AMAZING QUADRUPLETS

Abaleng Jaiden, Amagolo Jordan, Anele Jaisen and Atlegang Joe Ditsile are so incredibly handsome. They were born weighing between 2690-1960g. Snuggling peacefully in their individual cots, the quads are far away in dreamland. The noise of conversations around them does very little to rouse them from their afternoon nap. Apparently, the celebrity quads enjoy this a lot. For visitors, they might be mistaken for thinking that there are no newborns in the house. Even as the camera clicks, this does very little to stir them. And when they are each handed over to their mom, they still remain with eyes closed. The extraordinary boys only stretch for a second or two, eyes still closed. The celebrity boys were born in May at the Life Gaborone Private Hospital, and they are just perfect. Born at 37 weeks, the boys were immediately taken to the nursery from theatre, and have adjusted so well to life outside mom’s protective womb. Looking at each of them, it would be difficult to say who of them is who – they look so identical. But their parents have already managed to separate who is who, and can tell you proudly that Atlegang (4th) and Abaleng (1st) are similar when it comes to looks. Prior to mastering how to tell them apart, they explain that they relied on the pegs that were used to hold the cords to tell who is who. By the time the cord fell off, they had already mastered the art of knowing them very well. In fact they are so confident that if someone were to be sent out of the room, and the kids were swapped around, they can come back and tell them apart without a hitch. Amagolo is the gentle one, and when he is full and his nappy changed, he is the sweetest of all the Quads. The baby, Atlegang always makes his demands known with a wail. Even when it comes to sleeping, he sometimes prefers to sleep next to mom and dad, and will wake up the minute they take him back to the cot. Life around a newborn is hectic enough but multiply that by four, and that should give you an idea of a typical day in the life of the proud parents to the Quads. Parents, Keneilwe Ditsile and the beaming father, Otsile Kgafela are adjusting very well to their new role. They work as a unit, and with the help of family, everything is just smooth sailing. Besides the Quads, Ditsile and Kgafela are parents to three elder sons, the youngest being four years. With the birth of the Quads, they were hoping that mom will have a girl to cool off the testosterone in the house. Instead they were blessed with four boys. Speaking from the family home in Block 3 in Gaborone, mom explains that the names of the four little ones is inspired by one of her favourite Hymns, ‘O bale masego a gago (Count your blessings). The parents explain that multiple birth is not rare in both of their families. Twins and triplets run in their families. In a day, the four bubbas go through quite a number of nappies. Up to five in total each, meaning that a pack of 88 nappies is a walk in the park for them. Owning two feeding bottles each, the parents explain that when they are busy with one bottle, the other bottle is ready for their next feeding. Night time, they have developed a system and each takes turns changing and feeding the quads. There is a shocking story behind how they discovered that they were expecting this rare occurrence especially when considering that the mom conceives naturally. They were aware about three babies and at one of the scans early during the pregnancy, a lab technician hinted that there was a possibility of baby number four. But that thought was shelved as through the rest of the pregnancy, the doctors were only aware of three heartbeats. Atlegang the last Quad was delivered just as the doctors were certain that they were done with delivering all the babies. “We have adjusted to life with them. I have an amazing support system from dad, my family and GPH,” she says adding that GPH has proven that they are more than just a hospital. Her employer First National Bank Botswana has also been very supportive and given her all the support that she needs. She says that her pregnancy was normal, and that she didn’t have any major issues. “I led a normal life until delivery,” she says. Besides dad, mom relies on help from their nanny, and her sister to give her all the help and assistance that she needs. Speaking in an interview, GPH Matron Joyce Mokoti explains that this is the first Quad birth that they have registered in ten years. She explains that they are used to triplets and twins (which are popular at the hospital). “This means a lot for us as a hospital. Quads are very rare,” she says noting that it is an honour for them to have safely delivered them, and that they are more than just patients. “This is something worth celebrating,” she explains.