While becoming a parent can be a scary and worrying time for anyone, what is it like to raise six babies all at once? So what lies ahead when she brings her six newborns home?
Lauren Perkins said she was in "complete shock" and "overwhelmed" when she found out that she would be giving birth to sextuplets. Luckily for Lauren, her community stepped in after her family grew by six overnight.
"We would not have survived the first year without them," she says.
The Perkins sextuplets came home from the hospital one at a time, which Lauren says helped her adjust.
"The sixth baby to come home was Leah, who has previous developmental problems, and that was a bit overwhelming."
With six babies to feed, bathe and clothe, Lauren developed a tight schedule.
"I would make up bottles each night for the next 24 hours and set them in the fridge with labels on so everyone knew which baby they were for and at what time."
Because of the different nutritional needs of the sextuplets, the family were using four different types of formula milk at one point.
She also developed a shift system so that those volunteering to help could have the biggest impact.
"Friends would sign up to come and do feeding shifts in the middle of the night, they would help with giving the babies baths and doing laundry.
"We wouldn't have made it without that generosity," Lauren reflects. "They brought us dinner for an entire year!"
While the Perkins' loved ones donated their time, many also donated essential supplies.
Lauren says that her family went through "astronomically expensive" formula milk at a rapid rate, and relied heavily on second-hand clothes.
"Several friends threw baby showers and we always asked for diapers. Every birthday, we asked for diapers and clothes for the babies."
In the end, Lauren didn't have to buy nappies for the first two years, after making a concerted effort to limit the number of changes.
As the children grew, the challenges changed.
"Potty training was a complete nightmare," Lauren remembers.
"There are just so many to keep an eye on, and you have to watch them so closely when potty training. There were a few accidents, but we did it in the end!"
Lauren explains that as the sextuplets became more independent, her support system dwindled.
"As they grew up, logistics got easier. It has become a sort of controlled chaos. It's noisy, a lot of people and stuff, but it's this weird system that just works."
The Perkins sextuplets are almost aged seven now, and Lauren says she goes through the "normal phases of parenthood" like anyone else.
"It's just different because I do everything at once, which makes me glad and sad.
"I know I have to soak in all the cute kids stuff as much as possible because I'm not doing it again. I'll never get a first walk or first day at school again. It's just parenthood concentrated."
