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Surprise octuplets attracting generosity despite parents' seclusion

By MARK BABINECK

Associated Press

HOUSTON -- Unlike in Carlisle, Iowa, where a happy public conspiracy of silence and then a media crush preceded the births of the McCaughey septuplets, few outside the Texas Medical Center in Houston knew history was in the making while Nkem Chukwu was pregnant with octuplets.

In the McCaugheys' case, the news coverage helped launch an avalanche of gifts and help, including a van and a new house.

Chukwu, 27, has continued to insist on her privacy after delivering octuplets this month -- one came Dec. 8, the rest Sunday. There have been no published pictures of the babies and only grainy home-video images of Ms. Chukwu, taken before her recent ordeal.

But on Tuesday, her husband, 41-year-old respiratory therapist Iyke Louis Udobi, finally released a short statement through the hospital.

"Our family is very excited and grateful to God. We are very appreciative of the worldwide support over the past few days, particularly the prayers and spiritual connection at this special time of the year," he said.

Udobi thanked the staff at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, where his wife delivered the babies, and Texas Children's Hospital, where they were in critical condition.

"As you can imagine, while we are overwhelmed, all of our concerns at this time are Nkem and the babies," he added.

Neighbors said they had no idea Chukwu was about to deliver eight babies, but several predicted the community would rise to the occasion.

"I hope the people will help out. I'll sure do everything I can to help," said next-door neighbor Jorge Dumantay.

"I'm sure they'll get plenty of help. People in this country are very kind," added Nick Prado.

The family's shyness hasn't prevented a steady stream of donations.

"We've gotten a lot of calls and we're trying to set up with the family a bank account (to handle donations)," said Marianne Dwyer, assistant director of philanthropy at St. Luke's.

An anonymous donor already has chipped in for a lifetime diaper supply, beating Houston-based Drypers Corp. to the punch. But Drypers will provide as many baby wipes and training pants as the octuplets need.

The Bellini baby goods chain is donating eight cribs; a local automotive repair shop has offered lifetime tires and oil changes. The family will even get home-address markers that can be easily seen from the street in case of emergency, courtesy of another local firm.

Meanwhile, the conditions of the babies, who have yet to be named, remained mostly unchanged from Sunday. Echocardiograms showed what Dr. Leonard Weisman called a "minor" heart anomaly in one, which he said can be repaired with medication.

The daughter born Dec. 8 was 15 weeks premature. Her two brothers and five sisters who followed by Caesarian section early Sunday morning were born 13 weeks early. The smallest was a girl weighing 10.3 ounces, who could become the tiniest infant ever to survive at Texas Children's Hospital, Weisman said.

All but the 2-week-old girl remained on ventilators Tuesday.

"We're certainly concerned about the smallest baby," Weisman said, adding that all eight are moving, reacting to light and sound, and doing as well as can be expected.

A team of 25 doctors, nurses, therapists and others are caring for the octuplets around the clock. Four nurses are monitoring them at all times.

"The goal is to minimize stress on these kids and optimize their environment," Weisman said.

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