As the miracle quintuplets born in Mississippi marked their first Easter at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, their parents proudly shared the initial photograph of their babies.
Haylee and Shawn Ladner, the couple who experienced the most extraordinary day of their lives when they first embraced their quintuplets in February, were initially only able to hold each baby separately. However, this Sunday marked a significant milestone as they finally had the joy of cradling all of their babies simultaneously. “We got all the babies dressed up in their little Easter outfits and we held all of them at once and had one big group photo for them for their first Easter,” Shawn said.
It was a little nerve-wracking for them to hold five babies at a time but they managed to do so. “It was a really impactful moment to see all of our babies together again because that was the first time that they had all been together, right beside each other since they were in her womb. So it was a really cool moment,” he added. The couple was also glad that all the children were healthy, which is not common in quintuplet babies. “It’s definitely been miraculous, I would say, to see all five babies grow and not have any complications and to just be perfectly healthy and to be striving and thriving,” said Haylee.
Having babies was not easy for Haylee and Shawn. After Haylee suffered two miscarriages, the couple decided to get pregnant through an intrauterine insemination treatment. “We found out we were pregnant with the IUI, and my numbers were super, super high,” Haylee shared. “We were thinking, ‘Okay, twins, it could be twins,’ cause we only had two eggs. [The doctor] said, ‘There’s five,’ and I immediately was like, ‘How is this possible?’”
Haylee and Shawn call their quintuplets “miracle” babies. They have always wanted to have at least one child, but they were given five at once, which they are very thankful for. “We wanted to share this story for two reasons: one, because we believe they are miracles given to us by God, and two, we wanted to do it to hopefully help other couples who have gone through infertility, too, know that they have some hope out there in the world as well,” Haylee said.
The quintuplets – one boy and four identical girls – were born at 28 weeks on February 16 at Wiser Hospital for Women at UMCC. Their daughters Malley, Adalyn, Everleigh, and Magnolia were all identical while their son Jake was the largest, at 2 pounds, 5 ounces. Because they were born quite too early, they had to receive neonatal intensive care such as respiratory support.
“The biggest thing right now is the babies are still learning to bottle feed and so, as they work up their ability with bottle feedings, they’ll be able to be discharged,” Haylee explained. Shawn, who is a maintenance mechanic, said that the experience has been amazing despite all the ups and downs. “I had to go back to work so I’ve been traveling back and forth to come up and see the babies. It made me so happy that they’ve been doing so good,” he said. Haylee, on the other hand, stays in the hospital with the babies and enjoys learning new things. “It’s literally the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. I couldn’t be any happier,” she said. The Ladners expressed their desire to document and share the future milestones and cherished moments of their quintuplets through their newly launched YouTube channel, "5 Little Ladners."
For the time being, their primary focus is nurturing their miracle babies and relishing in their growth, eagerly awaiting the day when they can finally bring them home.
Given the unexpected blessings and the associated financial responsibilities, the father has initiated a GoFundMe page to seek assistance from kind-hearted individuals willing to contribute to their journey. The family deeply appreciates the blessings they have received and graciously acknowledges any support extended. Join them on their beautiful journey and show your support today. ❤️🙏
