For an established couple, news of pregnancy tends to be exciting and important news. However, sometimes pregnancies come with surprises, and it can be overwhelming to find out that twins are on the way. Now, multiply it and imagine finding out you’re expecting seven babies! This was what happened to Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey. Although they were excited, they also were quite apprehensive. After all, these pregnancies have a very high risk and they couldn’t be sure what the outcome would be. Would they all make it safe and sound? What complications could occur? Keep reading to find out!
Six more than expected
Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey were living a happy family life in Des Moines, Iowa, with their daughter. They were undergoing fertility treatment as they had some trouble conceiving more children. What they thought would be a regular check-up to see how things were coming along became the surprise of their lives. During this type of treatment, it’s common to find more than one embryo. However, what they found were not twins nor triplets. They were looking at 7 embryos in Bobbi’s womb! The treatment had been more effective than expected.
Yes, you heard that right
The couple was in shock, they really couldn’t believe what they were hearing. They felt that seven babies were way more than they could handle. It was certainly more than they had expected. Knowing the results of fertility drugs, they probably were mentally prepared for the possibility of twins. But seven babies?! They were in a daze all the way back home. However, their reality slowly started to set in. Once the shock—and slight terror—had passed, they started to accept it. How big a challenge would this be? They had no idea!
Was there ever a choice?
The doctor presented the possibility of selective reduction where they could decide to reduce the number of embryos. The purpose of this was that the remaining ones would have higher probabilities to survive and a better outcome in general. However, the McCaugheys were Baptists and were very strong in their faith. They decided that God would be the one to decide the fate of their septuplets. For them, there was never really a choice. But would they all make it? Would Bobbi be safe? This was yet to be seen and they had a long way ahead.
Trusting a higher power with their earthly challenges
Bobbi already had a difficult time during her first pregnancy. So of course, they were worried about how things would go with these higher number of babies growing inside of her. Bobbi, with a figure leaning more towards petite than anything else, would have her body change in order to accommodate all of her babies and the strain was big. They both turned to prayer and hoped to get guidance and help from God. After all, what the future had for them was one of the biggest challenges they had ever faced.
Very special attention from everyone
Of course, such a high-risk situation demanded that Bobbi and her babies be closely monitored. The extra attention they weren’t expecting was that of the media. People would speculate a lot about what they were going to do and all the process they were undergoing. This could add more stress to an already delicate situation. However, Bobby and Kenny managed to stay strong throughout all of it. The media was expectant and wanted every tidbit of information they could get. And of course, the public had plenty of opinions to provide. The couple was under scrutiny. Having a baby had never been so stressful.
A couple’s choice becomes public knowledge
Amidst plenty of speculation, the couple was not shy about their beliefs as well as their decision to continue through with the septuplets. One thing to be remembered is that there was no recorded history of surviving septuplets. If the McCaughey babies made it, they would be the very first. The odds were not really in their favor, but they had their faith to keep them strong. Adding to the family’s anxiety is the media finding out about their decision. Because of this, the whole country found out and everyone had something to say about their choice.
The entire nation debated the subject
Bobbi could have never imagined that getting pregnant for a second time would change her life in this way. Now, they were basically on the spotlight. The media frenzy grew and their decision basically became the subject of conversation in every American home, bar, or gathering. They started to receive letters that condemned their decision. According to these nasty messages, they were not thinking of the greater good. According to these people, they were collaborating in the demise of the world by having a family this big. However, there was a silver lining in this situation.
There are always people willing to help
The publicity did not only have bad results. As it turned out, while there were these nasty haters out there, there were also a lot of people and companies willing to help them out. After all, they didn’t have an easy path in front of them. If taking care of one baby can be time-consuming and expensive, imagine 7 babies! They started to receive donations from people and businesses like Kraft—a year’s worth of free mac and cheese!—and diaper providers. These certainly warmed their hearts and helped them feel a bit better about what the future had in store for them.
Things speeding up, risk increasing
It is very typical for pregnancies of this type for the babies to be born early. However, in Bobbi’s case, the babies were earlier than they had expected, and she found herself going to the hospital at only 30 weeks of gestation. She had a huge belly that barely let her walk, and her entire body ached. However, her main worry was the state of the babies. She could only hope that everything would go okay. Kenny and Bobbi prayed as the doctors told them that it was time. As much as they had wished the babies could have matured a bit more, they didn’t have a choice. Would they all make it?
Seven babies meet the world
The delivery had been carefully planned. There was a 40-member team in place—yes, you heard that right—and the babies were delivered through C-section. Thankfully, the whole process went smoothly. In six minutes, all the babies were out. However, while this very difficult part was over, the next few days would be the ones to determine the future of these children as they were early and complications could easily ensue. They would have full medical attention. But as we know, sometimes this is not enough. Bobbi and Kenny could only hope, pray, and wait.
