 00:07:29,285 --> 00:07:32,365 Speaker 4: to me was they're so full. Nothing can reach its 139 00:07:32,365 --> 00:07:36,445 Speaker 4: full maturity inside your ovaries, and so you have these 140 00:07:36,445 --> 00:07:41,085 Speaker 4: really immature follicles. But with IVF, their job is to 141 00:07:41,205 --> 00:07:45,685 Speaker 4: stimulate those follicles and then they give you this drug 142 00:07:45,725 --> 00:07:48,845 Speaker 4: that gets you to release those follicles. And naturally you 143 00:07:48,925 --> 00:07:51,405 Speaker 4: only normally release one or two follicles here and there. 144 00:07:51,445 --> 00:07:53,645 Speaker 4: But here I am with chocol block over eaes. I 145 00:07:53,645 --> 00:07:56,965 Speaker 4: think there's upwards of maybe even sixty and per overary 146 00:07:57,085 --> 00:07:59,445 Speaker 4: there was a stupid number. So I was given like 147 00:07:59,485 --> 00:08:03,285 Speaker 4: a really really low dose. And it came to the 148 00:08:03,525 --> 00:08:06,605 Speaker 4: collection phase and I remember them going, Taylor, did you 149 00:08:06,645 --> 00:08:08,605 Speaker 4: hear that we've got your first egg? We've got your 150 00:08:08,605 --> 00:08:11,005 Speaker 4: first egg? And then the rest was a blur and 151 00:08:11,085 --> 00:08:13,285 Speaker 4: I remember them coming in and saying, Taylor, we got 152 00:08:13,325 --> 00:08:17,645 Speaker 4: thirty and I was like, thirty eggs? What? 153 00:08:18,805 --> 00:08:18,965 Speaker 5: Like? 154 00:08:19,485 --> 00:08:22,125 Speaker 4: I know friends and family that have had IVF and 155 00:08:22,165 --> 00:08:24,045 Speaker 4: they're getting four. I'm long thirty. 156 00:08:24,365 --> 00:08:28,645 Speaker 3: Five days after Taylor's collection, an incredible fourteen embryos had 157 00:08:28,685 --> 00:08:32,365 Speaker 3: survived to the blastocyst stage, but then she fell ill 158 00:08:32,485 --> 00:08:36,685 Speaker 3: and was hospitalized with ovarian hyperstimulation, which took a few 159 00:08:36,725 --> 00:08:40,845 Speaker 3: months to recover from, meaning a delay in transferring any 160 00:08:40,845 --> 00:08:44,085 Speaker 3: of the embryos into her. So remember that Taylor was 161 00:08:44,125 --> 00:08:47,365 Speaker 3: still on letrosola this stage, as her PCOS meant she 162 00:08:47,485 --> 00:08:51,285 Speaker 3: didn't naturally ovulate, but she was three months off the 163 00:08:51,325 --> 00:08:55,725 Speaker 3: IVF stimulation. Finally, three months after the retrieval date, it 164 00:08:55,765 --> 00:08:58,325 Speaker 3: was time to implant the most viable embryo. 165 00:08:58,925 --> 00:09:02,485 Speaker 4: When you're going for your transfer, you have regular blood 166 00:09:02,525 --> 00:09:05,125 Speaker 4: test to catch when you're ovulating, so as soon as 167 00:09:05,125 --> 00:09:08,605 Speaker 4: you're ovulate five days later. You must have that transfer. 168 00:09:09,085 --> 00:09:12,965 Speaker 4: The need to catch that ovulation window very carefully, and 169 00:09:13,245 --> 00:09:18,405 Speaker 4: we go for the embryo transfer. It's just a wild experience. 170 00:09:18,445 --> 00:09:20,285 Speaker 4: I was just reading through my journal notes about it. 171 00:09:20,405 --> 00:09:24,565 Speaker 4: And you work so hard for this day, and you 172 00:09:24,805 --> 00:09:27,685 Speaker 4: think about getting pregnant, and you work so hard to 173 00:09:27,725 --> 00:09:30,085 Speaker 4: get these eggs and get them to blastises, to get 174 00:09:30,125 --> 00:09:32,125 Speaker 4: them to be an embryo, and you go in for 175 00:09:32,285 --> 00:09:36,045 Speaker 4: this transfer appointment and it's five minutes, it's done and dusted. 176 00:09:36,165 --> 00:09:38,725 Speaker 4: It's just like you're going in to get your eyebrows done. 177 00:09:38,725 --> 00:09:41,285 Speaker 4: To these ladies, they're just so good at it. They're like, 178 00:09:41,285 --> 00:09:44,205 Speaker 4: we've picked out your embryo, number five. Here it is. 179 00:09:44,685 --> 00:09:47,685 Speaker 4: We're about to transfer. It's just one embryo. It's just 180 00:09:47,805 --> 00:09:51,645 Speaker 4: one embryo. And so they transfer it. We see the 181 00:09:51,685 --> 00:09:55,845 Speaker 4: little light flash those that do if no. Apparently you 182 00:09:55,845 --> 00:09:59,365 Speaker 4: look for the flash on the ultrasound machine. It's apparently 183 00:09:59,405 --> 00:10:01,725 Speaker 4: a telltale signed to see if the embryo has gone through. 184 00:10:02,445 --> 00:10:04,645 Speaker 4: And they're like, okay, off you go. We'll give you 185 00:10:04,685 --> 00:10:06,605 Speaker 4: a call in two weeks to let you know if 186 00:10:06,605 --> 00:10:10,205 Speaker 4: that's happened. So then you go on this two week 187 00:10:10,405 --> 00:10:14,765 Speaker 4: dreaded weight. It is the longest two weeks of your life. 188 00:10:14,965 --> 00:10:16,765 Speaker 4: Like as soon as you walk out that appointment, first 189 00:10:16,805 --> 00:10:18,085 Speaker 4: of all, you're like, I don't want to pooh because 190 00:10:18,085 --> 00:10:19,965 Speaker 4: you're scared youre going to push this little embryo out. 191 00:10:20,765 --> 00:10:22,605 Speaker 4: But they're like, don't worry, it won't happen. It's not 192 00:10:22,645 --> 00:10:24,325 Speaker 4: going to fall out. But you're walking around with your 193 00:10:24,365 --> 00:10:26,965 Speaker 4: legs held tired, like something's going to fall out of you. 194 00:10:28,045 --> 00:10:32,685 Speaker 4: But yeah, two weeks we waited and it was so 195 00:10:32,685 --> 00:10:37,685 Speaker 4: so stressful. But I instantly felt my boobs were getting bigger. 