After eight years of trying to conceive, Ashley and Tyson Gardner would have been happy leaving the hospital with one infant son or daughter. Now, the American Fork, Utah, couple is celebrating their first few nights at home with not one but four newborn girls, conceived last summer with the help of IVF treatments.
Doctors placed the odds of a successful pregnancy with one baby at less than 40 percent for Ashley, who had been diagnosed with endometriosis. Last July 23, Ashley learned that she was pregnant with two sets of identical twins – a one-in-a-million chance according to her fertility specialist.
Later this year, TLC plans to document the family’s experiences as part of an upcoming show on first-time parents.
Now Ashley and Tyson are spending sleepless nights at home with Indie, Esme, Scarlett and Evangeline for the first time since the babies were born.
“It’s so wonderful to start our lives together and have all of us under the same roof,” says Ashley. The couple went back and forth to Utah Valley Medical Center’s newborn intensive care unit until the babies were released over the last several weeks – they went home one at a time as they gained weight. “I feel like everything has been on hold for so long,” Ashley says. “Finally, we feel like a real family.”
Tired But Happy
With Ashley, 27, taking the day shift for feedings and diaper changes and Tyson, 33, handling things at night, “things are going great so far,” she says. “We’re tired, sure, but we’re absolutely happy. Once we get the babies on the same feeding schedule, we’ll be able to catch up on our sleep.”
Before the babies were delivered by C-section, he and Ashley moved from their two-bedroom apartment into a four-bedroom, rented townhouse. They outfitted two nurseries for each set of twins: Indie and Esme’s room is decorated in a baby elephant theme while Scarlett and Evangeline’s room has an owl and songbird motif.
“We used a lot of creams and grays, with pops of turquoise, baby pink and yellow,” says Tyson. “And of course we have four of everything: four cribs, four dressers and lots of diapers. We’ll have to get used to buying everything in multiple from now on.”