We’re here to stay
The McCaughey septuplets successfully came out of their mother’s womb. Four boys and three girls were born safe and sound. And despite having to spend some time in the neonatal intensive care unit and over three months being tended to by doctors before going home, they were all in good health. Kenny Jr., Alexis, Natalie, Kelsey, Nathan, Brandon, and Joel are here to stay! Bobbi and Kenny were overjoyed and the world was in awe. The first septuplets to have ever made it had been born. It was a joyous occasion.
And now there were 10
With their firstborn Mikayla, Bobbi, Kenny, and the septuplets now formed a big family with 10 members! Thankfully, part of the donations they received actually included a piece of real estate. That’s right, a 5,000-square-foot house had been gifted to them, which was surely appreciated considering the huge number of kids they were going to be raising. Despite the challenge, they were extremely happy to be able to bring all of their kids home. Although Alexis and Nathan had cerebral palsy with muscular disorders involved, they were all generally healthy and able to go home. But their fame didn’t die there.
Meeting with the greats
Not only did they got to go on The Oprah Winfrey Show and meet the entire world through the tv screen, but the family also got a personal call from Bill Clinton who wanted to congratulate them. Despite this public appearance, the family tried to keep a private life. After all, the publicity could only add stress, and they didn’t want their babies growing on the spotlight. They already had to deal with total strangers approaching their home wanting to hold one of the babies. They worried about the mental health of these people, but there was little that they were able to do about that.
How many diapers?
In just one day, they would go through 52 diapers! That’s right. And it wasn’t just about changing diapers, there were the feedings and the late-night crying. Overall, taking care of all of their babies was an impressive (and expensive) feat. However, Bobbi and Kenny carried on with strength and started making plans for the future. Thankfully, they had already been offered college scholarships for all of the kids. But before that, they had to go through the children’s childhood and what that would entail. How would they make it work? What was their plan?
Too many mouths to feed
A less resilient family might have been overwhelmed, but the McCaughey family decided to start planning even before the babies were born. After all, feeding a family of 10 was going to cost a lot of money despite all the donations they had received. Therefore, in regards to food, Kenny developed a system in which he would always buy everything in bulk. This helped him keep to a very low budget for a family so big. He also opted for buying generic instead of big brand names. With bimonthly purchases, they developed a system that worked out for them.
Do it yourself!
Another activity they took up was gardening, which helped them have their own production of certain vegetables; therefore cutting down a bit of the cost of feeding the entire family. They were very thankful for all the help they received, and volunteers helped them take care of the kids throughout the years. Despite having a lot of them at the beginning, they eventually decided on two helpers during the day and none during the night. With the help of a strict schedule, everything was more manageable. Bobbi eventually ventured into writing and was able to sell a lot of copies of the book she published titled Seven from Heaven: The Miracle of the McCaughey Septuplets.
No TV stars over here
Despite the huge amount of media attention—which did not decrease with time—the McCaughey parents wanted their kids to live a normal life. They took to heart the words of the similarly famous Dionne quintuplets, who had congratulated them but warned them not to fall into the media frenzy. In time, they decided to not only reject a reality tv show but also to cut down on the number of interviews. The children grew up humble and were able to enjoy their childhoods without being in the public eye all the time.
The one exception to the rule
They didn’t want to feel as if they were keeping the septuplets away from all the people who had helped them out early on. Therefore, they decided to limit but not completely eliminate their contact with the media. The most notable example of this decision was the annual interview with news outlet Dateline, which allowed for a yearly update on the septuplets development, achievements, and health. This way, the couple didn’t feel as if they were separating their children from all the people who had shown such an outpour of support and love.
Don’t stop me now
Despite the fact that Nathan and Alexis both suffer from cerebral palsy, they didn’t let this make them feel any less or stop them from reaching their goals. The affected area was the muscular one. And despite some doctors thinking that they might not be able to walk, they pushed through and managed to achieve this; although a bit later than their siblings who always supported them. Nathan even managed to teach himself how to move around without his walker, although Alexis does need it to walk. Their resilience and determination are certainly impressive!
Time to take different roads
The septuplets were homeschooled during their first years. When it was time to continue their education, Bobbi and Kenny decided to enroll them in public school and have them in different classes. This might have been traumatic and stressful at first, but it proved to be one of the best decisions as it was a way for them to gain independence and develop their own friendships and personalities. This way, their individual traits started to show more and more and they were able to start pursuing different interests as they grew up.
The hardest years made easy
We can all agree that high school is not necessarily the easiest time of our lives. Teenagers have all these hormonal changes and bullies might be just around the corner. Thankfully for the septuplets, they all had each other and their bonds became even stronger during this time. For Bobbi and Kenny, it was certainly a challenge to deal with seven teenagers at once. However, they pushed through as always and tried to keep them out of harm’s way and keep instilling in them the values they had cherished their entire life.
We are not the same
This stage of their lives was when it really came across that they all had different aptitudes and interests. Natalie was one of the more academically-inclined and she even went on to graduate amongst the top 15% of the class. Kenny was more inclined to be a funny guy and joked around during class, whereas Brandon and Kelsey participated in school sports. This way, they all got to explore different things and find what they liked, which would become important once they left school and decided on going for higher university studies. Despite their differences, some traditions stayed the same.
