Madison and Justin Collier were preparing their home to welcome what they thought would be their second and final addition to their metro Atlanta family when they found out that they’d have to make more room than expected.
Madison Collier went to the doctor for a regular checkup without her husband and got some news she wouldn’t have guessed in a million years: she was pregnant with four babies, not one.
Collier's first clue that something was unusual was when the doctor asked if she was on any fertility drugs. She wasn't. Collier's husband, Justin, had stayed home because he was dealing with allergies. So Collier was alone at the appointment, and her mind started racing.
“I immediately assumed twins, and he said, ‘No, not twins,’” she said. “At this point, I am literally thinking to myself, ‘Do they come in more than that?’”
After learning she would be having quadruplets, she called her husband to tell him the news. When he found out they’d be getting four bundles of joy, Justin Collier had to lie down on the floor.
There are only about 150 sets of quadruplets and higher-order multiples born in the United States each year. Most often, they happen when a parent has been using assisted reproduction. Collier wasn't being treated for infertility, and she and Justin have no family history of multiples.
A few minutes later, the Colliers’ 4-year-old daughter, Isla, overheard their conversation and asked what had happened. Her response? “Do we have a plan for four babies?” The couple laughed and told her they didn’t.
Carrying four babies increases the risk for complications to both mother and babies. One of the most common complications is preterm birth. Collier experienced that when the quads were delivered at about 28 weeks of gestation. The babies' weight ranged from 2 pounds and 5 ounces to 2 pounds and 10 ounces, and they needed to stay in the neonatal intensive-care unit.
Fast forward several months later and all four babies and mom are healthy and thriving. The Colliers welcomed two boys and two girls: Calloway, Eliza, Iris and Wilder.
“The babies came a little earlier than expected, but the teams at Northside [Hospital] were right there to help us and encourage us the whole way,” Madison Collier said.
If you ever find yourself expecting multiple babies at once, the only advice Justin Collier has for you is, “Prepare as much as you can, and then board the roller coaster and hold on for dear life.”