196 00:10:37,965 --> 00:10:40,685 Speaker 4: I was feeling a bit different, but I was way 197 00:10:40,725 --> 00:10:42,925 Speaker 4: too scared to verbalize any of this because I didn't 198 00:10:42,925 --> 00:10:46,205 Speaker 4: want to put any bad voodoo out there. I just was, Okay, 199 00:10:46,405 --> 00:10:49,285 Speaker 4: let's just pray to the gods, because statistically, your first 200 00:10:49,325 --> 00:10:51,765 Speaker 4: embryo transferred normally isn't that successful. 201 00:10:52,485 --> 00:10:54,765 Speaker 3: As someone who's gone through IVF, let me tell you, 202 00:10:55,205 --> 00:11:01,365 Speaker 3: the waiting periods are absolute torture. It is a constant cycle. 203 00:11:01,485 --> 00:11:06,125 Speaker 3: It's two weeks of hope, excitement. It's did this injection work? 204 00:11:06,325 --> 00:11:09,125 Speaker 3: It's my eggs in the right place, Is my body 205 00:11:09,165 --> 00:11:11,965 Speaker 3: do the right thing? Are my hormones doing the right thing. 206 00:11:12,605 --> 00:11:16,765 Speaker 3: You feel like a pincushion. Waiting for phone calls from 207 00:11:16,805 --> 00:11:22,205 Speaker 3: embryologists is another certain kind of hell because you're constantly 208 00:11:22,245 --> 00:11:24,765 Speaker 3: waiting for the phone call. You're staring at your phone 209 00:11:25,245 --> 00:11:30,045 Speaker 3: waiting to see what's happening, and you do not want 210 00:11:30,085 --> 00:11:36,005 Speaker 3: to miss that phone call. It is excruciating. The day 211 00:11:36,005 --> 00:11:38,645 Speaker 3: that Taylor was due to receive her blood test results, 212 00:11:39,005 --> 00:11:43,125 Speaker 3: the call came through at eleven am, but she torturously 213 00:11:43,205 --> 00:11:46,645 Speaker 3: left the voicemail unheard so she could get the news 214 00:11:46,725 --> 00:11:48,005 Speaker 3: with Sean that evening. 215 00:11:48,685 --> 00:11:51,005 Speaker 4: Before we listen to it, we both said, okay, all right, 216 00:11:51,645 --> 00:11:54,045 Speaker 4: if this doesn't work, and we're pretty sure it hasn't worked, 217 00:11:54,085 --> 00:11:57,725 Speaker 4: because we're looking at statistics here, we have another thirteen goes. 218 00:11:58,045 --> 00:12:00,405 Speaker 4: This isn't give up stage. We need to stay positive 219 00:12:00,405 --> 00:12:02,325 Speaker 4: in this journey because this journey can go on quite 220 00:12:02,325 --> 00:12:05,405 Speaker 4: a long time. And anyways, we press play and she says, 221 00:12:05,445 --> 00:12:10,845 Speaker 4: congratulations still wakes me so emotional because that's the day 222 00:12:10,965 --> 00:12:15,165 Speaker 4: you hope and you pray for, and oh, like we 223 00:12:15,285 --> 00:12:17,645 Speaker 4: had wished of that day for so long and it 224 00:12:17,765 --> 00:12:20,085 Speaker 4: was there and we were just like, oh, we just 225 00:12:20,365 --> 00:12:23,365 Speaker 4: couldn't grasp what was happening. Around us, and we just 226 00:12:23,445 --> 00:12:26,165 Speaker 4: held each other for so long, and we were just like, 227 00:12:26,325 --> 00:12:30,765 Speaker 4: oh my God, like it's happened. We're pregnant. At that point, 228 00:12:30,765 --> 00:12:33,005 Speaker 4: we're going, oh my god, we're pregnant with one baby, 229 00:12:35,005 --> 00:12:36,365 Speaker 4: and gosh, things. 230 00:12:36,165 --> 00:12:38,085 Speaker 3: Changed coming up. 231 00:12:38,605 --> 00:12:40,965 Speaker 4: And then we walk out the door and then the 232 00:12:41,005 --> 00:12:43,525 Speaker 4: weight just crushes me and I'm just in Shan's arms 233 00:12:43,565 --> 00:12:45,445 Speaker 4: and We're just trying to get back to the car 234 00:12:46,045 --> 00:12:48,085 Speaker 4: and I'm just hysterical, and we don't speak, like we 235 00:12:48,445 --> 00:12:49,925 Speaker 4: don't even know what to say to each other. 236 00:12:55,405 --> 00:12:58,565 Speaker 3: Every mom waits with baited breath for the all important 237 00:12:58,685 --> 00:13:01,325 Speaker 3: dating scan, when you find out how many weeks pregnant 238 00:13:01,325 --> 00:13:04,325 Speaker 3: you're measuring and the approximate date that you'll be blowing 239 00:13:04,325 --> 00:13:07,285 Speaker 3: out those birthday candles each year. It made me the 240 00:13:07,325 --> 00:13:11,405 Speaker 3: day you see their first tiny realms and hear their strong, 241 00:13:11,645 --> 00:13:15,525 Speaker 3: healthy heartbeats. Eight weeks later, Taylor and Sean returned to 242 00:13:15,565 --> 00:13:19,645 Speaker 3: their IVF clinic to have their scan, and Taylor's account 243 00:13:19,725 --> 00:13:22,405 Speaker 3: of finding out just how many bubs were in her 244 00:13:22,445 --> 00:13:25,805 Speaker 3: stomach is stunningly vulnerable and honest. 245 00:13:26,365 --> 00:13:29,125 Speaker 4: As much as it's incredible, I need to be honest 246 00:13:29,125 --> 00:13:31,445 Speaker 4: about how I felt in that situation. Because there's a 247 00:13:31,525 --> 00:13:34,245 Speaker 4: lot of emotions that come with this. So we're waiting 248 00:13:34,245 --> 00:13:37,445 Speaker 4: in the waiting room and aha, imagine if it's twins, 249 00:13:37,605 --> 00:13:40,565 Speaker 4: La la la. So we go in, we sit down, 250 00:13:40,725 --> 00:13:44,085 Speaker 4: We're in a room, Sean's beside me, We've got masks on, 251 00:13:44,685 --> 00:13:46,685 Speaker 4: and there's a big TV in front of us, and 252 00:13:46,725 --> 00:13:49,325 Speaker 4: the sonographers are my right. Sean's on my left shoulder, 253 00:13:50,205 --> 00:13:53,845 Speaker 4: and she's lovely. And I've seen a fair few ultra 254 00:13:53,845 --> 00:13:56,485 Speaker 4: sounds in my times with my pcos and my adometriosis 255 00:13:56,645 --> 00:14:00,165 Speaker 4: and getting ready to have this baby, so I kind 256 00:14:00,165 --> 00:14:02,565 Speaker 4: of have gotten a grasp about what a belly should 257 00:14:02,565 --> 00:14:05,765 Speaker 4: look like on an ultrasow machine. Sean doesn't know what 258 00:14:05,805 --> 00:14:07,245 Speaker 4: he's looking at it. He could be looking at a 259 00:14:07,245 --> 00:14:10,805 Speaker 4: PlayStation screen, for early knows. And so she's put the 260 00:14:10,845 --> 00:14:14,205 Speaker 4: wand on my belly and I've seen like multiple like 261 00:14:14,285 --> 00:14:18,285 Speaker 4: black circles, and then she's ripped it away and I 262 00:14:18,485 --> 00:14:22,685 Speaker 4: see like the color drop from her face and I've 263 00:14:22,725 --> 00:14:27,165 Speaker 4: instantly gone, and she's gone. Sean's going, why is everyone? 