‘It all happened so fast’: Couple welcomes rare set of quadruplets, hospital’s first in 25 years

DULUTH, Minn. (KBJR/Gray News) - History was made in Minnesota as quadruplets were born in a Duluth hospital for the first time since 1999.

In the span of three minutes, the Gidleys welcomed babies Roselia Jo, Lillete Lynn, Miller Jon and Icelynn Gidley.

The babies were all born between 6:37 and 6:39 a.m. on July 28 at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center to mother BobbiJean Gidley.

“It all happened so fast and we ended up having to drive from my parents house in Grand Rapids to Duluth at 12:30 in the morning on Monday and then by 6:40 all the babies were out and your life’s changed for forever so just getting use to the new normal,” BobbiJea Gidley said.

The babies’ other mother, Gabby Gidley, said she was shocked when she learned she and BobbiJean would be bringing not just one but four newborns to their home in Superior.

“The ultrasound tech, he was just this young guy and he goes, ‘Oh I don’t want to scare you but there’s actually four,’” Gabby Gidley said.

The Gidleys’ routine appointment became anything but ordinary as preparation for the Gidley quartet began immediately.

Hospital staff said preparations began immediately when Essentia found out it would be delivering quadruplets for the first time in 25 years.

“My first thought was, ‘OK, let’s do this. We’ve got some planning to do,’” maternal child health nurse manager Micah Alton said.

Alton said he thanked the more than 25 health care workers, some of whom came in on their days off to make sure the birth went smoothly.

“What we did is a sign-up sheet,” Alton said. “People, if it happened on a certain scheduled day, people that would be willing to come in above their scheduling needs, and other people that were essentially, ‘Call me day or night and I’ll come in and answer the call of duty,’” Alton said.

Alton said he is proud of the staff for handling the difficult situation so well.

The four babies are still in the NICU for their safety, but the Gidleys hope to welcome them all home sometime this fall.

“We’re just counting down the days and getting our house prepared and clean for when the babies do come home,” Gabby Gidley said.

Making this birth even more miraculous, all four of the babies had their own placenta, making this birth truly one in a million.