Amy Steinhauser was your average 35-year-old woman. She had a solid career as a police-dispatch crisis intervention counselor, which allowed her to help people and feel fulfilled in her job. She owned a home, and lived her happy life as a perfectly single woman.
Amy knew she didn’t need a man to feel complete, but she did have a burning desire to be a mom.
With her biological clock ticking, Amy’s doctor suggested artificial insemination treatments and in-vitro fertilization.
After getting connected with an online support group called “Single Mothers by Choice,” Amy decided to pursue the treatments.
She started with artificial insemination, which failed several times, and led her to miscarry the one attempt that doctors believed to be successful.
Heartbroken, Amy’s dreams of becoming a mom were crushed. But there were still options. She continued to try getting pregnant—this time, with IVF.
The doctor implanted three embryos, with the hopes that one would be successful. As anyone who’s ever explored the world of IVF knows, it’s more common than not for embryos not to take.
A few weeks later, Amy returned for her follow-up visit to find out if she was pregnant.
To everyone’s surprise all three of the embryos took, and one even split. Amy’s dreams were coming true with each of the FOUR little hearts beating strong right below her heart.
Four Peas And a Mom
Of course, being pregnant came with a laundry list of complications and risks.
Doctors told Amy there was a high risk of death for herself and all four of the babies. Plus, the likelihood of all four making it out alive AND healthy were very slim.
They urged Amy to abort one or two of the babies to lower the risk for all of them, but the mother refused. She said as long and scary as the list of risks was, it “wasn’t enough to match the joy I felt when I heard those heartbeats.”
She kept all four quadruplets.
Complications began at just eight weeks, and became more severe by 12.
Four Peas And a Mom
At just 25 weeks, Amy had developed HELLP syndrome—a life threatening liver disorder, an extremely severe version of preeclampsia. Her blood pressure was dangerously high, and doctors told her she she would have to deliver.
“You’re dying and we need to take the babies,” the doctor insisted.
But Amy protested. She knew her babies were not ready.
With some more convincing, doctors rushed her into the operating room where they delivered all four babies and worked tirelessly to save Amy’s life.
Days later, the new mom was recovering as her miracle babies fought to survive. Her son, Camden, and two of his sisters, Sydney and Sadie, were the three surviving quads. The fourth baby, a little girl named Delaney, didn’t make it.
But the three remaining babies weren’t out of the woods yet. They were born extremely premature, and doctors were confident Amy wouldn’t leave the hospital with all of her children—if any.
Camden and Sadie were able to come home at six months old, while Sydney remained in the hospital for almost the entire first year of her life. But all three of those babies survived.
Four Peas And a Mom
Today, Sydney’s health conditions require round-the-clock care, but Amy’s miracle babies proved one thing to be certain: Her decision not to abort was the best decision she’s ever made.
“These kids have given meaning to my life,” Amy says. “They have taught me how precious every moment is. It’s so crystal clear to me that I was meant to be their mother.”
That includes baby Delaney. Her life mattered, no matter how short it was. She was, and still is, a blessing to Amy and her family today.
Four Peas And a Mom
Amy’s journey is one that I hope inspires others. It’s a story of a mother’s love that starts long before heartbeats are formed in the womb. Her bravery and perseverance through even the toughest of times is proof that God has greater plans for us than anything we could ever hope, dream or imagine.
