A lesbian couple’s wishes were answered this year, just in time for Christmas.
Liz and Nadia Harris got married in Connecticut four and a half years ago. It was always their dream to start a family.
Being a same-sex couple…they needed some help from a sperm donor. It didn’t prove to be easy. Nine attempts and still no babies. It wasn’t until they moved to New Orleans and they started to work with fertility doctors here that their dreams of being mothers became a reality.
Nadia decided to carry the babies using sperm from a donor in California.
“The nurse called and said, ‘you’re very pregnant’. I thought maybe twins because twins run in my family, but then the following week we went in and found out that there were five babies. I was numb at first, honestly, I wasn’t happy. I thought what are we going to do with five kids,” she said.
After the initial shock of having five babies wore off, these moms got excited.
“It’s a blessing from God. How can we be nothing but overjoyed and happy?”
In October their quintuplets were born. 4 baby boys: Dawson, Maxwell, Micah, and Joseph, and one baby girl: Elizabeth were all born at Touro Infirmary. Dr. Stacey Holman of Touro and an Assistant Professor with LSU’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology delivered the bundle of babies.
“The quintuplets delivery was the most exciting day of my career. It required a lot of planning and practice before-hand,” Dr. Holman said.
The quintuplets are certainly keeping both mothers busy. Nadia will go by “mama” and Liz will be called, “mommy”.
This will be their first Christmas as a family. Right now three out of the five babies are at home. Two of them are still at the hospital, getting stronger. All of the babies were under 2 pounds at birth.
The Harris house will be a full one. What’s the possibility of adding more to their brood?
“I wouldn’t mind having one more, but ask us in five years,” they said.
Five being their lucky number.
This is the first time in 20 years that quintuplets were born in New Orleans.
It’s the first time Touro’s delivered quintuplets.
If you would like to help donate to the family, they have an account set up at Capital One Bank under Elizabeth A. Harris.
Donations can also be sent to:
Elizabeth Harris
601 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70113