Ashley Crandell, 36, and her husband, Lance, 41, were surprised when efforts to fall pregnant didn’t go as planned. They had conceived a little girl named Isla without much effort and expected a similar journey for their second attempt. It was seven days before Ashley Crandell could hold all four of her quadruplets, who were born 9 weeks early. But the wait felt much longer than that. They have been struggling with secondary infertility for almost 4 years, after being pregnant with their first child, Isla, now 5 years old.
I was quite unhappy at one time when I believed we would never be able to give Isla a sibling. I’ve always desired a large family, and although I tried to maintain my optimism, there were times when I said, “OK. This won’t take place.
When I found out I had polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS, it caused low sperm motility, both of which contributed to our fertility problems. In vitro fertilization (IVF) wasn’t something Crandell and Lance were certain they wanted to do, so they chose IUI instead. IUI refers to the procedure of inserting healthy sperm into the uterus as soon after ovulation as possible.
This is their last attempt to conceive and they don’t have much hope for the IUI procedure. The couple have mixed feelings and know that it is not an easy road ahead for them. We are getting old. And you know, it won’t be long before we can keep trying for children.” They waited patiently for word from the doctor, and after six weeks, they received a potentially life-changing phone call. life.
However, their doctor informed them that the process was successful – they were pregnant. Wesley, Emma, Leah and Nora appear on the ultrasound screen. “I remember looking at those four heartbeats and thinking, ‘Should we be excited or should we be scared?
The quadruplets were born on February 11 at Dignity Health St. Hospital and Medical Center. Joseph in Phoenix, Arizona. All four babies spent 10 weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), learning to feed and breathe on their own. They prepared best for their birth, and Ashley had a healthy pregnancy, but the baby arrived 9 weeks early.
When Ashley held the infants for the first time, tears streamed down her face. The terrible moment when a pregnancy test comes back negative makes the entire experience worthwhile. When the children lay on her chest, she felt at peace, knowing that everything was going the way she wanted
This couple had hoped to have three, four or five children in their parenting journey, but they could never have imagined how that would turn out. She couldn’t believe all four children belonged to her and was speechless when she thought about the gift she was given. Having 5 children is more perfect than she ever dreamed of.
According to the Crandells, they intend to relocate to a bigger home with enough room for the entire family. Parents are also incredibly appreciative of their many blessings and eager to see their kids grow up.
“Somehow, I was gifted with this amazing blessing of having all four of these perfect babies at one time,” she continued. “The only thing that could have made the moment better is if my oldest had been there, too.”