Callie and Gabriel Smith, a California couple, had planned to add just one more child to their family, which already included Ariella, their seven-year-old, and their four-year-old twins Noah and Samara. They were taken aback when they learned they were expecting quadruplets.
Callie, 36, had previously done numerous rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) and experienced a difficult ectopic pregnancy.
The infants were born early and were called Norah, Selah, Ezra, and Abigail. Dr. Huy Truong, a neonatologist, revealed that their birth, although being nine weeks early, went smoothly. The neonates spent time in Kaiser Permanente’s Fontana neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where they mastered vital abilities including breathing and eating.
Noah and Selah were the first to be released from the NICU, followed by Ezra and Abigail a week later. Abigail, on the other hand, returned due to feeding concerns at home. According to Truong, she later underwent a successful surgical procedure to block a blood vessel that flows from her pulmonary artery to her aorta.
The babies are currently settling into a routine at their Upland home. Gabriel, their 37-year-old father, sees the announcement of four infants as a miracle, noting that it took careful planning. Unfortunately, Gabriel’s older brother died from a heart attack just a week after the quadruplets arrived. Gabriel went to see his relatives in San Diego, while Callie stayed in Upland with the kids.
Callie told People that even though they already have three children, this seems like a first. “They feel like our first children because they are our first preemies.” It’s been a steep learning curve. We’ve got to rethink our expectations, and we’re simply trying to figure it out as we go.”
Despite these difficult circumstances, the couple is staying strong with the support of their friends and church community. A GoFundMe campaign has also been set up to help the family cover the expenses of purchasing a new van.
“They’ve really reached out,” Gabriel said of their support system. “We were like, ‘We’ll figure this out, and we kind of got this.’ And then it’s like, Okay, we don’t got this.”
“Every week, it’s kind of an uphill battle,” Callie added, “we’re getting very little sleep, probably like two or three hours each night.” But we know it’s only for a short time.”
“We have the advantage of having other children, so we know things will get a little easier.” “It’s been a joy to see their little personalities emerge,” she said.