Saturday 5 May 2007

4 all you mothers

me: so have you heard of a blog?
Shabnum: a what?
me: a blog, you can publish your thoughts, and experiences and stuff. i thought i could interview you for it, because you have such an interesting life.
shabnum: oh! well, ok then.

being a mother must be the hardest thing in the whole world, which is why there is so much worth attached to it, and so much reward

but just imagine how you would feel if you had

not one baby.......




not two......




not three......



but four!



(from left to right- Maheen, Zareen, Haider and Zayan)

well, let's find out how Shabnum does cope with her four little miracles.


how did you feel when you first found out you were having quadruplets?


i thought they were joking! i saw three cyst like things on the scan, and then the nurse said i don't think they are cysts, i think you are having triplets! i just laughed at this, but then she called the specialist in, and of course you can't argue with a specialist. he confirmed i was having four babies!

what was your husband's reaction?

he went straight outside and started calling everyone, including people from Pakistan! leaving me all alone for the rest of the scan!


what is the best thing about it


knowing that my eldest daughter (we thought she wouldn't have any brothers and sisters) now had plenty of compnay!

what was the worst?

i was so worried about how they were all going to fit inside me!

do you have any help?

the nurses came a few times to make sure everything was ok, but they don't anymore. volunteers come to help occassionally and i have plenty of enxtended family to help me out.

what about your husband?

he goes to work before they are awake, and comes home just in time to kiss them goodnight!

how do you cope with them all when you are out and about?

i never take them all out together, as it is too difficult. the only time i do it is when they have doctor's appointment and it is easier to do it all together. then,we have to set off extra early to make sure we get there on time, especially as we keep getting stopped on the street with people wanting to see inside the prams and take pictures on their mobile phones!


describe your daily routine


when they first came back from the hospital, the nurses had already put them into a routine and warned me they needed to stay in the same routine. within the first week, they were out of the routine and all sleeping and eating at different times, so it was so hectic. then the nurses came back and from then i make sure they stay in the same routine.
they get up around 7 and play in their cots, talking to each other for a while. i then bring them down and feed them one by one while the others play nearby. they have a nap around 1 and have lunch and change, and sleep again! i usually do all the housework and chores while they are asleep. around 7 o clock i put them all to bed. i can't cradle them all to sleep so just leave them to sleep by themselves. they whinge a bit at first, but they are used to it now. they all sleep through the night. i then finally have some "me" time until 10 to watch all my favourite shows!

have they all got distinct personalities?
yes. haider is the dominant one and a bit of a bully. he is the only one who is crawling! Zayan is very senstitive and the exact opposite of his brother, but sounds like a man when he cries! Maheen likes her food and is happiest when she is eating.her identical twin sister is a lot thinner then she is, but she has been ill recently.

do you have a favourite?

no! they are all special in their own way

what are you looking forward to the most?


them developing their own personalities as they are already starting to show



what are you least looking forward to?


when they all start crawling and wanting to come to me all at the same time!

i had to leave it there, as it was bedtime (for the babies i mean, not for me). i wish i had taken pictures of their little nursery, it was so cute, with four identical little cots. we then decided to leave, as Shabnum had both her hands full with nappies and changing clothes etc. afterwards, she phoned my sister in law (shabnum is one of my sister in law's best friends) and apologised for not being a very good hostess! you would have had to be there to understand how bizzare that statement sounded. subhanAllah, i felt dizzy just watching her multitask and still have time to chat with us with a smile on her face. i guess Allah gives you the patience when you require it, but it was realy a humbling experience and a lesson in good motherhood.

Ya Rabb, bless this humble family with success in this life and the next, and grant Your four beautiful miracles with all the joy and happiness that is good for them. Ameen, Ameen, Ameen and Ameen!

12 comments:

iMuslim said...

Dude... four babies? HOW DOES SHE COPE?!

Subhanallah, aren't they just the cutest though? ~broody feelings~

Are they 'natural' quads, or was it from IVF?

hema said...

ooh good question, i forgot to mention, they were natural and she had a c section (in case anyone was wondering!)

Min babys vej til verden... said...

WEEE... (me being exited-lol)
did you really write that you wanna have kids?? this call for celebration. :o)
so for sure i'll be your sitter then.. ?!

what a gift, four little ones..and wow.. i could not even begin to imagine the hectical life she must have. my cousin who has twin boys is having a tuff time, and thats "just" two..
mash'Allah they are so adorable.

salaams xxx

hema said...

"did you really write that you wanna have kids??"
sssh sam, i told you i have a reputation to uphold in that department! i have got tid of the "offending" comment, thank you for pointing it out! he he

hope you had fun getting up for owkr today, mu ha ha h

Atypical said...

aaawwww i just wanna squeeeze their lil cheeks...... it would be so good having quadruplets...you'd be over and done with it all in one go lol talking about babies i don't know whether baba told you but Harris has got a lil brother born on friday he's adorable too!! abit boring but cute all the same

Organica said...

LOL. MashAllah.

YMiss said...

awwwwwwwww they are soooo cute mashallah!!
wow 4... FOUR!! I thought having one was enough! aww wish my new baby neice had someone else to!
They bring so much joy its unbelivable!
I want some too

hema said...

i'm sure harris's little bother is just a adorbale as he is, and ymiss.. let's just hope your neice doesn't look like you
(what's wrong with me? i try to be nice about babies as i've been told so many times that it's a no go area fro jokes, but i can't seem to do it! at least you guys aren't the mothers, so it doesn't count right?

YMiss said...

hema we've had this convo before and where being mean can lead to....i'm not impressed hema lema!

iMuslim said...

hema lema... that's cute, mashallah. :)

hema said...

cute? don't encourage her! although it is batter than "heema keema" (that's actually how you pronounce it) which is what i used to get called when i was younger:(

ymiss- i pray your neice continues to bring joy into your lives and may Allah protect her from all harm.

Anonymous said...

awwww that is so cute well i have a set or quads myself two boys and two girls alanna, savanna, karell and kemarr they are adoreable but mischeviouswell congrates on your set of 4 lol :)