Meyers quintuplets begin journey home after NICU care

Meyers quintuplets begin journey home after NICU care

Published on Monday, September 30, 2024

By: Annie Oeth, [email protected]

Photos By: Joe Ellis and Melanie Thortis/ UMMC Communications

Laurel has four new residents, as three of the Meyers quintuplets, Allie Ray, Nova Mae, and Franklin Walker, left neonatal intensive care at the University of Mississippi Medical Center last week for home.

Their sister, Saylor Kate, the smallest of the five, has been home with parents Ashley and Tyler Meyers and older sisters, Paisleigh, 3, and Westlynn, 2, since Sept. 10.

Carter James, second born of the quintuplets, is still in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower at Children's of Mississippi, the state's only children's hospital.

"We're looking forward to the day when all our babies are home," said Tyler Meyers, who brought home Allie Ray and Nova Mae Sept. 25. Ashley Meyers, her mother, Sheila Hutchins, and Saylor Kate brought home Franklin Walker Sept. 24.

Mom Ashley agreed. "Having them home has been absolutely amazing, and they're all thriving. I always pictured us with a house full of kids running around, now we get that dream."

Saylor is sleeping all night, and Franklin, Allie Ray and Nova Mae have adjusted to life at home well, Tyler said.

The quintuplets were born by cesarian section July 5 at Wiser Hospital for Women and Infants after prenatal care at UMMC's Center for Maternal and Fetal Care. The team of experts caring for mother and babies included about 30 specialists in neonatology and neonatal nursing in addition to specialists in obstetrics, hematology, respiratory therapy, anesthesiology and surgery.

Franklin Walker was born first at 1:23 p.m., weighing 1 pound, 14.7 ounces, and 13.6 inches long. Then came Carter James at 1:26 p.m., weighing 2 pounds, 0.8 ounces, and 14.6 inches long. Saylor Kate was the first of the girls, born at 1:28 p.m., weighing 1 pound, 11.9 ounces, and 13.8 inches long. Allie Ray was born at 1:30 p.m., weighing 1 pound, 12.6 ounces, and 12.99 inches long. Nova Mae was born fifth at 1:31 p.m. at 1 pound, 13.6 ounces and 13.8 inches long.

The babies started life with Children's of Mississippi neonatal intensive care, first at Wiser and then, as they grew, at the Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower.

Saylor now weighs 5 pounds. Franklin Walker tips the scales at 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and Carter James weighs 7 pounds, 1.4 ounces. Allie Ray now weighs 6 pounds, and Nova Mae weighs 6 pounds, 8 ounces.

"I am so excited and happy for this family," said Dr. Rachael Morris, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and Ashley Meyers' OBGYN. "I am thankful for the health of each of their babies and looking forward to seeing these babies grow and develop."

Dr. Mobolaji Famuyide, professor of neonatology and chief of the Division of Newborn Medicine, said walking the NICU journey with babies' families "is always an honor."

"The Meyers family have been awesome partners," she said. "Our Newborn Medicine outpatient team in the developmental follow-up clinic will continue to follow their neurodevelopment, and we look forward to seeing them continue to thrive."

Dr. Jimikumar Patel, assistant professor of neonatology, said all the Division of Newborn Medicine team members are happy to see the babies doing so well.

"We are immensely proud to send all of them home in good health," he said. "I feel incredibly grateful to see the happiness and joy on Ashley and Tyler's faces as they took home Saylor, Franklin, Nova and Allie."

The babies' moves aren't without a few tears, though. "This is bittersweet because we're happy to see the babies growing up and going home, but we're going to miss everyone at UMMC at Wiser and in the NICUs," Ashley Meyers said. "They are family."