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 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.
Punch