Christmas joy as Laikipia mother gives birth to quadruplets

Salome Wangechi, a first-time mother after four years of trying and waiting, delivered quadruplets, a baby for each year she had tried to conceive in vain.

The young mother, aged 32 years from Karuga village in Laikipia county has four reasons to celebrate this Christmas after she gave birth to quadruplets at the Nyahururu County and referral hospital.

She rushed to the hospital after developing labour pains and was whisked to the theater where she delivered to the quadruplets weighing 1.6 kg, 1.5kg, 1.3kg and 1.0 kg.

“I was expecting just one, but God gave me four and for that I thank him,” said a jovial Wangechi.

“We haven’t named them yet, we’ll get to that later on,” she added.

She recounted how she had been longing to have a baby adding that she is now ready to give proper parental care to the young infants.

Salome also called on well-wishers to also come to her aid to enable her take good care of them especially at this stage as she is just a small-scale business operator.

Her husband William Mbugua also shed tears of joy after learning of the news saying it was God responding to their persistent prayers.

“Children are a gift from God. We are happy and ask anyone willing to help us in any way such as provision of milk for these babies because they cannot suckle from their mother’s breasts,” said William.

The small-scale farmer at Karuga village in the outskirts of Nyahururu town added that he was also ready for the new task to ensure the kids are given the necessary attention they deserve.

According to the Nursing Officer in Charge Ms. Beth Njeri Kibera, the infants were in stable conditions and would be joining their mother soon as they are able to adapt to the new environment.

She also added that the mother had been diagnosed earlier and, therefore, it was easier for them as they whisked her into the theatre soon as she was brought in and “within an hour we were able to come out with four live babies.”

Beth also highlighted a few challenges the hospital were facing such as lack of proper infrastructure and adequate human resource as they are understaffed.