264 00:14:27,605 --> 00:14:30,565 Speaker 4: And like, what's going on here? Like I'm trying to 265 00:14:30,565 --> 00:14:34,325 Speaker 4: say things, nothing's really coming out, And she just put 266 00:14:34,325 --> 00:14:37,485 Speaker 4: her hand on my leg and she said, Taylor, you 267 00:14:37,565 --> 00:14:41,805 Speaker 4: have multiple pregnancies in here. I have to count to 268 00:14:41,845 --> 00:14:45,125 Speaker 4: know how many you have in here. I can't even 269 00:14:45,485 --> 00:14:49,165 Speaker 4: like fear. It was just fear. And so she started 270 00:14:49,205 --> 00:14:52,165 Speaker 4: counting and she's put the warmth on. She's gone, okay, one, 271 00:14:53,405 --> 00:14:57,765 Speaker 4: all right, two, and I'm like, holy crap. And she's 272 00:14:57,805 --> 00:15:02,605 Speaker 4: gone three and I'm like, oh my god. Three, and 273 00:15:02,645 --> 00:15:08,445 Speaker 4: then she's gone four. Oh, oh my god. For I'm 274 00:15:08,485 --> 00:15:12,445 Speaker 4: instantly hysteric cool, like I can't breathe. I'm like I 275 00:15:12,445 --> 00:15:15,645 Speaker 4: could feel my heart coming out of my chest. I 276 00:15:15,725 --> 00:15:19,445 Speaker 4: like was trying to hold back that big like cry, 277 00:15:19,565 --> 00:15:22,205 Speaker 4: like I'm trying to regulate my breathing. And I remember 278 00:15:22,245 --> 00:15:25,245 Speaker 4: like consciously thinking, Taylor, catch your breath, Catch your breath. 279 00:15:25,325 --> 00:15:27,965 Speaker 4: You're gonna faint. Catch your breath. And she said, did 280 00:15:28,005 --> 00:15:30,685 Speaker 4: you guys have sex after the trance plant? And we 281 00:15:30,725 --> 00:15:33,685 Speaker 4: said no, no, no, not after no, like you told us, 282 00:15:33,725 --> 00:15:37,645 Speaker 4: not too after. She's gone, okay, let me just count again. 283 00:15:38,245 --> 00:15:39,965 Speaker 4: Sean and I trying to breathe and I've just grabbed 284 00:15:39,965 --> 00:15:42,885 Speaker 4: Sean's hands. I'm squeezing it for life on my shoulder 285 00:15:42,925 --> 00:15:46,405 Speaker 4: and I was so scared, like there was not an 286 00:15:46,405 --> 00:15:49,005 Speaker 4: inch of excitement in me, to be completely honest, like 287 00:15:49,885 --> 00:15:52,805 Speaker 4: I was just so overwhelmed with fear because I didn't know. 288 00:15:53,045 --> 00:15:54,885 Speaker 4: This was just so unknown to me, Like I just 289 00:15:54,925 --> 00:15:58,445 Speaker 4: didn't know what was happening. And to me, instantly, I thought, 290 00:15:58,525 --> 00:16:02,565 Speaker 4: this pregnancy is scrapped, Like this is not a viable pregnancy. 291 00:16:03,005 --> 00:16:06,725 Speaker 4: Four babies? What the hell? Like I can't carry four babies? 292 00:16:06,845 --> 00:16:10,005 Speaker 4: Like am I gonna die? Like I literally thought like 293 00:16:10,045 --> 00:16:13,085 Speaker 4: could I die because of this? And so the next 294 00:16:13,085 --> 00:16:16,925 Speaker 4: part was to go check what was viable and she said, Okay, well, 295 00:16:16,965 --> 00:16:18,645 Speaker 4: I guess we start this kind of the way we 296 00:16:18,685 --> 00:16:21,045 Speaker 4: do a twins, and I'll start at the cervix. Looks 297 00:16:21,085 --> 00:16:24,285 Speaker 4: at the first sack. Yep, there's a baby, and there 298 00:16:24,365 --> 00:16:26,765 Speaker 4: was a yoke sack in there as well. And then 299 00:16:26,765 --> 00:16:29,965 Speaker 4: she puts on the sound and it's got the strong, 300 00:16:30,605 --> 00:16:34,965 Speaker 4: like the strongest heartbeat ever. And oh, it gets emotional 301 00:16:34,965 --> 00:16:38,605 Speaker 4: because that sound is like you see everybody's videos of 302 00:16:38,645 --> 00:16:40,565 Speaker 4: like this heartbeat sound. You're like, oh, that's nice, But 303 00:16:40,605 --> 00:16:43,285 Speaker 4: then it's the heartbeat that's coming from inside you, and 304 00:16:43,285 --> 00:16:46,525 Speaker 4: that's your baby, and that's the sound like that you 305 00:16:46,525 --> 00:16:50,245 Speaker 4: have longed for for so long. We're just wailing like 306 00:16:50,325 --> 00:16:52,885 Speaker 4: we're balling, and I was like, oh my god, I 307 00:16:52,925 --> 00:16:56,045 Speaker 4: hadn't even heard the word quadruplet. Like all three of 308 00:16:56,125 --> 00:16:59,925 Speaker 4: us just stop and go, oh my god. The Scenariopa 309 00:16:59,965 --> 00:17:01,285 Speaker 4: said she's been doing this for over thirty years and 310 00:17:01,285 --> 00:17:03,485 Speaker 4: she's never seen it before. She goes, hah, get in 311 00:17:03,485 --> 00:17:06,525 Speaker 4: touch with your doctor quick. And the realistic side of 312 00:17:06,525 --> 00:17:11,205 Speaker 4: it all starts really really becoming quite heavy. You struggle 313 00:17:11,325 --> 00:17:14,365 Speaker 4: to not let your mind go there about is this viable? 