I was sad when scan showed four babies – Mother of quadruplets

For days now, Olayode Abiodun, a Sterling Bank staff member, who recently gave birth to quadruplets, has received an avalanche of love and support from Nigerians at home and in the diaspora after a colleague shared her daily struggles with providing diapers for the newborns on Twitter (now X). In this interview conducted in her home in Akute, a suburb in Ogun State, the 32-year-old, spoke with TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about the shock of learning about the multiple births, the mixed feelings and uncertainties she feared and challenges associated with caring for the quadruplets

Can you describe your initial reaction when you found out you were expecting quadruplets?

At the initial stage, I didn’t know I was expecting quadruplets. When I was three months, pregnant, the scan showed just two babies. At five months, my tummy became big and looked as if I was going to give birth the next day.

At some point, my doctor at the Gbagada General Hospital said there was a need to carry out another scan and sent me to a radiology centre a Anthony.

There, the scan showed two babies and three placentas. However, when I told my doctor, he said it was not possible and that maybe, the third sac had been terminated.

We hoped for the best and lived with the mindset that two babies were on their way.

When I was six months gone, my legs became too heavy to lift and I couldn’t walk. I was put on bed rest for a month in the hospital. With time, my stomach became massive.

Though I was allowed to return home, it was for a short while. I stayed in the hospital until I gave birth.

A few weeks before my delivery, my consultant sent me for another scan and it was then that we learnt that there were four placentas and four sacs.

How did you feel at that moment?

I wasn’t happy. I became sad because I already had two children, and having quadruplets would make them six children. And considering the economic situation of the country, it was not a funny situation.

I called my husband to break the news and he asked in a confused state, “What are we going to do? We can’t terminate this pregnancy because it’s already late.”

The pregnancy was almost due, so there was nothing that could be done because my health and life were more important.

I was going through a lot at the time. I was in the hospital for bed rest and monitoring until I gave birth. When the pregnancy was 30 weeks, I was weak and kept asking my consultant when I was going to give birth.

I couldn’t walk again because my stomach was so big. Those who saw me in the hospital during my pregnancy were scared.

Everyone pitied me, and to the glory of God, here we are, and we are doing fine.

If you had found out earlier about being pregnant with quadruplets, would you have considered termination?

If I had found out earlier about the quadruplets, in this Emilokan era, I would have considered termination.

During the early stage of any quadruplet pregnancy, it could be difficult to find out because a scan can be accurate.

When exactly did you welcome your babies?

It was on June 19, 2024.

How did your family members react to the news of having four more children at once?

My family members were all happy even though they didn’t know what I went through. As you can see, everybody is around me; my mom, brother, sister and mother-in-law. They are all supporting me.

What challenges did you face during your pregnancy?

I went into depression, but God is great. Swollen legs were one of the biggest challenges because I couldn’t walk. Apart from that, I had fatigue, couldn’t eat, and was spitting excessively. It continued till I was wheeled into the theatre.

How was your health managed medically during pregnancy?

A dedicated team of specialists managed my case at the Gbagada General Hospital through God’s guidance.

Apart from thanking God, I would like to thank Dr Innofomoh and his team at the Gbagada General Hospital. This particular doctor was always there for me. He and his team saved my life, but I give all glory to God.

Was there any complication?

I give all the glory to God because there was no complication.

How did you prepare your home and two older children for the arrival of the quadruplets?

There was nothing to prepare. We just had to face the reality that we were expecting four more ‘giants’ in our home. I told the older ones about their four siblings and they were happy. They are coping well.

What is the sex of the new babies?

We have two boys and two girls. Altogether, we now have three boys and three girls in the house.

How challenging has it been financially to take care of six children?

I want to thank Nigerians who came to our aid financially. We appreciate them. It’s not easy, especially in this economic situation. Even buying foodstuff has not been easy, let alone taking care of quadruplets. I also want to thank the Sterling Bank management and my husband’s employers at Cyberspace. They came through for us.

Gbagada Ilera Eko NHIS is a lovely scheme. They gave me free drugs and paid for my CS.

I only paid for my children’s incubators. The hospital charges per day for incubator use, so you pay every week, and the money is massive. Just having one child in the incubator is expensive, let alone four.

How do you ensure that each of the quadruplets get adequate attention and care?

I take care of them all together. They are precious to me; all of them, including their older siblings.

Your older children are how old??

I have a nine-year-old and a three-year-old. My niece, who is 17, also stays with me. We are all happy, and I treat all of them like my children.

Was there any time you became uncertain about providing adequately for your children?

I can’t escape my reality but I don’t want to think about it. I know I am still coming back to that. There is no way I will not think about who will help me take care of them. However, there’s nobody except God.

Does your husband help with childcare and household chores?

My husband has been very helpful. If you see him, you will know he is good. He has been very supportive. My husband is always busy, ensuring everything is in order.

He cooks, washes plates, sweeps, and ensures everything is in order. That’s my husband for you.

Have you experienced any negative reactions from the public over your large family?

I wouldn’t know because I’m not sitting with them. If they are talking about me, I don’t even know. As long as God is with me, I’m fine.

What has been the most rewarding part of having this large family?

Everything has been good and I keep thanking God. I am very happy about the outpour of love and show of support from people. It is not as if I did anything special, but they just want to support my family. I want to say thank you to all of them.

How much have you received from Nigerians so far?

About N16m.

What are your plans for the future of the six children?

Educating all my children is very important to me. I am already training two and the quadruplets will not be excluded.

However, my prayer is for God to help me and my husband.

I was trained by my parents, so I will do the same for my children. I’m educated, and my husband is also educated. There is no way we won’t educate our children.

Can you share any memorable or funny moments since the quadruplets arrived?

The sleepless nights are unforgettable. It’s not easy to take care of four babies at once. Even one baby is tough, let alone four.

How has this experience changed your perspective on motherhood?

It has changed my motherhood perspective. Loving six children equally is one of the things that has changed my life. Loving six children equally is not easy, and I’m trying to adjust.

I strive to treat them well, equally.

You’ve been trending on social media. How do you feel about that?

I’m not a social media person, but my friends kept sending me trending news about us. Even people we finished school together, who might have forgotten about me started calling and asking questions. I’m grateful to God for giving me these children. Many people are looking forward to this kind of blessing. They are spending millions just to have children of their own. I pray that God will give them children in multiple folds.

Is there any support you need from the public?

It’s not easy to take care of God’s blessings. If anyone wants to help us, we would be grateful, especially with scholarships for our babies. We expected the government to come to our aid when we were in the hospital, but to our surprise, we only saw Ilera Eko people.

They provided free drugs while I was in the hospital. Though we had to pay for other things, we were told the First Lady is a doctor with a foundation that cares for multiple babies.

We are still expecting them to come to our aid. Educating children is not easy, especially as salary earners.

I am pleading with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr Ibijoke, to come to our aid.

Even if it is a scholarship, we would be immensely grateful.

What advice would you give to couples expecting quadruplets?

All I can say is that they should put their trust in God because He is the only one who can do all things.