DALLAS -- Mia, Tessa, Brant, Gracie, and Rayleigh were born via Cesarean section on Tuesday at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.
I want to hold them so bad, and then I'm looking forward to being home, said the proud mother, Michelle Seals.
She and her husband, Steven, already have a 2-year-old son. This week, they welcomed four daughters and one son who ranged in weight from 2 pounds, 7 ounces to 3 pounds, 6 ounces, and are all being monitored in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.
They were born at 29 weeks and 1 day Tuesday about eight weeks early.
I'm happy that we got as far as we did. That's really a milestone, Steven said.
In a news conference Thursday, the quintuplet's parents said there were originally six babies, but one didn't make it. Michelle said the births were a result of previous fertility work.
I knew early on that there were multiples. I was thinking that they were twins, she said. There at the beginning, we would go back every week and they would find a few more.
The parents are grateful for the nearly two dozen physicians and nursing staff who took part in the delivery.
We would just like to thank the Baylor hospital for taking such good care of us, Steven said, after he warned the gathered media he might get emotional.
The parents can only admire the babies' tiny hands, feet, and legs for now, and longingly wait to hold their children for the first time.
Doctors expect the children to be in the hospital for six-to-seven weeks. Most of the babies were breathing on their own Thursday evening. Doctors hope to take all of them off breathing machines by Friday.
E-mail cizaguirre@wfaa.com