314 00:17:14,525 --> 00:17:18,765 Speaker 4: Is this safe? Is everything going to be okay? And 315 00:17:18,765 --> 00:17:21,565 Speaker 4: then we walk out the door and then the weight 316 00:17:21,725 --> 00:17:23,965 Speaker 4: just crushes me and I'm just in Shawn's arms and 317 00:17:24,005 --> 00:17:26,565 Speaker 4: We're just trying to get back to the car and 318 00:17:26,605 --> 00:17:29,085 Speaker 4: I'm just hysterical, and we don't speak, like we don't 319 00:17:29,085 --> 00:17:30,605 Speaker 4: even know what to say to each other. We're just 320 00:17:30,645 --> 00:17:34,605 Speaker 4: not speaking, but we're just we're just in that moment 321 00:17:34,725 --> 00:17:37,485 Speaker 4: right then and there, and we're just driving along. It's 322 00:17:37,525 --> 00:17:39,565 Speaker 4: about an hour drive to get home, and we had 323 00:17:39,605 --> 00:17:42,525 Speaker 4: to stop at Macis because I started getting hungry. I 324 00:17:42,565 --> 00:17:46,885 Speaker 4: needed a six pack of nuggets asap. And we've gone 325 00:17:47,845 --> 00:17:52,765 Speaker 4: through McDonald's and I've just said, Sean, what is this? 326 00:17:53,005 --> 00:17:53,125 Speaker 5: Like? 327 00:17:53,325 --> 00:17:56,125 Speaker 4: We were hoping to get three kids across our lifetime, like, 328 00:17:56,725 --> 00:17:59,765 Speaker 4: what are we going to do? And on the way home, 329 00:17:59,765 --> 00:18:03,565 Speaker 4: we pretty much just ended up saying that, Okay, if 330 00:18:04,125 --> 00:18:07,885 Speaker 4: I'm well and the babies are well, we'll continue with 331 00:18:07,925 --> 00:18:09,605 Speaker 4: what we have to do. And we're going We're in 332 00:18:09,645 --> 00:18:13,565 Speaker 4: a very amazing country with an incredible healthcare system, and 333 00:18:13,605 --> 00:18:16,325 Speaker 4: we're going to follow the guidance of our doctors. And 334 00:18:16,885 --> 00:18:19,565 Speaker 4: as much as the baby's health is important, so is mine, 335 00:18:19,845 --> 00:18:23,365 Speaker 4: and we're going to find this medium between both and 336 00:18:23,685 --> 00:18:24,805 Speaker 4: keep everybody safe. 337 00:18:25,325 --> 00:18:27,485 Speaker 3: I'll never forget the moment when I told my parents 338 00:18:27,525 --> 00:18:30,445 Speaker 3: that we were pregnant. It happened straight after I found 339 00:18:30,525 --> 00:18:32,925 Speaker 3: out with Dan, and it was one of the best 340 00:18:32,925 --> 00:18:37,005 Speaker 3: moments of our life. But the reactions of Taylor's family 341 00:18:37,045 --> 00:18:39,565 Speaker 3: and friends was utter disbelief. 342 00:18:40,165 --> 00:18:44,845 Speaker 4: Yeah, we went home, we told our families, and it 343 00:18:44,965 --> 00:18:47,845 Speaker 4: was weird. It was how do you tell your family 344 00:18:47,845 --> 00:18:51,485 Speaker 4: that you're pregnant with quadruplets? Like we just walked in 345 00:18:51,525 --> 00:18:54,405 Speaker 4: and we just handed them the photo and we're like, 346 00:18:54,965 --> 00:18:58,525 Speaker 4: we're having quadruplets, and no one believed us, and then 347 00:18:58,645 --> 00:19:00,245 Speaker 4: they're like, oh my god. 348 00:19:00,725 --> 00:19:03,885 Speaker 3: So one of the biggest questions I have about having 349 00:19:03,925 --> 00:19:06,725 Speaker 3: cords is what was your pregnancy. 350 00:19:06,365 --> 00:19:10,245 Speaker 4: Like, yeah, So my pregnancy was actually hey, not much 351 00:19:10,285 --> 00:19:13,285 Speaker 4: morning sickness, lots of headaches, lots of back pain. I 352 00:19:13,325 --> 00:19:15,725 Speaker 4: started growing very quickly and my eight week skin I 353 00:19:15,725 --> 00:19:17,685 Speaker 4: had a bump. By twelve weeks, I've got a belly 354 00:19:18,005 --> 00:19:21,165 Speaker 4: like it was. It progressed very quickly. The babies all 355 00:19:21,205 --> 00:19:25,085 Speaker 4: also had their own placentas, so I was growing rapidly. 356 00:19:25,485 --> 00:19:28,845 Speaker 4: I was having fortnightly appointments down at Raynal Shore. They 357 00:19:28,845 --> 00:19:32,125 Speaker 4: were doing cervical checks checking on all the babies. These 358 00:19:32,205 --> 00:19:35,485 Speaker 4: ultra sounds would go over two hours. Suddenly, on my 359 00:19:35,565 --> 00:19:40,365 Speaker 4: twenty fourth week appointment, my cervix had dropped drastically and 360 00:19:40,845 --> 00:19:43,125 Speaker 4: it was because I was pushing myself way too hard. 361 00:19:43,365 --> 00:19:45,125 Speaker 4: I was just trying to do way too much. It 362 00:19:45,125 --> 00:19:47,445 Speaker 4: was just silly. So I ended up in hospital. And 363 00:19:47,485 --> 00:19:50,125 Speaker 4: while I was in hospital, they did like a rested 364 00:19:50,205 --> 00:19:52,845 Speaker 4: test on me where when I woke up in the morning, 365 00:19:52,885 --> 00:19:55,325 Speaker 4: I wasn't allowed to move and they wheeled me to 366 00:19:56,045 --> 00:19:58,845 Speaker 4: this like science lab and they put this big mask 367 00:19:58,925 --> 00:20:01,525 Speaker 4: on my face and I had to sit still and 368 00:20:01,565 --> 00:20:04,645 Speaker 4: just breathe into it for fifteen minutes. And anybody that 369 00:20:04,645 --> 00:20:06,925 Speaker 4: has been pregnant before like sitting like I was in 370 00:20:06,965 --> 00:20:09,325 Speaker 4: a wheelchair for fifteen minutes, not moving with a big 371 00:20:09,445 --> 00:20:10,285 Speaker 4: mask on your face. 372 00:20:10,365 --> 00:20:10,605 Speaker 5: I was. 373 00:20:10,845 --> 00:20:14,205 Speaker 4: It was ridiculous. But this was all to calculate how 374 00:20:14,325 --> 00:20:16,525 Speaker 4: much energy I was burning at a rested heart rate, 375 00:20:17,085 --> 00:20:19,605 Speaker 4: to see how much food I had to eat. So 376 00:20:19,885 --> 00:20:22,085 Speaker 4: this test ended up