A Happy Oops! After Five Children With IVF, We Got Pregnant Again

After two and half years of trying to get pregnant, Cindy and her husband were met with a disappointing infertility diagnosis. With the assistance of IVF, the couple conceived a son — and then later quadruplets that they decided to carry to term. But following the rapid expansion of their family, the parents found themselves naturally pregnant once again with surprise baby number six.

Against all odds, Cindy is expecting what she hopes will be her last child this coming October. Despite doctors informing her that her chances of conceiving naturally were less than 5%, that proved to be enough. Although the parents of five were not exactly trying to have more children, Cindy admits that she and her husband weren’t using any birth control at the time.

“After having our quads we were so overwhelmed trying to get them all home and into our family life. We never stopped to discuss birth control. There was also such a slim chance of becoming pregnant that we didn’t give it much thought,” the mother remembers.

She describes her doctors as “surprised” with the happy accident, which she was told was more or less impossible. But with a previous delivery of quadruplets under her belt, said doctors have deemed Cindy’s delivery as officially high risk. Although no complications are expected this time around, she will be attempting a VBAC following the c-section delivery of four little ones. And carrying one baby to term following four is feeling like a breeze in comparison.

“I actually think that after our quad pregnancy my body endured so much that this pregnancy has been made so easy. I barely feel pregnant even though I have a pretty big belly,” she says.

Cindy and her husband are one of four and six children respectively, and with an extended family that ranges in the five to nine children range, both sides were apparently “automatically” delighted with the unexpected addition.

Preparation for the new baby includes bringing the family’s nanny back to full-time duty to care for the newborn, in addition to hiring a part-time babysitter to ferry children from school to home. The family acknowledges their pronouned privilege in their ability to financially accommodate their large family. After purchasing a big home following the birth of the quadruplets, space for the sixth child isn’t an issue. With both spouses pulling down an annual six figure salary each, money for their growing family has not been a concern either. A guest bedroom is currently being converted into a nursery, along with the usual new baby preparations including storing all odds and ends and purchasing new baby clothing.

Between now and her three-month maternity leave, Cindy is training a temp to take over her executive duties at work. She also plans to work a bit from home to handle certain tasks personally while away from the office. She’ll be working nearly right up to her due date this fall.

But aside from the physical preparation of space and ironing out the nanny schedule, Cindy is also preparing her family by spending as much one-on-one time as possible with her five children before the birth. In an effort to ensure each of the kids that they’re “special” before the newborn arrives, Cindy also reminds her brood that their lives are about to change. And even though the new baby has been welcomed by all stretches of the family, the curve ball sixth pregnancy has caused both parents to consider more than logistics — primarily because of their differences in age.

“It took a while for hubby and me to really come to term with the fact that we would be having another child. I’m close to turning 30 and it had been four years since I delivered our last kids. My husband is nearly 20 years older than me so he 48, which was a reason we started trying to have children as soon as we married. He is in amazing shape, a lot better than me, and is super active but he was extremely worried about having another child at his age. But since I started showing we both feel super confident.”

Cindy confirms that the two have decided not to learn the sex of the baby until delivery as they want to be surprised for their last — and they’re absolutely ensuring that this will be their last. Although the two didn’t prioritize a birth control conversation a pregnancy ago, they certainly are now. Cindy plans to get the new hormone-free non-surgical Essure procedure and — just to be on the super safe side — her husband is getting a vasectomy.

“We love our children but six is more than enough.”

(photo: Nils Z/ Shutterstock)