A Rare Pregnancy
A couple from New Jersey has beaten the odds and welcomed quadruplets, all conceived naturally. Aja Kennon and her fiancé Emmanuel Volmar recently became one of the few people in the world to experience such an extraordinary pregnancy.
The Unexpected News
Kennon and Volmar were thrilled to expand their family, which already included an 8-year-old son, EJ, when they found out she was pregnant. She assumed it could be twins because her stomach had grown so big, but she was surprised when she saw three heads in the sonogram. However, it was a quartet with different heads that confirmed a rare event with chances of occurring between 1 in 700,000 and 1 in 1 million.
The Delivery
The delivery on July 1 was an extraordinary event that involved more than 20 medical specialists, with each baby having its own medical team at the Coopman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey. Kennon gave birth to a healthy baby after the other, each about a minute apart, from 10:59 a.m. The miracle babies were immediately brought home, safe and sound.
The Quadruplets
The boys – EAN, Evan, and Eamon – share the same first initial "e" with their father, while the girl, Alayha, shares an "A" with her mother. Since twins ran in both their families, it should not have been a complete surprise, but learning about the quadruplets on April Fool’s Day made it hard for people to believe them at first.
A Smooth Pregnancy
Perhaps even more shocking, Kennon had no complications during her high-risk pregnancy. Up to seven months into her pregnancy, she even worked full-time as a USPS mailwoman and believes that this helped. "I was surprised how easy the pregnancy was, to be honest," said Kennon, adding that her first pregnancy was a little more difficult.
Adapting to the New Reality
Despite the overwhelming nature of raising four newborns, the couple remains amazingly calm. "When we found out we had four, we immediately got the ball rolling. From the moment we found out, we were just, ‘Okay, let’s put on a show,’" said Kennon. The couple is now facing a whirlwind of joy and uncertainty as they begin to raise the newborns together with their elementary school-aged son.
Support and Community
Fortunately, thanks to their preliminary planning and support system from Volmar, they have jumped into having five children very easily. The community has gathered around them, with mom Facebook groups from the New Jersey area flooding the comments section of articles sharing the news. A woman with whom Kennon had not spoken since high school even reached out to coordinate a meal train to help.
Financial Support
To help with the financial burden, the family has started a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses, transportation, and the costs associated with raising the quadruplets. Their community has rallied around them, and they have received an outpouring of support, including donated supplies, such as diapers and towels. According to estimates, they will probably spend around $4,000 a year alone on diapers.
