Raising a single child is already a daunting task. However, how much more challenging would it be to raise quintuplets?
Caring for multiple children simultaneously can be challenging for parents, especially when dealing with multiple births.
Some parents are fortunate enough to have older children who can help with some tasks, but the majority of the responsibility falls on the parents’ shoulders. There always seems to be an overwhelming amount of things to accomplish.
Chad and Amy Kempel were in for the surprise of their lives upon discovering they were expecting quintuplets.
The couple endured a battle with infertility and suffered several miscarriages, including twin boys whom they lost at 22 weeks gestation.
Despite their desire to feel elated and overjoyed by the news, the Kempels were aware that the pregnancy would be a challenging one, and they braced themselves for the worst-case scenario.
The quintuplets were delivered via C-section three months premature and remained in the NICU for a total of 73 days.
Upon bringing their quintuplets home, the Kempels immediately recognized the need to make significant changes to their living space in order to accommodate all of their children and create a safe and nurturing environment.
To achieve this goal, they eliminated any furniture or fixtures that posed a potential danger to their children and repurposed their living room into a designated baby area.
Chad made a concerted effort to identify ways to simplify their lives, particularly for the benefit of Amy.
Chad’s place of work is located 60 miles away, necessitating that he depart as early as 4 AM.
To alleviate the burden on Amy, Chad devised ingenious methods to streamline tasks such as feeding, changing diapers, and traveling with seven children.
Chad developed innovative approaches to accomplish these tasks and even shared the “Quint Hacks” on their YouTube channel.
One of his creations was a feeding system that allowed all five babies to be fed simultaneously.
The system is incredibly easy to use, requiring only that the bottle be inserted into a slot and handed to the baby. It is also designed at an angle that mimics the natural positioning of a feeding bottle.
Chad also devised a method of stacking clothing on the changing table, one atop the other.
According to Chad, this made it more straightforward to change each baby’s diapers and onesies individually.
They would place one baby on the changing table, change their diaper, dress them in a onesie, and then proceed to the next baby in sequence!
As the babies grew, Chad came up with a plan to modify their dining table.
Rather than purchasing highchairs for all five children, he devised a table that facilitated feeding them all at once.
They cut openings in the table and installed seats. Chad or Amy could then sit on one end and reach across to feed one baby at a time, moving on to the next one seamlessly.
They also had to make changes to their vehicle.
To accommodate their large family, they transformed their van into a “baby bus” by installing seven car seats and a changing table inside.
In addition, they installed a TV in the van to keep the older kids entertained while taking care of the quintuplets, making it a convenient solution for everyone.
The Kempels cherished every moment they spent with their children, despite the difficulties they faced.
“It’s awesome. I love having all these kids. It was terrifying, but having them here happy and healthy now, this is amazing,” Chad told NowThis News.