Off The Record
Nurses Are Stunned As Mother Panics Upon Discovering What’s Really Growing In Her Belly
Many people believe that married couples are inevitably going to have children, but for many, this is not the case.
But among the lucky ones were Courtney and Eric Waldrop. With the aid of reproductive procedures, they eventually became parents to three gorgeous boys following devastating miscarriages.
However, something happened that would rock their world in ways they could never have predicted, just when they believed their family’s tale was one of victory.
The love story of Albertville, Alabama, couple Courtney and Eric Waldrop started long before they exchanged vows in 2004. They clicked right away when they first met in middle school. They understood early on that they desired a large family.
However, as everyone with a dream will tell you, the path to realizing that desire isn’t always as straightforward as it first appears.
It took nearly five years for Courtney and Eric to welcome Saylor, their first son. They were aware that they desired additional kids, but they immediately encountered devastating obstacles. The family was crushed by each of Courtney’s several miscarriages.
They persisted, nevertheless. Their wishes were realized in January 2012, four years after Saylor’s birth, when they welcomed Wales and Bridge, twin boys, into the world. After suffering the heartbreak of losing multiple pregnancies, this time with the aid of fertility medications. Doctors also learned that Courtney had a clotting condition around this time, which made subsequent pregnancies more difficult.
Nevertheless, they were determined to expand their family even further.
Eric was very clear that he didn’t want multiples when they made the decision to try for a fourth kid. However, life had other ideas, as it usually does.
Following yet another miscarriage, Courtney was administered a low-dose fertility medication to lower her risk of becoming pregnant with more than one fetus.
“I wasn’t on a very high dosage at all,” Courtney explained.
Then came the turning point in the story. They received the shock of their lives during a routine scan after a positive pregnancy test.
The nurse’s face was pale as she gazed at the screen.
Eric could only stare in shock as she murmured softly, “It’s six.”
“I literally almost passed out,” he recalled.
Given the medicine Courtney was taking, her chances of being pregnant with sextuplets were one in five million. But in spite of everything, that is precisely what occurred.
“Most people think it was in vitro and we implanted six embryos, but we did not. The medication was just an oral medication that helps you to ovulate.”
Doctors suggested that Courtney and Eric think about selective reduction, a technique that lowers the number of fetuses to increase the chances of survival for the remaining ones, because having six babies has enormous dangers.
It was unthinkable that they would lose any of their children, and Courtney, overcome with sorrow, started crying.
“All I could think about was how I could carry six babies without anything happening to me, so that I could be there for my three little boys?” she said.
The Waldrops made a choice that would alter everything in the midst of such uncertainty. Despite the serious hazards, they decided against reducing the pregnancy.
“It was like a weight lifted off our shoulders,” Courtney shared. “It was the first time I had felt happiness since finding out about the pregnancy.”
Their family of five grew by six on December 11, 2017.
Courtney and Eric brought three gorgeous baby girls, Rivers, Rayne, and Rawlings, and three adorable baby boys, Blu, Tag, and Layke, into the world. Their heads were filled with worry, but their hearts were full with happiness. Due to their early birth—before 30 weeks of pregnancy—the sextuplets and Courtney were at serious danger of problems.
“I was scared to death,” Courtney admitted.
“I’m a smaller framed girl, and my first thoughts were on how I was going to successfully get six kids here without something happening to them or me. There was a lot of fear. We didn’t know what to do or think.”
Their confidence in God remained unwavering in spite of their anxieties.
“We never would have thought we would have considered that,” Courtney explained about selective reduction. “But with the risks involved, no doctor could sugarcoat what could happen. The risks are real for me and for the babies. When we let it go and turned it all over to [God], those fears – though we knew the risks are still there – were lifted from us.”
In an attempt to prevent early labor, Courtney was put on bed rest by November 2017 at 24 weeks. After 14 years of teaching first grade, Courtney’s belly started to grow, making it hard for her to continue her career.
She was in the hospital by Thanksgiving, and the doctors were getting ready for the sextuplets to arrive.
After Courtney’s water broke, the babies were finally delivered via cesarean surgery at 29 weeks and 6 days. She needed a blood transfusion because she lost a lot of blood. Despite the odds, all six infants did well and were delivered weighing little more than two pounds each.
The Waldrop family received their miracle after almost two months in the NICU, but the road was far from over. Two of the newborn girls, Rivers and Rawlings, were the first to return home on February 3. Rayne arrived on February 17.
And on February 23, Bridge, Wales, and Saylor, the six newborns’ older brothers, welcomed them home.
In the beginning, things were, of course, hectic for the family. Courtney reflected, “There were days when we were barely surviving but too busy to realize it. We changed 100 diapers a day and fed 100 bottles a day. At the time, it was exhausting, but now, looking back, I miss it. I’d love to go back, even for just a little while, and really soak it all in.”
When the Waldrop sextuplets reach the age of seven in 2025, they appear to be doing just as well as any other seven-year-old. Their amazing story continues to inspire others, and their house is still a happy place. With almost 700,000 Instagram followers, their mother Courtney has gained some renown as an influencer and frequently posts peeks of their daily lives.
Courtney recently shared a post about the sextuplets’ birthday celebration, highlighting the difficulties that preceded the event:
“At the rate we were headed I wasn’t for sure if we were ever going to party or not. But when six little ones ask you 60 times a day when their party is going to be….you finally make it happen!!”
“Originally, their party was on the day my Daddy passed away. I told my Daddy that morning when we talked on the phone that we would see him as soon as the party was over😔 He definitely would have wanted us to make their Birthday Party happen. We finally did, and the Six had a blast🎉🎉🎉”
Love, laughter, and a poignant reminder of their progress were all part of their celebration. The Waldrop family has learned to keep going forward and cherish each time spent together in spite of everything.
The journey taken by the Waldrop family is quite remarkable. They have demonstrated what true love and tenacity look like, from the difficult infertile years to the miracle of having six children. They have remained united and managed to make it work despite all the difficulties.
Their house is now a hive of love, laughter, and the mayhem that accompanies having a large family. Their story serves as a lovely reminder that the greatest moments in life frequently arise from the unexpected, regardless of how difficult things get.
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