In a heartwarming announcement, the first set of quadruplets born in New Zealand in over two decades has been introduced to the world through a series of touching and beautiful photographs captured by photographer Cassandra English. Four newborns entered the world on August 15th, at Christchurch Women’s Hospital, marking a momentous occasion for parents Kendall and Joshua MacDonald. The quads – Quinn, Indie, Molly, and Hudson – arrived prematurely at 28 weeks and 4 days, but their fighting spirits have shown remarkable strength. Adding to the family is their 3-year-old sibling, Brooklyn. These quadruplets, the first of their kind born in New Zealand since 1990, are among the 729,000 naturally occurring multiples.
Kendall Walker, 28, and Joshua MacDonald of Timaru, New Zealand, had long awaited this moment. Their journey towards expanding their family was fraught with challenges. After a period of trying, and the heartache of losing a child, they persisted. And their efforts bore fruit, but in multiples. Kendall’s struggles with various reproductive health issues, including endometriosis, PCOS, and difficulties with ovulation, posed significant hurdles. With medical guidance, including the use of Clomiphene, she managed to conceive. However, the early stages of her pregnancy were tense due to concerns of miscarriage, leading to initial uncertainty about the number of babies on the way.
As scans progressed, the couple started planning for their growing family. Questions about a bigger home and car, as well as the gender of the babies, filled their minds. The roller coaster of emotions took a surprising turn when a later scan revealed the presence of not two, but four healthy babies.
The birth weights of the newborns – Quinn Ruby, Indie Grace, Hudson Joseph, and Molly Ella – ranged from 2.4 to 2.8 pounds. The infants were initially cared for in the neonatal ICU. Early milestones were achieved by these tiny warriors, with Molly and Hudson’s resilience shining through. Hudson’s successful breathing exercises without the aid of an oxygen tube allowed him to share a room with Molly, who also showed impressive progress. Meanwhile, identical twins Indie and Quinn thrived equally.