Sweet Sixteen, time to drive
Of course, the septuplets always celebrate their birthdays together and their 16th was not the exception. At this age, they are now able to drive. However, Bobbi and Kenny couldn’t afford that many cars. They gave them their blessing to find a job as long as they kept up with school. With what they earned, they were allowed to take driving lessons and, if they managed to save that much, get their own car. It was surely a way to teach them that through their own efforts they could achieve their goals.
The eldest sister is not forgotten
Despite the septuplets getting all of the media’s attention, Bobbi and Kenny always paid attention to their first-born daughter, Mikayla. She was also very close with the septuplets who were all part of her wedding when she decided to get married. As the seven grew up, they might have seen her as a role model. Mikayla decided to go for higher studies before getting married and starting a family of her own. Despite being only a year older than her siblings, she did play the part of the older sister. It would soon be time for another milestone for the seven.
It’s graduation time!
In no time, the septuplets were set to graduate from high school. Any parent can tell you that time seems to happen so fast, and this was not the exception. Bobbi and Kenny couldn’t believe that their kids had gotten so big. Natalie graduated with honors and both she and Alexis had excellent grades. They celebrated their accomplishment together, before deciding on which opportunities they were going to pursue. This time, a more permanent separation was going to take place. After all, they had all been offered scholarships from the moment they were born. Would they take them?
Aiming for bigger things
The septuplets had been offered scholarships at the Hannibal-LaGrange University located in Missouri and in any university in the state of Iowa. At this stage, their paths separated in a more tangible way. Kenny and Alexis decided to go for higher education in Des Moines, keeping it local. However, Natalie, Joel, Nathan, and Kelsey opted to head to Missouri. Brandon went on a very different road as he decided he wanted to serve his country and joined the United States Army. For the first time, the septuplets would not be living in the same city. But it was time for them to continue their own paths.
To each their own
Except for Joel and Nathan who are both in computer science, they have all chosen different paths for their careers. Alexis majored in childhood education while Natalie went for exercise science. Meanwhile, Kenny is more interested in working with his hands and is attending vocational school, as he wants to become a builder. Meanwhile, Kelsey has gone for public relations—maybe their early press interactions influenced this. Although going out of Iowa and entering the adult world was definitely a shock—as it tends to be for any freshman, they managed to carry on and are doing great in their different areas.
There’s no distance far enough
Despite heading their separate ways, it was not distressing for them to be separated. After all, they had developed their individuality in school and the connection they had between them would always be there no matter how far away from each other they were. This certainly gave them the strength they needed to go out to chase their own dreams. However, would it be the same for their parents who now had a very empty nest in comparison to how the house used to be? After all, only Kenny was at the family home.
A time to reconnect
Despite missing the noise and busy days of having their eight children at home, Bobbi and Kenny admitted that the change was not something negative at all. It gave the two of them some time to reconnect, despite always maintaining their relationship strong. Now, they can do fun things around the house or go out and relax. We guess not having tons of laundry to do also helps! Besides, Kenny was able to get his very own motorcycle, which was what he had always wanted. After Mikayla had her first baby, they now have been able to enjoy visiting and enjoying their grandson without any of the responsibility.
More babies coming soon?
Although Mikayla started the McCaughey’s third generation, no more grandchildren are on the horizon for now. However, weddings will take place in 2019. Brandon is set to marry his fiancée, Alana Hale, towards the end of the year, while Natalie received an engagement ring from her boyfriend Shawn Geralds and they will be getting married in May 2019. The family is certainly growing and more babies might be added soon. However, the chance of another set of septuplets is not high, as they were not the product of genetic predisposition.
Hindsight is 20/20
Bobbi and Kenny sometimes remember the days when everyone had an opinion on what they should do and the selective reduction was proposed. They have shown everyone that they made the right call. Despite some troubling and stressful times and the normal anxiety that could arise with such a big task, they both managed to stay strong and raise eight strong adults who have come into their own. They do feel very thankful, though, to all of those who helped them out one way or another, and that’s why they have also chosen to give back.
Giving back to their community
Bobbi and Kenny, always strong in their Christian values, decided to give back in one of the best ways possible. After all, with the kids going to college, they didn’t need the huge house that they had received so many years ago. Therefore, they decided to sell it—for what was likely to be a very low price—to Ruth Harbor. This non-profit organization aims to help and provide accommodation to mothers with unplanned pregnancies. This is definitely one of the best uses for this enormous house, which was also given to them through the kind hearts of others.
A bond for life
The septuplets are already 21 and are legally adults. They keep celebrating their birthday together and had a small gathering at home instead of the bar-hopping some young adults might indulge in once they reach the legal age to drink alcohol. However, the most important thing for them is to share some quality time with each other, their eldest sister, their nephew, and, of course, their parents Bobbi and Kenny who made their lives possible and put all of their energies in raising them. As Kenny has said, being septuplets means that you’re never alone and their bond will always be there no matter where they go.