Multiple Birth Awareness Week (19 – 26 March) is here and four little stars are set to shine the spotlight on the event: the first quadruplets to be welcomed in four years at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in South Brisbane.
Due on January 5, brothers Louis, Eddie and Archie and their sister Anna arrived 11 weeks early, on October 21 last year. Archie, the smallest, weighed just 593 grams, Anna weighed 805 grams, Eddie 1050grams, and Louis was the heaviest at 1185 grams.
Ipswich parents Yogesh and Aruna Joshi said they were “shocked” when they first found out more than one baby would be joining their family.
“The doctor said there might be two babies in there, and then he said, ‘No, actually there’s four!’” Yogesh, 47, laughed.
“It’s amazing and it was unexpected. They are our much-wanted babies.”
Multiples are more likely to face greater challenges in their early years, with 68% of multiples born premature and admitted to SCN or NICU, and 50% needing hospital stays of six days or more – something Aruna and Yogesh know all too well.
“Anna, our only daughter, spent about 100 days in hospital, and Archie, Eddie and Louis were there for about 90 days, receiving continuous care as they battled breathing difficulties and infections,” they share.
Fortunately, the four babies had a world-leading team of doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health clinicians on their side in Mater’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where they received around-the-clock care – and now they’re home, though the couple say the journey to bring their “four precious miracles” home from the Mater Mothers’ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was daunting.
“I am a bit tired, but I am glad they are healthy and home from hospital now,” said Aruna, 44, adding that her dream of becoming a mother had “finally come true”.
The quadruplets still have a way to go, the new parents tell. “Anna still needs a feeding tube, and Archie is on oxygen and has a feeding tube, but they are growing much bigger day by day,” the share.
“We’re so thankful to Mater for helping us bring our miracles home safely.”
Though the number of multiple births in Australia in small – around 2-3% of all births – parents to multiples face significant challenges. Multiple Birth Awareness Week shines a spotlight on these families in Australia, who are more likely to face greater obstacles in their early years, necessitating additional dedicated support. These challenges may include an increased risk of pre-term birth, low birthweight, twin–twin transfusion syndrome, developmental delays, birth defects and more.
Families with multiple births may also experience financial stress, social isolation, and difficulties in accessing appropriate education, with 61% of parents of multiples saying they experience mental health challenges in their first year.
Twins make up the majority of multiples born (98%) with the remaining 2% being triplets, quadruplets or other higher order multiples.
“Parents of multiples do not have access to the support that we need in Australia,” says Silje Andersen-Cooke, a director of the Australian Multiple Birth Association. “We are seriously lagging behind in comparison to other OECD countries. Families who have more than one baby at a time have very different support needs and Australian policy
needs to reflect this.”
