The Adam Quadruplets
A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS STORY
The first thing that struck us when we approached the Adam household at Mont Fleuri was the deafening silence. It was certainly not what one was expecting to find at the home of
“We have been very lucky”, enthused Valerie, the mother, seated across the room from husband Shafiq. “Contrary to what one might think, I am coping admirably, if I may say so myself. So far the children do not all wake up at the same time; they do not all want a feed at the same time and they do not all need to have their nappies changed at the same time. I cannot deny that I do sometimes end up holding two babies at the same time but I’m surprised to find that I sometimes still have a little bit of time for myself.”
The pregnancy
But that is a far cry (no pun intended) from what life was like for Valerie during the gestation period. One month after learning she was pregnant, came the joyful news that she was expecting twins following a routine visit to the gynaecologist. But things took a more worrying turn at 4½ months, though, when she learned that she was carrying not two but four foetuses. Although there had been multiple pregnancies (mainly twins) from both sides of the family prior to the announcement, it took a while for the news to digest.
For the news was accompanied by the customary warnings in such cases: there could be complications; there was the possibility that she might lose one or more of the foetuses; worse still there was the risk that Valerie could lose her life.
Shafiq takes up the story: “We adopted a positive outlook. It was important that we did everything to ensure that everybody survived. We took the decision that Valerie should try and relax as much as possible and refrain from housework”.
“Under the circumstances, we prepared ourselves for the possibility of a loss before birth,” Valerie explains. “But we would have been utterly devastated if we had lost anybody AFTER the delivery.”
A child is born (err….make that 4)
At 33 weeks, the stress of carrying 4 babies had begun to take its toll. Valerie had literally ballooned up in size and had to be admitted to hospital because of complications. She was released after a week only to be re-admitted again a day later. Less than 48 hours later, on September 5th 2006 to be precise, all four babies were born by C-section, within 3 minutes of each other, much to the relief of the parents. Jaden was the first to be delivered, weighing in at 2.002 kg. He was followed by his sister Kella at 1.44 kg. She had to spend the longest period in the incubator as she needed to gain weight. Sister Shamana, who is already turning into the star of the family on account of her pleasant disposition, followed Kella at 1.926 kg. Zia was the last baby to be delivered and at 2.006 kg was also the heaviest. Mother and children spent a total of 6 weeks in hospital mainly because baby Kella was underweight.
Going home with 4 kids brought with it challenges of its own. First, Valerie had to enlist the help of her mother on a full-time basis. A typical day starts at 9:00 a.m. for Valerie and Shafiq who will mind the children with the help of two carers. One carer leaves at midday. The other, Valerie’s mother, stays on for the remainder of the day. Valerie and Shafiq hand over matters completely to the grandmother at 2:00 a.m. so that Valerie can rest until 9:00 a.m. when the daily routine starts all over again. Initially the babies would wake up every 4 hours; three months later this has improved to once every 5 hours. In the main they have been spared most common ailments, with only one child suffering from minor colic pains.
Father Shafiq is proving to be a valuable pair of hands to have around the house, too. He helps out in just about every department. He cooks and cleans and when it comes to the children he helps with the feeding, bathing and nappy changing. Whatever he didn’t know he is picking up fast, it seems.
“I think if he could breastfeed, he would,” Valerie jokingly points out.
But Shafiq has challenges of his own. First he had to come up with a cot that could hold four children separately but which could still be extended when the need arose. He seems to have achieved that. Eventually, he will have to convert the cot into 4 separate beds; easier said than done.
It is when it comes to transportation that things get more complicated. Picture this: when the children have an appointment, he has to fit 7 individuals in his small car –Shafiq at the wheel, Valerie, a carer and the four children. There are times when he wishes he had a more spacious vehicle but his unemployed status does not help matters. Somehow he gets by but not without difficulty.
A little help from their friends
As most parents know very well, having one child can be a costly business; having 4 is definitely even more so. But luckily for Valerie and Shafiq, the successful birth brought with it some offers of help. First the Ministry of Social Affairs elected to donate some of the baby’s milk and diaper requirements as well as two carers for one year with the option to renew the arrangement. The Ministry also provides Valerie specifically with assistance. The world-renowned toiletries company, Johnson and Johnson, through its agent the Seychelles Marketing Board, provide for the complete toiletries requirements for the children and their mother. Private Sector Company, JCJ, also made a one-off donation to the family. The President’s Office has offered to help if ever the need arises. Much needed support also comes from the couple’s large network of friends and family. But the major private and public sector companies have been conspicuous by their absence. So far, none have come forward to lend a hand.
Nevertheless, both Shafiq and Valerie are quick to acknowledge the assistance they have received so far.
“We cannot complain. We are ever so grateful to the government and our friends and members of our family for their support and would like to take this opportunity to thank them,” they both emphasised.
One thing they are not lacking in is the amount of parental advice they receive. On a simple trip to the supermarket Valerie, when she is not getting mobbed by the shoppers with questions about the health of the babies, will quite often receive such advice as “you take good care of those kids now” or “make sure you add oatmeal to their bath, it’s very useful when they are teething.” It seems as if the whole nation is concerned with the children’s wellbeing.
A special Christmas gift
On December 21st Valerie and Shafiq celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary and with the arrival of their 4 children, this has taken on a special significance.
“The 4 babies represent our 4-year marriage, a very special Christmas gift, indeed” concludes Valerie.
Editor’s note: Clearly Valerie and Shafiq Adam are going through challenging times. Although they did not specifically say so, I am sure that they will welcome any support during the Christmas period. For those individuals or organisations who wish to lend a hand, the family can be reached at adamshafiq@hotmail.com or on telephone number 714674.