Updated 8.00pm
THE NEONATAL UNIT at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) has been particularly busy in recent weeks, with the arrival of quadruplets, triplets and twins in quick succession.
In a statement released today, the hospital said it is the first time the unit has cared for sets of quads, triplets and twins at the same time.
Lisa Fenton from Caherconlish made history on 5 October when she gave birth to the first set of quadruplets born in Limerick in 50 years.
Other quads from the midwest born in the intervening years had been delivered in Dublin-based maternity units.
Babies Alexander, Ashley, Maxwell and Kayla are the first children born to Lisa and her partner Wayne Downey and were delivered by Professor Amanda Cotter and her team. The hospital said the quads “have been doing very well” in the neonatal unit.
Triplets Dáire, Liam and Aisling Cussen were born on 27 October to parents Olive and William and will soon be strong enough to go home to Raheen, Limerick.
Twins Ashton and Leo Mulcahy were born on 13 October to mum Lydia O’Doherty and dad Calum Mulcahy from Annacotty, who praised staff at the city’s maternity hospital neonatal unit for heroically nursing their newborns back to health.
Ashton and Leo, who weighed just over 5lbs between them, were rushed to intensive care following an emergency C section, having been born 10 weeks premature.
A further 12 ‘singletons’ are also being looked after in the neonatal unit.
PJ Corbett recently photographed the quads, triplets, twins and baby Maggie Roche from Charleville, county Cork, born to mum Mairead and dad Kieran on 26 October.
4,700 births a year
There are about 4,700 births at UMHL annually. The neonatal unit there is one of the busiest such specialised units in the country, with close to 700 admissions every year. It has 19 cots, but often caters for more babies.
The unit provides neonatal intensive care, high dependency and special care to premature and sick babies, from 23 weeks of gestation onwards.
We have had the pleasure of looking after quadruplets, triplets, twins and singletons in the neonatal units at various times over the years but not, as far as any of us are aware, all at the same time in Limerick.
“It is a special occasion for all of the team working here and it is a time of great joy for us as well as their parents,” consultant neonatologist Dr Roy Philip said.
Clinical nurse manager Marie Carroll said of the babies in the photo: “Christmas has come early for some families this year. All 10 of them are doing well and should hopefully be back at home with their families before December 25th.”
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