For Sara Kahen Gutovich, the birth of quadruplets has forever changed the 4th of July for her and her family. It will never be just our nation’s Independence Day or an opportunity to watch fireworks light the sky. That’s because Sara gave birth to four babies on the fourth of 2023, and the holiday will forever be four times as special!
In spite of the risks associated with Sara’s pregnancy, she and her husband, Rabbi Jay Gutovich, of California, welcomed a pair of healthy baby girls and two healthy baby boys at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Hospital.
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Sara (36) and Rabbi Jay were already the parents of three-year-old Chezzy. But after his birth, the couple struggled with infertility for three years before Sara became pregnant again. And the news she'd be giving birth to quadruplets came as quite a pleasant surprise!
"What's going on?" Sara recalls saying during the ultrasound. And she was told, "'Hold on, we're not finished counting.'"
Sara considers her pregnancy a miracle. But Dr. Steve Rad expects that Sara either conceived four babies through four spontaneous ovulations or she conceived one through IVF and the other three through spontaneous ovulations.
However it happened, it was quite a surprise for the couple when they learned there were multiple embryos. Unable to understand what she was seeing during the ultrasound, Sara asked the ultrasound technician what was going on. The response? “Hold on. We’re not finished counting.”
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With the help of Rabbi Jay and Dr. Rad, Sara’s obstetrician/gynecologist, whom she refers to as her own “Doogie Howser,” Sara set her mind to focus on all of the things that might go right instead of the potential concerns. Dr. Rad (39) had already overseen 8,000 births, and he knew well the dangers involved.
Regarding Sara’s pregnancy, Dr. Rad said, “It put Sara and each fetus at risk for adverse outcomes, including stillbirth and maternal death. The biggest risks are fetal growth abnormalities, preterm birth, prematurity, stillbirth, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Sara represented five lives in one.”
In addition to thinking good thoughts, Sara ate healthily, visited a chiropractor, and consulted with other specialists along the way. Experiencing no complications, she even went to Disneyland with her family at 33 weeks!
Sara hoped to deliver the babies at 35 weeks on July 7, but the infants had other plans. They were born at 34 weeks and 4 days via Cesarean. Sara says that the delivery room with more than 40 medical professionals filling the room “was a freaking party.”
Weighing between 4 lbs., 2 ounces, and 5 lbs., 9 ounces, the quads are all now thriving.
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Jay says, “It was miraculous, absolutely miraculous. Sara was an absolute … I don't even, I don't know a word to use. She worked so hard, and we had the best people around us. I think that because of those things, we were able to have no complications. Because she said positive vibes only.”
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalms 31:24
h/t: People
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Project Inspire Toronto
Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at http://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.