Ashley Crandall and her husband, Lance, had been struggling with infertility issues for almost four years.
Ashley was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome while Lance had low sperm motility, which made it challenging for them to get pregnant.
They were very blessed that they were able to get pregnant right away with their first child, Isla, who is now five years old.
But it has been a struggle since then.
“There was a point where I thought we were never going to be able to give Isla a sibling and I was devastated. I always wanted a big family,” Crandell told TODAY Parents. “I tried to stay positive, but at certain points, I was like, ‘OK. This just isn’t going to happen. Our bodies aren’t working.”
Ashley and Lance wanted to have a big family but it seemed like it was going to be a dream that wasn’t going to happen.
“We’re getting older. And so you know, it wasn’t going to be much longer that we were able to keep trying for kids,” Ashley confessed.
Now the idea of in vitro fertilization was presented to them but they weren’t sure if they wanted to proceed with that procedure.
But there was another procedure that they could try.
It’s called Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).
“Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment where sperm are placed directly into a woman’s uterus. During natural conception, sperm have to travel from the vagina through the cervix, into the uterus, and up to the fallopian tubes. With IUI, sperm are “washed” and concentrated, and also placed directly into the uterus, which puts them closer to the egg,” healthline explained. “This process can increase the likelihood of pregnancy in certain couples who have had difficulty getting pregnant.”
Ashley was convinced it wasn’t going to work until six weeks later. She had an ultrasound and saw the presence of a baby in her womb.
And it wasn’t just one baby, too.
“The tech put up four pictures and labeled it baby 1, baby 2, baby 3, and baby 4,” Ashley recalled. “And my first question was, ‘is that four pictures of one baby?'”
From one child, they now have five children because Ashley was pregnant with quadruplets!
“We wanted to have five kids or four kids or three kids. You know, I think that was always the plan. Just not like this,” Lance said.
But even if they weren’t prepared (they’re going to need a bigger house), they are so grateful for the multiple blessings.
“Everything happens for a reason. And obviously, this is the route we were meant to take,” Ashley shared.
And because Ashley gave birth 9 weeks earlier, the quadruplets, Wesley, Emma, Leah, and Nora had to spend 10 weeks at NICU of the Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Nicknamed the #CrandellQuads, the medical staff at St. Joseph took care of these four babies so they can learn how to eat and breathe on their own.
The Crandell Quads were born on February 11, 2022. And in mid-April, Ashley and Lance brought home their four babies to raise with their older sister, Isla.
Would you like to meet the Crandell Quads? Watch the video below.
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