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1,2,3,4 and then there was another!
"I'm free now,” says mother of Lanka’s first quintuplets
By Renu Warnasuriya and Priyanwada Ranawaka
Happy, exhausted and anxious, 29-year-old Kumari Chamila sits on her hospital bed in Ward No. 8 of the Castle Street Hospital for Women. Five numbered tags form a bracelet around her left arm. Having given birth to the first set of quintuplets in the history of Sri Lanka on Wednesday October 6, the relieved mother sighs, "I feel so light right now!"

The first baby made her entrance at 10.36 a.m. and her siblings followed within the next two minutes. As if preparing for four babies was not nerve-racking enough, Kumari had a pleasant 'surprise' during the Caesarean, when doctors delivered a fifth baby.

"One somehow managed to hide in there," smiles Kumari adding that she still can't understand how this baby managed to escape all the scans done at different hospitals."We are optimistic that the babies and the mother will remain healthy," says Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr. Ranjith Almeida, adding that there have so far been no problems with either mother or babes. The first three babies were girls and the last two boys.

"Lots of people from other wards keep peeping into the ward to catch a glimpse of the babies," says the proud father, Nimal Piyatissa. All they see however is a tired looking Kumari, as the babies are in the Intensive Care Unit. "The entire unit is taken up by my five children," grins Nimal. Kumari herself got to see her children only a day after their birth. "She really wanted to see them but was not fit enough and the babies couldn't be brought to her," says Nimal who had only seen his children a few times when we spoke to him. The three girls look identical, he says.

The couple has not yet decided on the names for their babies. " We are waiting for an auspicious time to pick letters for their names," says Nimal.

Kumari was admitted to the Peradeniya Maternity Ward nearly two months ago and was thereafter transferred to the Jayawardenapura Hospital. "They said it would cost us around 3 lakhs to have the babies there," says Nimal adding that they did not have that kind of money. With the assistance of the hospital authorities Kumari was transferred to the Castle Street Hospital a few days before she gave birth. "Kumari was getting very nervous and crying because we had to transfer her so many times," says Nimal. "The doctors here were very supportive. They said they would look after everything and asked me just to be there for her."

Childless for five years, the couple had tried everything possible to conceive. "We even had several 'Bodhi poojas' and made vows to various temples," says Nimal. "Now we will have to hire a van and go around fulfilling the vows." The couple had approached several western and ayurvedic doctors and Kumari started on various types of medication around four years ago. "It didn't matter if it was a girl or a boy, we just wanted a child," he says adding that they spent nearly all of their savings on fertility treatment.

Kumari was pregnant for 33 weeks and 5 days and though the birth was uncomplicated, she says she went through a difficult pregnancy. "A month ago, I couldn't even walk,"she says, "I had to go around in a wheelchair." She confided that even while going into the labour room, all she could think of was her impending freedom. "I wasn't scared because I felt that I was going to be free again," she admits.

With four babies being expected, the family began preparations early. "All my brothers and sisters volunteered to make the clothes and nappies," says Kumari's mother Kanthi Weerasekera adding that they brought along lots and lots of baby clothes. "This is what God gave us, we must accept it," smiles the delighted grandmother, "I can't wait to take them all to Montessori together."

Nimal mentioned that no one else in his or Kumari's family has had twins. Kumari being an only child lives with her mother in Pilimatalawa. "We will have to hire a bus to take them all home," she says.

The eldest of four, Nimal has two young sisters. Their father is dead, so Nimal has to support them,. "I have to look after my own family as well." He has been working for the Presidential Security Division for the last ten years. "Madam (President Chandrika Kumaratunga) was very happy with the news," says Nimal adding that she had requested a special meeting with him.

The challenge of bringing up the quins, however, is a daunting one. A few months ago Nimal sent an appeal together with a doctor's recommendation to a milk powder manufacturer, but has yet to get a reply. So far two banks have approached the couple and agreed to open accounts for the children. " I really don't think we can do this alone," admits Nimal adding that they on their part started saving money ever since they discovered the babies were on the way.

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