Unforgettable Joy: A Mother’s Triumph Over Infertility and Her Four Little Angels
Lace, her husband, and Ashley Cradell, 36, were shocked when their attempts to conceive failed. They had easily welcomed a little girl named Isla, and they expected a similar outcome for their second attempt. The premature birth of Ashley Cradell’s quadruplets at just nine weeks required two days before she could hold them all. However, the wait felt much longer. Since becoming pregnant with their first child, Isla, who is now five years old, they have been struggling with secondary infertility for at least four years.
There was a time when I was quite unhappy, believing we might never be able to give Isla a sibling. I’ve always desired a large family, and although I tried to maintain my optimism, there were moments when I thought, “Okay, this won’t happen.”
When I found out I had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), it caused low sperm motility, both of which contributed to our fertility problems. In vitro fertilization (IVF) wasn’t something Cradell and Lace were certain they wanted to do, so they opted for IUI instead. IUI stands for the procedure of inserting healthy sperm into the uterus as soon after ovulation as possible.
This is their final attempt to conceive, and they don’t have much hope for the IUI procedure. The couple has mixed feelings and knows that it won’t be an easy road ahead for them. We are getting older. And you know, it won’t be long before we can keep trying for a child. They waited patiently for word from the doctor, and after six weeks, they received a potentially life-changing phone call.
However, their doctor informed them that the process was successful – they were pregnant. Wesley, Emma, Leah, and Nora appeared on the ultrasound screen. “I remember looking at those four heartbeats and thinking, ‘Should we be excited or should we be scared?’
The quadruplets were born on February 11 at Dignity Health St. Joseph in Phoenix, Arizona. All four babies spent 10 weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), learning to feed and breathe on their own. They prepared best for their birth, and Ashley had a healthy pregnancy, but the babies arrived 9 weeks early.
When Ashley held the infants for the first time, tears streamed down her face. The moment when a pregnancy test comes back positive makes the entire experience worthwhile. When the children lay on her chest, she felt at peace, knowing that everything was going the way she wanted.
This couple had hoped to have three, four, or five children in their parenting journey, but they could never have imagined how it would turn out. She couldn’t believe all four children belonged to her and was speechless when she thought about the gift she had received. Having 5 children is more perfect than she ever dreamed of.
According to the Cradells, they intend to relocate to a larger home with enough room for the entire family. The parents are also incredibly appreciative of their many blessings and eager to see their children grow up.
“Somehow, I was gifted with this amazing blessing of having all four of these perfect babies at one time,” she continued. “The only thing that could have made the moment better is if my oldest had been there too.”
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