telling them that I needed to 377 00:20:22,125 --> 00:20:26,525 Speaker 4: eat three thousand calories a day. Three thousand calories on 378 00:20:26,765 --> 00:20:32,845 Speaker 4: a gestational diabetes hospital diet was foul like, and I 379 00:20:32,885 --> 00:20:34,805 Speaker 4: was in hospital for two months. They're like on a 380 00:20:34,845 --> 00:20:37,445 Speaker 4: two week menu rotation in the hospital. I had gone 381 00:20:37,445 --> 00:20:41,085 Speaker 4: through everything it was, and I was so full, Like 382 00:20:41,125 --> 00:20:43,605 Speaker 4: I was so big at thirty weeks I think I 383 00:20:43,605 --> 00:20:46,325 Speaker 4: was measuring it. Fifty two weeks pregnant. I was massive, 384 00:20:46,445 --> 00:20:49,765 Speaker 4: and my lungs were getting compressed. I couldn't breathe properly 385 00:20:49,885 --> 00:20:52,645 Speaker 4: because my lungs were so squished. I couldn't eat much 386 00:20:52,685 --> 00:20:56,725 Speaker 4: because my stomach was getting squished so pretty much. I 387 00:20:56,725 --> 00:20:59,125 Speaker 4: couldn't have big meals. They were just loading me up 388 00:20:59,125 --> 00:21:01,645 Speaker 4: on milk, this particular milk they had like in a 389 00:21:01,645 --> 00:21:06,525 Speaker 4: little cardon, and like crackers and cheese and their fruit, 390 00:21:06,685 --> 00:21:09,165 Speaker 4: And I was trying my best to eat as much 391 00:21:09,165 --> 00:21:11,725 Speaker 4: as I could, But I just did what I could. 392 00:21:12,205 --> 00:21:14,645 Speaker 4: I soon figured out how to work out uber eats 393 00:21:14,685 --> 00:21:17,205 Speaker 4: down there, and I'm just quickly going outside for some 394 00:21:17,245 --> 00:21:20,045 Speaker 4: fresh air and mc donald's would arrive and I'd scoff 395 00:21:20,045 --> 00:21:23,085 Speaker 4: it down and then walk back in. And I had 396 00:21:23,125 --> 00:21:25,085 Speaker 4: to keep a close eye with sugars and things like that. 397 00:21:25,125 --> 00:21:28,125 Speaker 4: But the hospital food got real old, real quick when 398 00:21:28,125 --> 00:21:30,405 Speaker 4: I was on Yeah, that many calories a day. 399 00:21:31,005 --> 00:21:34,565 Speaker 3: So Taylor was in hospital almost two months before her birth, 400 00:21:34,765 --> 00:21:36,845 Speaker 3: a huge amount of time to be away from home. 401 00:21:37,405 --> 00:21:38,805 Speaker 3: So how did she keep persanity? 402 00:21:39,405 --> 00:21:41,565 Speaker 4: But I just made sure I had a routine. I 403 00:21:41,645 --> 00:21:43,365 Speaker 4: wasn't on full bed rest. I was still allowed to 404 00:21:43,365 --> 00:21:45,645 Speaker 4: get up and walk around, so I tried to have 405 00:21:45,685 --> 00:21:48,485 Speaker 4: a routine of get up, have a shower, make my bed. 406 00:21:48,645 --> 00:21:50,925 Speaker 4: I bought all my own bedding in the room was 407 00:21:51,045 --> 00:21:53,925 Speaker 4: very much my room. I had photo frames, I had 408 00:21:54,045 --> 00:21:57,565 Speaker 4: artwork like, I had my own fan. It was my room. 409 00:21:58,685 --> 00:22:00,685 Speaker 4: One of my girlfriends bought me like a really nice 410 00:22:00,885 --> 00:22:04,485 Speaker 4: haircare routine, so I always get excited for my hair 411 00:22:04,605 --> 00:22:06,765 Speaker 4: washing days, even though I'd have to sit down to 412 00:22:06,805 --> 00:22:09,605 Speaker 4: wash my hair cause I'd get so puffed I would 413 00:22:09,645 --> 00:22:12,645 Speaker 4: do that, I'd go for a walk outside come back in. 414 00:22:13,365 --> 00:22:15,565 Speaker 4: So in the hospital, the TV was like I think 415 00:22:15,565 --> 00:22:17,565 Speaker 4: I've seen iPads bigger than the TV that was in 416 00:22:17,605 --> 00:22:20,605 Speaker 4: my room. I remember the Jilarus were playing, and when 417 00:22:20,645 --> 00:22:22,565 Speaker 4: my friends plays and the Jilrees and I really wanted 418 00:22:22,565 --> 00:22:25,605 Speaker 4: to watch their game. I would just watch Tipping Point 419 00:22:25,765 --> 00:22:28,445 Speaker 4: like Deal, like all those little shows. I felt like 420 00:22:28,565 --> 00:22:31,085 Speaker 4: my nan like I had scheduled times to watch TV. 421 00:22:32,045 --> 00:22:35,205 Speaker 4: I think I read maybe two three books. I wasn't 422 00:22:35,245 --> 00:22:38,925 Speaker 4: that big of a reader, but sudoku, like I was 423 00:22:39,005 --> 00:22:41,565 Speaker 4: a Sudoku queen. When Sean would come down and I 424 00:22:41,565 --> 00:22:43,125 Speaker 4: was like, right, we're having a cop because I knew 425 00:22:43,125 --> 00:22:45,645 Speaker 4: that I was better than him at sadoku, so I 426 00:22:45,685 --> 00:22:47,845 Speaker 4: was like, right, we're versing each other in sadoku. And 427 00:22:48,245 --> 00:22:50,845 Speaker 4: a lot of you know, Sean and I are very competitive, 428 00:22:50,885 --> 00:22:53,045 Speaker 4: so any game that came out with a winner, we 429 00:22:53,045 --> 00:22:55,205 Speaker 4: would be playing that, and the nurses would come in 430 00:22:55,245 --> 00:22:57,165 Speaker 4: to do my blood pressure and stuff and like, hold on, 431 00:22:57,245 --> 00:22:59,245 Speaker 4: it's going to be high at the moment because I'm 432 00:22:59,285 --> 00:23:01,725 Speaker 4: about to smash him in un so, just give us five. 433 00:23:01,485 --> 00:23:04,765 Speaker 3: Minutes and come back coming up. 434 00:23:05,205 --> 00:23:07,685 Speaker 4: I definitely had some times where it was rough, and 435 00:23:07,725 --> 00:23:10,365 Speaker 4: I remember just bawling my eyes out, going like I 436 00:23:10,525 --> 00:23:14,925 Speaker 4: just I'm gassed, Like I'm mentally exhausted. You want to 437 00:23:15,685 --> 00:23:17,765 Speaker 4: go as far as you can for your babies, and 438 00:23:17,805 --> 00:23:24,125 Speaker 4: you feel guilty for thinking like I can't keep going anymore. 