Sextuplets delivered in Belfast

ziggysego · May 22, 2009, 04:37:52 PM

A woman has given birth to six babies at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in Belfast.

They are four girls and two boys, weighing between 1lb 7oz and 2lb 2oz. The mother conceived the babies naturally, without the aid of IVF.

The babies were delivered by caesarian section and were 14 weeks premature.

The babies' parents have requested that the family's privacy is respected and they will not be available for photographs.

Thirty medical staff were involved in the deliveries which took place by between 1119 and 1124 BST on Friday.

The team was led by neonatal consultant Clifford Mayes.

Mr Mayes said the six babies were in intensive care and doing as well as could be expected after being born 14 weeks early.

"This is both a happy time and a potentially difficult time," he said.

"It is an extraordinary thing to have witnessed but you are also struck by the fact that there are little babies in intensive care."

He added that there had been weeks of preparation including technical experts from across Northern Ireland.

"We have planned very carefully for today and today went as well as we had hoped it would."

Previously the largest multiple birth in Northern Ireland was quintuplets born in 2002.

The birth of sextuplets is rare across the world occurring in about one out of 4.5m pregnancies.

The best known in the UK are the Waltons, born in Liverpool in 1983.

BBCi: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8063956.stm

Dinny Breen · May 22, 2009, 04:40:25 PM

Amazing that it was all natural, hopefully all goes well.

D4S · May 22, 2009, 04:41:41 PM

Amazing, hope all goes well for them!

orangeman · May 22, 2009, 05:12:46 PM

Tyrone babies !!!

illdecide · May 22, 2009, 05:14:04 PM

I've heard of good shots but that def was the bullseye

Jim_Murphy_74 · May 22, 2009, 05:52:11 PM

Were the Taig babies? Another nail in the "unionist minority"! Our day draws nearer

mylestheslasher · May 22, 2009, 05:54:39 PM

When I read the headline I was sure this was another IVF story but the fact that it was a natural birth is really amazing. This can't happen more than once or twice a year throughout the world surely. Best of luck to mother and children (and poor old dad too).

EC Unique · May 22, 2009, 06:00:22 PM

God help them over the next few years. Thats an 18 year sentence..

Square Ball · May 22, 2009, 06:18:33 PM

absolutely amazing and I hope all goes well.
the Waltons, I always remember them being wheeled out when they first started Children In need one of those shows, thought they would have released a single by now!!!

orangeman · May 22, 2009, 06:53:49 PM

Quote from: Jim_Murphy_74 on May 22, 2009, 05:52:11 PM
Were the Taig babies? Another nail in the "unionist minority"! Our day draws nearer

Catholic babies - yes -

Doogie Browser · May 22, 2009, 07:01:07 PM

Quote from: mylestheslasher on May 22, 2009, 05:54:39 PM
When I read the headline I was sure this was another IVF story but the fact that it was a natural birth is really amazing. This can't happen more than once or twice a year throughout the world surely. Best of luck to mother and children (and poor old dad too).

Its always the loyalists to blame with you Myles

under the bar · May 23, 2009, 12:48:43 AM

QuoteThirty medical staff were involved in the deliveries which took place by between 1119 and 1124 BST on Friday.

6 babies, each a minute apart?

red hander · May 23, 2009, 12:58:31 AM

Quote from: under the bar on May 23, 2009, 12:48:43 AM
QuoteThirty medical staff were involved in the deliveries which took place by between 1119 and 1124 BST on Friday.

6 babies, each a minute apart?

Aye, Caesarian ... just a case of lifting them out one by one ... population of Cookstown rises by six... hope they all make it

tyrone exile · May 23, 2009, 01:13:13 AM

Cookstown scumbags...... they try to claim everything!

Eoghan Mag · May 23, 2009, 01:58:14 AM

When they delivered them how did they fit though the mailbox?