During their journey to parenthood, a Phoenix family experienced a great deal of pain and sadness. It wasn’t easy, but they persisted in their faith and hope. They received a blessing beyond their wildest dreams, just in time for Christmas! Michael and Margaret Baudinet, like many other couples, struggled. They wanted to be parents, but faced challenge after challenge as they attempted to expand their small family.
The couple never expected their prayers for a baby to be answered abundantly, but that is exactly what happened. Their story made St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center history! Margaret had an unusual relationship with hope while trying to conceive. Because of previous incidents, she tried to keep her expectations low. She’d had two miscarriages and had learned not to get too excited about an unborn child. In her experience, whenever she got her hopes up, something bad would happen.
Thankfully, her dark period was coming to an end. When Margaret went into labor and was preparing to deliver her babies, a team of 24 doctors and nurses arrived and made history on December 4, 2016. The couple chose fertility treatments to help them, and soon after, they received shocking news from their doctor: Margaret was not only pregnant, but she was expecting five children.
They were overjoyed, but the unexpected development overwhelmed them because they knew that not all of the babies would survive. Michael revealed: “I was stunned when I found out, and I don’t think I talked for about four weeks.” The couple decided to keep all five of their children and relocated to Virginia, where multi-birth specialist Dr. John Elliott could provide the best care. He went over every detail with the couple and explained how they could have a successful pregnancy.
The couple felt prepared for the significant milestone with his assistance and that of the St. Joseph’s staff. They were overjoyed that their dream of becoming parents was almost a reality. Nonetheless, they kept their excitement to a minimum. Margaret elaborated: “I figured with five kids, one would make it. We tried really hard to keep our excitement in check until we realized we might actually have a family at the end of this.
When Margaret went into labor and was preparing to deliver her babies, a team of 24 doctors and nurses arrived and made history on December 4, 2016. Ava, Clara, Camille, Luke, and Isabelle were the hospital’s first quintuplets in its 121-year history. They were born at 32 weeks and spent some time in the NICU, but everything went surprisingly well. The medical team and parents were relieved that all of the children had survived and couldn’t believe how simple Margaret’s Cesarean section had been.
Patty White, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s, was overjoyed when the babies were successfully delivered. The quintuplets were special to them, she said, adding, “We call them our Christmas miracles.” During their stay at the facility, Santa paid them a visit and helped them get into the holiday spirit. They didn’t need much, however, to keep the love alive. They had a lot to be thankful for, and Margaret said, “It’s such a blessing.”
They had everything they could want and couldn’t wait to start a life with their five bundles of joy. The adoring mother had one final message for anyone going through a similar ordeal: “As someone who has waited, please know that God will bless you every day you wait. Joy arrives first thing in the morning. This I am certain of.” Margaret and Michael never gave up hope that their prayers would be answered.
While things weren’t always easy for the couple, and life dealt them some setbacks, they trusted God and received their miracle during a magical time of year. May their story inspire those who are waiting for their own blessing, and we wish their large family all the best and pray that God grants them many happy years together. Click here to read about another mother’s miraculous birth experience. For years, she wished to be pregnant and have a baby, unaware that a blessing beyond her wildest dreams was on the way.