439 00:23:27,485 --> 00:23:29,605 Speaker 3: For those of us who have only ever had one 440 00:23:29,645 --> 00:23:31,685 Speaker 3: baby in our time is at a time it's not 441 00:23:31,805 --> 00:23:35,205 Speaker 3: easy to comprehend how they all actually fit in there, 442 00:23:35,685 --> 00:23:38,645 Speaker 3: Like can you feel each baby individually move? 443 00:23:39,285 --> 00:23:42,205 Speaker 4: Yeah? So while I was in the hospital, they were 444 00:23:42,205 --> 00:23:44,925 Speaker 4: only doing an ultrasound on me once a week and 445 00:23:44,965 --> 00:23:49,405 Speaker 4: then a full anatomy scan every fortnight. And during the 446 00:23:49,485 --> 00:23:52,165 Speaker 4: time of having ultrasounds, the way we monitor the babies 447 00:23:52,365 --> 00:23:55,125 Speaker 4: was all through me. I was in tune with each baby. 448 00:23:55,325 --> 00:23:57,045 Speaker 4: They all had their own placenta, so they were all 449 00:23:57,045 --> 00:23:59,925 Speaker 4: in a fixed position, and I could tell when it 450 00:23:59,965 --> 00:24:02,845 Speaker 4: was baby one, or baby two, baby three, or baby four. 451 00:24:03,485 --> 00:24:05,925 Speaker 4: And they would just say to me every day, have 452 00:24:05,965 --> 00:24:08,685 Speaker 4: you felt baby one, two, three, and four? And I'd go, yep, 453 00:24:08,725 --> 00:24:11,525 Speaker 4: I can feel yep, yep, yep. They're all doing this, 454 00:24:11,565 --> 00:24:14,005 Speaker 4: that and the other. I could tell from their movements 455 00:24:14,005 --> 00:24:17,125 Speaker 4: who was who, and it has transferred across They're very 456 00:24:17,125 --> 00:24:19,285 Speaker 4: similar now to what they were in the womb. It's 457 00:24:19,405 --> 00:24:22,205 Speaker 4: very weird. Yeah, I was very in tuned with all 458 00:24:22,245 --> 00:24:22,645 Speaker 4: of them. 459 00:24:23,045 --> 00:24:27,525 Speaker 3: Taylor's resilience and positivity during the epic job of growing 460 00:24:27,605 --> 00:24:31,765 Speaker 3: four babies is really incredible, but she admits it wasn't 461 00:24:31,805 --> 00:24:35,605 Speaker 3: always an easy slog. She relied on an excellent support 462 00:24:35,685 --> 00:24:36,845 Speaker 3: system to get her through. 463 00:24:37,605 --> 00:24:39,925 Speaker 4: And I was progressing really well. So our goal was 464 00:24:39,965 --> 00:24:42,405 Speaker 4: to get me to thirty two weeks. And they even 465 00:24:42,445 --> 00:24:45,645 Speaker 4: had like a little betting chart in their office about 466 00:24:45,645 --> 00:24:47,645 Speaker 4: how far do we reckon Taylor's going to get And 467 00:24:47,965 --> 00:24:49,845 Speaker 4: we all had bets, and I had a white board 468 00:24:49,885 --> 00:24:51,485 Speaker 4: up in my room and I had like a tally 469 00:24:51,525 --> 00:24:54,525 Speaker 4: going of how many days I'd get to. And that 470 00:24:54,605 --> 00:24:57,045 Speaker 4: was what helped me get through a lot too. Was Okay, 471 00:24:57,085 --> 00:24:59,365 Speaker 4: I need to get to this next mile soon, because 472 00:24:59,445 --> 00:25:04,805 Speaker 4: the statistics the serious effects that babies can have from 473 00:25:04,925 --> 00:25:08,725 Speaker 4: being born early are very very serious. But there's like 474 00:25:08,765 --> 00:25:11,285 Speaker 4: a turning point at like twenty eight thirty weeks, Like 475 00:25:11,365 --> 00:25:14,965 Speaker 4: once you get to that milestone, you're coming into a 476 00:25:15,005 --> 00:25:18,245 Speaker 4: safety area. So I definitely had some times where it 477 00:25:18,285 --> 00:25:22,365 Speaker 4: was rough. I remember my social worker coming in and 478 00:25:22,685 --> 00:25:26,005 Speaker 4: just bawling my eyes out, going like I just I'm gassed, 479 00:25:26,245 --> 00:25:30,285 Speaker 4: like I'm mentally exhausted. You want to go as far 480 00:25:30,325 --> 00:25:32,725 Speaker 4: as you can for your babies, and you feel guilty 481 00:25:32,765 --> 00:25:36,045 Speaker 4: for thinking like I can't keep going anymore. So I 482 00:25:36,125 --> 00:25:39,525 Speaker 4: was really really battling in my mind some days, and 483 00:25:39,565 --> 00:25:41,045 Speaker 4: there was days where they would come in and go, 484 00:25:41,325 --> 00:25:43,965 Speaker 4: how you doing today, and I was just a blubbering mess. 485 00:25:44,725 --> 00:25:47,165 Speaker 4: So I really had to have a strong support team 486 00:25:47,205 --> 00:25:50,245 Speaker 4: around me. And Sean was just like, full credit to 487 00:25:50,245 --> 00:25:54,725 Speaker 4: the man. He was amazing. He wasn't like I get 488 00:25:54,765 --> 00:25:57,685 Speaker 4: emotional talking about it because he was like a lot 489 00:25:57,725 --> 00:26:00,005 Speaker 4: of people talk about my efforts in this pregnancy, but 490 00:26:00,405 --> 00:26:02,485 Speaker 4: he made just as much of an effort and a 491 00:26:02,525 --> 00:26:05,765 Speaker 4: sacrifice for our family too, because he was still working 492 00:26:05,765 --> 00:26:09,165 Speaker 4: full time. He's a high school teacher, and he continued 493 00:26:09,805 --> 00:26:12,005 Speaker 4: and after work he'd go home and he was working 494 00:26:12,005 --> 00:26:15,005 Speaker 4: on renovations in the house, and then he would finish 495 00:26:15,085 --> 00:26:17,085 Speaker 4: those at like eight o'clock at night, and then drive 496 00:26:17,085 --> 00:26:19,525 Speaker 4: an hour and a half down to sleep the night 497 00:26:19,645 --> 00:26:23,805 Speaker 4: on a lounge chair in the hospital, and then would 498 00:26:23,845 --> 00:26:26,285 Speaker 4: get up at five o'clock and drive back straight into 499 00:26:26,365 --> 00:26:30,205 Speaker 4: work and do all that every single day for two months. 