I was exhausted while breastfeeding one child, so I can’t imagine what the mother of octuplets, who already has six children previously, must feel like nursing eight babies!
I commend the new mother for making sure her infants received the best nutrition possible through breastmilk. They’ve already survived to be only the second set of octuplets to be born alive in America, rarer than your chances of being struck by lightning.
The unidentified mother gave birth to two girls and six boys, weighing from 1 pound, 8 ounces to 3 pounds, 4 ounces. The mother plans to breastfeed all eight babies, according to Inhabitots.
At present, five of the octuplets are being fed donated breast milk while their mother is pumping to save milk for all of her babies. The medical staff will help the mother learn how to express her milk so that they can store and give it to the infants. Each baby now weighs in at under 3 lbs each, so it is essential that they receive their mother’s breast milk to help their tiny bodies grow in strength, and to build up their digestive and immune systems. Mom and babies will gradually get used to breastfeeding, but will always be allowed to have skin to skin contact while the babies gain their strength. Such contact is another important necessity for their sustained health. (This is the typical recovery breastfeeding system for premature born infants).
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The octuplets are a result of in vitro fertilization. I respect the mothers’ desire to remain anonymous. The media is obsessed with multiple births, and I wouldn’t want my life made into a reality tv show. I hope they have names now, as doctors have been referring to them by letters A through H.
Image: Funny Interesting News
I’m all for big families… but this overwhelms me! I cannot imagine how the new family feels! Exciting, scary and tons of work. Mama deserves many kudos for getting breastmilk to those babies! Let’s hope she keeps it up until they are at least 12 months (longer if we adjust their age!).
I also commend the mother for committing to breastfeeding. Frankly I don’t know how she’ll possibly be able to nutritionally support them as they get older, having one baby with health problems while caring for a toddler was enough to make me really work to eat enough for 2. Hopefully she’ll be able to continue supplementing with donated milk. I imagine the physical drain of carrying 8 babies and the ration of nutrition each has received so far will augment their nutritional and health needs.
To clarify, no matter how supportive or PC we want to be about this, human bodies were not designed to carry litters of babies.
This lady lives with her parents, and also has 6 other kids…. This is just crazy..Breast feeding is natural, but nothing else about this is natural.. I hope she’s got a good job, and some good income so that the rest of us taxpayers aren’t paying for this.
I find it horrifying that in a world that is already overpopulated, one woman uses artificial methods to have fourteen children. Yet, rather than questioning the morality of this act, you are commending her for breastfeeding the eight just born? Who cares if she breast feeds? Having 14 children is NOT SUSTAINABLE for her or the planet. There is no way she can breast feed these babies exclusively. The human body is simply not capable of such output. This is WHY octuplets do not occur naturally. So she gives them some breast milk? Great. Having one healthy child exclusively breast fed would have been sustainable for her and the planet.
Frankly, I am shocked and saddened that a site supposedly about being green condones the behavior of this woman in any way. The absolute FIRST issue with sustainability is population control. Even the founder of Earth Day, when asked, said the best thing he did for the planet was to have only one child.
I find this very disappointing.
Sustainable mother of ONE, I do agree with you! I didn’t include this in the post because, well, the deed has been done. I’ve written on the subject before (http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/06/02/should-we-stop-having-children-to-save-the-earth/comment-page-1/), so I didn’t include it here, but I agree, family size is critical. I am not condoning the size of her family, but I am condoning her choice to breast feed.
i applaud the breastfeeding, and those donating milk – but i have serious questions for this young mother of 14…..
Okay so this woman had 8 more babies. Granted yes that’s a huge family! However, people are unfairly beating up this woman, she is not on welfare not dipping into any of your bank accounts, not asking you to come over to babysit, not asking your help are assistance in anyway. But many of you are the same people who would had the news reports been different and read ‘married mother of 6 gives birth to octuplets’ would have gone WOW! that’s something and left it alone. I rarely hear a harsh word about the “Duggars or Jon & Kate plus their 8, because they’re married”. This woman obviously loves her children and yes it’s going to be hard on her but let her live her life and be happy with her children. Every child is a blessing. How many of you people in America who claim to be Anti-abortionist are complaining about this young mother. Would you have been happier if she’d selectively aborted some of her children; her gifts from God?! Find someone else to beat up on like the family with 1 or 2 children who at this moment are neglecting, abusing, or starving their kids unbeknowst to any of us. Also, how would you like to be in the shoes of this woman and have your own mother bash you on National and international television; talk about a kick in the teeth. At this point I believe her faith and any endorsements that she will get will help her to get through. Careful what you say, life has a way of turning back on you!
finally!!! thankyou jesussaid, for saying what i have been thinking this whole time. i was just thinking about the duggers an jon and kate. an all the other stupid shows to come, there is nothing wrong with them, why cause they are on tv, seriously how can the duggers have 18 children an keep going. why arent they saying anything about the mother in that case.
i really think they should leave this girl alone, shes not on assistance, heck she didnt even get the diapers or freebies that all other multiples get from charities or the hospital. i think thats just stupid, why isnt huggies or pampers in on this? or something like good start?
I’m all for big families…..if you take sole responsibility for them! No one should ever have the right to tell another how many children to have, but I do think we should be responsible and have the number of children that we are able to emotionally and financially care for! I thought the six were too much for her because she’s been living at home with her mother and father! She’s not receiving help from the father of the children(is she?). Yet, it was mentioned that she said she wouldn’t be asking for help-she already has been getting help from her parents! She’s even mentioned getting help from her church. So, this tells me that she’s not able to care for her children on her own! She’s irresponsible. However, I think it’s great that she’s considering breastfeeding, but this takes time. What about the other six children?
She doesn’t live at home with her parents.
She rents a house, her parents own.
So what if she wanted a big family who are we to say something is wrong with her for wanting a big family. Why don’t you all get on the Dugger’s, mom Dugger just had her 18th kid and still wants to keep going until she can’t anymore. Now her oldest son just married and him and his wife want to have a family that size. Why don’t you all start a post about the Dugger’s and the other families that have over 10 kids.
As long as she’s not asking for your money or your help why bother.
Just leave her alone she has a lot to deal with now.
i think the kids (all 14) should be removed from the house and “mom” placed into psychicatric care until she is “fit” and employed to care for her kids. The doctor who did the procedure of fertilizing her should have his license revoked and put into jail for being an idiot.
I say it takes a village to raise a child and she just made sure she had her own village.
It’s none of our business. She’s done nothing wrong. She has 14 children so what…if she has a plan to bring these children up without government help. So what if the media is interviewing her…that is their desire. She should be paid. If some stupid magazine wants to pay her big bucks for pictures and put it on the front cover – go for it. If she ends up on Oprah – great…if this woman ends up with her own TLC show GREAT! IT’S NOT OUR BUSINESS. I’m so sick and tired of self-rigteous creeps who stick there nose where it doesn’t belong. Do you have nothing better to do?