Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
WTF(Weird Trivia & Facts)  Tuesday, August 28, 2007 12:08 PM CDT
Big shower for parents expecting 6 kids
Advertisement

LUTZ, Fla. -- Parents expecting to deliver the first sextuplets on record in Florida were showered with clothing, diapers, baby wipes and gift cards.

Ben and Karoline Byler also received a year's supply of ready-made meals and baby formula, six months of in-home wellness care and a $7,000 generator for backup power at the community baby shower Saturday at Idlewild Baptist Church.

Karoline Byler, 29, is expected to deliver sextuplets - five boys and a girl - at the Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg in the next few weeks.

Karoline Byler, in the 28th week of her pregnancy, did not attend the baby shower because she is hospitalized.

"Karoline is doing very well and they're not going to let her go past 32 weeks with the delivery," said Ben Byler, 30. "Their brain development is done, their lungs are close to fully developed and we're right up on what they consider a good time for the babies at 30 weeks."

The Bylers also have a 4-year-old daughter, Zoe. They began using fertility drugs after Zoe asked for a sibling.

Two sets of sextuplets were born in June in Minnesota and Arizona, although five of the six Minnesota sextuplets died after being born about 4 1/2 months early. Sextuplets born in Alabama in 2002 started kindergarten earlier this month.

Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Reader comments on this story - 10 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

To: Ha! wrote on Aug 28, 2007 3:36 PM:

" LOL, I think you're right!! "

To To hey eric and They are wrote on Aug 28, 2007 9:49 AM:

" Who? Probably the same "god" that lets thousands of other children starve to death every day while jerks like this feel the need to have a biological child at any cost instead of adopting. Yay god. "

To hey eric and They are: wrote on Aug 28, 2007 9:29 AM:

" Who do you think gave man the ability and know how to do this? "

Bothered wrote on Aug 28, 2007 8:05 AM:

" To Oh bother, There are some people in this world that this is the only way for them to conceive and have children. Obviously you need to have a class in this so you know what you are whining about before you do it. I applaud those that want a child bad enough to do this expensive procedure. They need to fix the ones that keep having kids for the state to pay for, yes we work so I pay my taxes and they take it. My heart goes out to this family that the babies will be ok. "

They are wrote on Aug 28, 2007 5:29 AM:

" a gift from the Lord. If by "Lord" you mean "doctor with a petrie dish, a turkey baster, and a pocket full of money". "

oh brother!!! wrote on Aug 27, 2007 10:49 PM:

" I am really sick of hearing about all the multiple births conceived via fertility drugs!!! Then to have to have help for them...who took the drugs??? I don't feel sorry for them in the least...inevitably most multiple births one or several have obvious health problems...the parents are too selfish to realize that their children will have to suffer or deal with the problem for the rest of their lives. "

hey eric wrote on Aug 27, 2007 9:55 PM:

" its not a gift from the lord its a gift from science "

Eric H. wrote on Aug 27, 2007 9:30 PM:

" Behold, children are a gift from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate. Psalm 127, 3-5 "

Too Much wrote on Aug 27, 2007 5:08 PM:

" I have two kids, and that is my limit, some days even less is my limit. "

Ha! wrote on Aug 27, 2007 2:08 PM:

" I bet Zoe will soon wish she had kept her trap shut. Best wishes for all involved, though! "

Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?