500 00:26:30,485 --> 00:26:34,085 Speaker 4: He didn't skip a day, and the only reason for 501 00:26:34,165 --> 00:26:36,125 Speaker 4: him to come down on those days was to be 502 00:26:36,325 --> 00:26:38,485 Speaker 4: my support, Like there was no other purpose for him 503 00:26:38,485 --> 00:26:40,125 Speaker 4: to be there other than to be my support. So 504 00:26:41,165 --> 00:26:44,205 Speaker 4: he played a big role in keeping my mental well 505 00:26:44,245 --> 00:26:46,405 Speaker 4: being positive in that really long time. 506 00:26:47,045 --> 00:26:50,085 Speaker 3: So after Taylor got to thirty weeks, D day or 507 00:26:50,365 --> 00:26:54,005 Speaker 3: Q day loomed, but she still had a definite goal. 508 00:26:54,325 --> 00:26:55,885 Speaker 3: For a funny reason, my. 509 00:26:55,925 --> 00:26:59,085 Speaker 4: Doctor had a holiday booked in just before that, so 510 00:26:59,125 --> 00:27:01,205 Speaker 4: she's like, Taylor, we're getting you to thirty two weeks. 511 00:27:01,325 --> 00:27:03,805 Speaker 4: And so I'm holding on for dear life. But I'm 512 00:27:03,845 --> 00:27:05,845 Speaker 4: starting to get headaches and starting to get a bit 513 00:27:05,845 --> 00:27:08,405 Speaker 4: of blurry as my blood pressure is starting to come up, 514 00:27:08,685 --> 00:27:11,125 Speaker 4: which I had nothing this entire time while I was 515 00:27:11,165 --> 00:27:14,485 Speaker 4: in there, and the Braxton Hicks was getting hectic, Like 516 00:27:14,685 --> 00:27:17,805 Speaker 4: my stomach was morphing in all different shapes, and like 517 00:27:17,845 --> 00:27:20,125 Speaker 4: my stomach would be pushed over to one side and 518 00:27:20,165 --> 00:27:22,725 Speaker 4: then it'd be pushed and stuck in this other side. 519 00:27:22,765 --> 00:27:25,285 Speaker 4: And then I was having like contractions and I was 520 00:27:25,325 --> 00:27:28,045 Speaker 4: timing them, and doctors were coming down and feeling my 521 00:27:28,085 --> 00:27:30,325 Speaker 4: belly and they're like, it feels like you having contractions, 522 00:27:30,325 --> 00:27:33,285 Speaker 4: and like you're telling me like, yeah, it does feel 523 00:27:33,325 --> 00:27:37,325 Speaker 4: like that. So I'm getting cervical examinations like every night 524 00:27:37,365 --> 00:27:40,285 Speaker 4: for a few nights and they're not fun. And then 525 00:27:40,485 --> 00:27:46,765 Speaker 4: it was like, okay, you're looking like you're potentially getting clancier. Yeah. 526 00:27:46,805 --> 00:27:49,085 Speaker 4: So I was like, look, I want to be proactive. 527 00:27:49,165 --> 00:27:51,085 Speaker 4: Let's not wait till something gets bad and do something. 528 00:27:51,085 --> 00:27:53,765 Speaker 4: The babies are healthy, I'm ready, let's go. Let's get 529 00:27:53,765 --> 00:27:55,805 Speaker 4: the show on the road. And the nick you needed 530 00:27:55,805 --> 00:27:59,205 Speaker 4: to have extra staff on. They had done practice rehearsals 531 00:27:59,205 --> 00:28:01,325 Speaker 4: of the cesarean and there was over forty people in 532 00:28:01,365 --> 00:28:04,325 Speaker 4: the room that took two hours to go through a 533 00:28:04,365 --> 00:28:08,605 Speaker 4: practice rehearsal. They had thought of everything. I had got 534 00:28:08,645 --> 00:28:11,005 Speaker 4: special approved rule to get a photographer in the room, 535 00:28:11,325 --> 00:28:14,525 Speaker 4: which I was really excited about. They come in and 536 00:28:14,525 --> 00:28:16,965 Speaker 4: they're like, all right, Taylor, we've come up with a decision. 537 00:28:17,005 --> 00:28:19,485 Speaker 4: Let's be proactive, and you're gonna give birth in forty 538 00:28:19,525 --> 00:28:24,765 Speaker 4: eight hours. And I was like, oh my god, Okay, 539 00:28:25,045 --> 00:28:27,045 Speaker 4: Like this is what we've been waiting for. I guess 540 00:28:27,085 --> 00:28:29,165 Speaker 4: this is what I've been in here preparing for. It's 541 00:28:29,205 --> 00:28:31,525 Speaker 4: going to happen. And the whole time I've just been 542 00:28:31,925 --> 00:28:34,525 Speaker 4: focused so much on getting further and getting further. I 543 00:28:34,525 --> 00:28:36,525 Speaker 4: hadn't thought about the birth yet because I was like, no, 544 00:28:36,605 --> 00:28:38,645 Speaker 4: I'm not thinking about the birth. I need to just 545 00:28:38,645 --> 00:28:39,925 Speaker 4: focus on staying pregnant. 546 00:28:40,645 --> 00:28:44,245 Speaker 3: So at thirty two weeks pregnant, Taylor readied herself for 547 00:28:44,325 --> 00:28:47,005 Speaker 3: the biggest day of her life, while the staff at 548 00:28:47,005 --> 00:28:50,005 Speaker 3: the hospital prepped for a multiple's birth that they hadn't 549 00:28:50,005 --> 00:28:55,405 Speaker 3: had to attempt since nineteen ninety five. In Part two, 550 00:28:55,525 --> 00:28:58,725 Speaker 3: you'll hear how Taylor's mind blowing birth went down. 551 00:28:59,685 --> 00:29:01,805 Speaker 4: It felt like I was walking down the aisle of 552 00:29:01,805 --> 00:29:05,685 Speaker 4: my wedding again, Like I come in and everybody is 553 00:29:05,725 --> 00:29:08,765 Speaker 4: like lining the wall, like everybody's got their back against 554 00:29:08,805 --> 00:29:10,925 Speaker 4: the wall. Everyone's eyes were just on me, and I 555 00:29:10,965 --> 00:29:12,965 Speaker 4: was like, oh my god, this is happening. 