Mom shares busy life with 5 kids under three

By Amy Reast via SWNS

A mom of quadruplets who has five children under three told of their busy family life - which sees her change THIRTY nappies and do four loads of laundry every day.

Raquel Tolver, 33, was shocked after falling pregnant with quadruplets in October 2022.

The quads - Bryson, Amaya, Royce and Denzel - were born at 26 weeks on March 23, 2023, and they all spent several months in the NICU at Tampa General Hospital, Florida, before growing strong enough to come home.

But with the four babies, now 10 months old, plus toddler Dreyson, there are no days off for stay-at-home-mom Raquel.

Her husband Darius works full time in IT so each day she washes 32 bottles, changes around 30 nappies and does four loads of laundry.

She said in the evenings when Dreyson gets home from nursery and it's feeding and bed time for the babies, the house becomes "chaos" but she wouldn't have it any other way.

Raquel, from Tampa, Florida, said: "I don't get much help because we don't have a lot of family.

"With the babies, I line them all up and change them all at the same time, and feed them lined up too.

"I only recently took out all five kids together on my own for the first time - it was a lot of work."

Raquel found out she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition which affects how the ovaries work - in 2019 when trying to conceive Dreyson, who was born in July 2020.

She was told she had just a 10 percent chance of falling pregnant again after doctors informed her of a cyst blocking her ovary in September 2022.

But after 18 months of trying she was delighted when she learned she'd been able to conceive - but "little did she know she was having quadruplets".

The full-time mom and Darius welcomed Bryson, Amaya, Royce and Denzel on March 23, 2023, weighing between 1lbs 4oz to 2lbs each.

It was 124 days before they were all home but all are now thriving at 10 months old.

Because they don't have family around them, Raquel does all the childcare in the daytimes while Darius is at work.

She said: "Most of my day-to-day tasks are feeding and changing diapers."

Luckily the little ones are already sleeping through the night between 7pm and 7am.

The morning starts at 8am with nappy changes and their first bottle feed of the day, while Darius gets toddler Dreyson ready.

Feeding time involves lining up the tots in high chairs - which can be stressful for Raquel, who says she has to "take deep breaths" to stay calm.

They continue having bottle feeds throughout the day - and nap at 11:30am.

She spends their nap time frantically washing bottles, washing clothes, tidying up and cleaning the house.

Then at 3pm, when the quads wake up, she makes up yet more bottles and changes more nappies, before setting them up for playtime on a mat on the floor.

But Raquel said things get the most hectic at 4.30pm, when it's time to start dinnertime after Dreyson comes home from daycare with Darius.

She said: "My house becomes chaos, it gets crazy!

"Trying to do activities with my oldest and keeping the quadruplets entertained.

"Around 6pm is the most chaotic, feeding all five kids, and sorting out the bottles for the quads.

"We have to deal with daily tantrums from our three-year-old as well - but I still have to make time to teach him right from wrong.

"Sometimes I'm already tired from a day of looking after the quads, but I still have to be there for him and be a present mother.

"He isn't to blame for my long day with the quads."

After all five children are put to bed, "the real work starts" for Raquel - who does up to four loads of washing a day.

She also washes 32 bottles and changes at least 30 nappies each day.

If they need to go out together, the couple has to take two double strollers, or put them all in one large 'wagon' they can sit in.

The family have a seven-seater SUV that fits five bulky car seats for all their little ones.

She said: "People ask if all my babies cry at the same time - and they do.

"I just have to take a deep breath, remind myself to stay calm and not panic, and take care of one at a time.

"There's only one of me, I cant hold all four babies, so I have to breathe and remind myself I can do it.

"I have to calm them down one by one until they're all settled, but I can tell you its not fun!

"It's stressful having four screaming babies out with you."

Raquel said as the babies start to become more mobile she is considering hiring help around the house to make sure she still gets to spend quality time with them all.

But despite the crazy workload and endless chores, Raquel said having her busy household is "a true blessing".

She said: "Our older son didn't love having so many babies at first - he suddenly had four siblings he never asked for.

"But he loves them now, he asks them for morning hugs and kisses and has memorized their names.

"Dreyson is going to be the boss of them all - but Amaya will get away with everything anyway because she's daddy's girl.

"It's been great to see their personalities start to come out - especially because when they were born the odds weren't in their favor.

"Having five under three was never planned and it is a lot but we manage it.

"It has been a true blessing to have five growing healthy children."