556 00:29:13,125 --> 00:29:16,245 Speaker 3: Plus what the first moments of her bub's lives were like. 557 00:29:16,485 --> 00:29:17,805 Speaker 4: And I was a bit worried because I'm like, I'm 558 00:29:17,805 --> 00:29:20,285 Speaker 4: not really feeling much emotion. Is there something wrong with me? 559 00:29:20,325 --> 00:29:23,045 Speaker 4: Like I'm not. Everyone talks about like this, like crazy 560 00:29:23,085 --> 00:29:24,725 Speaker 4: amounts of emotions you feel when you go into birth, 561 00:29:24,765 --> 00:29:27,045 Speaker 4: and God, I'm not feeling anything. Then they just show 562 00:29:27,085 --> 00:29:29,645 Speaker 4: one baby and show and I just burst into tears. 563 00:29:30,045 --> 00:29:32,845 Speaker 4: And we're like, oh my god, there's actually a baby. 564 00:29:33,005 --> 00:29:34,485 Speaker 4: There's babies in there. This is real. 565 00:29:35,045 --> 00:29:38,445 Speaker 3: And what happens when you get four newborn's home. 566 00:29:39,165 --> 00:29:42,085 Speaker 4: I came home and there wasn't a toilet in the house. 567 00:29:42,285 --> 00:29:44,605 Speaker 4: Sean was trying to surprise me with this bathroom, but 568 00:29:44,685 --> 00:29:45,925 Speaker 4: he thought I was going to be in hospital for 569 00:29:45,965 --> 00:29:48,925 Speaker 4: so much longer that we had to get a camping 570 00:29:48,965 --> 00:29:52,125 Speaker 4: toilet out on the deck, like I was postpartum using 571 00:29:52,205 --> 00:29:56,725 Speaker 4: a camping toilet outside. It was wild, absolutely wild. 572 00:29:57,205 --> 00:30:00,125 Speaker 3: But before we hear more of this amazing story, let's 573 00:30:00,165 --> 00:30:03,725 Speaker 3: check in with our wonderful resident pediatrician, doctor Gollie on 574 00:30:04,045 --> 00:30:06,485 Speaker 3: just how likely Taylor's story. 575 00:30:06,325 --> 00:30:10,005 Speaker 5: Is naturally quads. It's close to one and an it's 576 00:30:10,045 --> 00:30:13,405 Speaker 5: basically one in eight hundred thousand pregnancies roughly, and then 577 00:30:13,405 --> 00:30:17,765 Speaker 5: if you're talking identical that's four identical humans. The probability 578 00:30:17,765 --> 00:30:21,605 Speaker 5: extends out to one in fifteen million. When you compare 579 00:30:21,645 --> 00:30:25,565 Speaker 5: that to the incidence of twins naturally, it's roughly one 580 00:30:25,685 --> 00:30:29,285 Speaker 5: in two hundred and fifty pregnancies. But interestingly, the chances 581 00:30:29,325 --> 00:30:33,365 Speaker 5: of multiples like twins, it increases with higher maternal age, 582 00:30:33,645 --> 00:30:36,125 Speaker 5: so it's more common in women over thirty five, but 583 00:30:36,165 --> 00:30:38,325 Speaker 5: it's also more common if there's a family history of 584 00:30:38,365 --> 00:30:42,845 Speaker 5: twins and then there's IVF. So here the chances when 585 00:30:42,885 --> 00:30:45,365 Speaker 5: it comes to IVF pregnancies, the chances of twins is 586 00:30:45,365 --> 00:30:48,525 Speaker 5: as high as thirty percent, so almost one in three, 587 00:30:48,605 --> 00:30:52,445 Speaker 5: and the chances of quads with IVF it's reported differently 588 00:30:52,765 --> 00:30:55,165 Speaker 5: in different centers, but we're probably in the vicinity of 589 00:30:55,285 --> 00:30:56,685 Speaker 5: half to one percent. 590 00:30:57,445 --> 00:31:01,005 Speaker 3: And why is there a higher chance with IVF pregnancies. 591 00:31:01,725 --> 00:31:04,685 Speaker 5: So there are a couple of reasons here. Firstly, traditional 592 00:31:04,725 --> 00:31:08,085 Speaker 5: older IVF used to transfer multiple embryos in the hope 593 00:31:08,085 --> 00:31:11,325 Speaker 5: that one of them sticks, so you're logically increasing the 594 00:31:11,405 --> 00:31:15,605 Speaker 5: chance of more than one implanting. But also before that, 595 00:31:15,645 --> 00:31:19,285 Speaker 5: there's a lot of ovarian stimulation, and when you have 596 00:31:19,445 --> 00:31:22,485 Speaker 5: that involved, it means women might ovulate two eggs instead 597 00:31:22,485 --> 00:31:25,245 Speaker 5: of just one, which increases the chances of die psychotic 598 00:31:25,605 --> 00:31:29,965 Speaker 5: non identical twins. But also this usually happens on the 599 00:31:30,005 --> 00:31:32,925 Speaker 5: background of a longer fertility journey, so we are talking 600 00:31:32,925 --> 00:31:36,725 Speaker 5: about older women on average, and again, as we mentioned before, 601 00:31:36,765 --> 00:31:38,685 Speaker 5: that does increase the chance of twinning. 602 00:31:42,565 --> 00:31:46,165 Speaker 3: Part two of Taylor's utterly Incredible story is available now 603 00:31:46,205 --> 00:31:48,885 Speaker 3: wherever you get your podcasts. You won't believe how much 604 00:31:48,925 --> 00:31:51,365 Speaker 3: weight she lost in the twenty four hours after birth, 605 00:31:51,725 --> 00:31:55,645 Speaker 3: plus the size of her insane placenta when it was removed. 606 00:31:56,405 --> 00:31:59,045 Speaker 3: If you're interested in sharing your birth story with us 607 00:31:59,085 --> 00:32:01,365 Speaker 3: on Diary of a Birth, we'd love to hear from you. 608 00:32:01,845 --> 00:32:04,845 Speaker 3: Details are in the show notes. Diary of a Birth 609 00:32:04,925 --> 00:32:08,365 Speaker 3: was hosted by me Kasanya Lukisch with expert input from 610 00:32:08,405 --> 00:32:12,725 Speaker 3: doctor Golli, audio production by Scott Stronach, and our executive 611 00:32:12,725 --> 00:32:15,165 Speaker 3: producer is Georgie Page. 612 00:32:16,805 --> 00:32:18,925 Speaker 2: And that's not the end of this incredible story. Just 613 00:32:19,005 --> 00:32:21,285 Speaker 2: follow the link in the show notes to hear part two. 614 00:32:21,765 --> 00:32:23,965 Speaker 2: And if you want to hear more of Diary of Birth, 615 00:32:24,365 --> 00:32:24,885 Speaker 2: make sure 616 00:32:25,005 --> 00:32:27,285 Speaker 3: You follow it wherever you get your podcasts.