A Northeast Texas couple who are parents of quintuplets born at a Dallas hospital spoke to the media Thursday calling the experience "an interesting ride."
Michelle Seals, 33, of Maud, had the four girls and one boy Tuesday afternoon at Baylor University Medical Center via cesarean section.
Steven Seals, 32, started out thanking the hospital staff of doctors and nurses for the care they've received.
"I'm doing good, I feel good, definitely sore but overall better than I was expecting," said Michelle Seals.
The first-grade teacher said she fought morning sickness for about 14 weeks and made it to Christmas break before going on bed rest at home. By the end of January, she was admitted to Baylor.
"I'm happy that we got as far as we did," said Steven Seals.
Due to trouble conceiving, the couple did turn to fertility drugs but did not use in vitro fertilization to have the babies.
The Seals said they knew early in her pregnancy they were having multiples but didn't expect five babies.
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"We were shocked, we went from two to four, and then six and one didn't make it," said Michelle Seals.
The couple shared the babies' names and weights in the order in which they were born:
Mia Danielle Seals (girl), 2 pounds, 10 ounces
Tessa Suzanne Seals (girl), 2 pounds, 14 ounces
Brant Lee Seals (boy), 3 pounds, 6 ounces
Gracie Lou Seals (girl), 2 pounds, 7 ounces
Rayleigh Ann Seals (girl), 2 pounds, 8 ounces
The babies were born at 29 weeks and one day. The hospital says all five infants are being cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit.
"They are so precious. They are tiny and I just love it. I thought I'd be scared because of all the machines and tubes, but I just love it," she said, adding: "I want to hold them so bad."
All were breathing on their own at the beginning but as they got tired they were placed on ventilators said Dr. Vijay Nama. Doctors expect all of the babies, except Mia to breathe on their own again very soon. Nama said they expect the babies to remain at Baylor for about seven more weeks.
Baylor University Medical Center said nearly two dozen physicians and nursing staff took part in the delivery and care of the babies.
The new mother said she and her husband will need the help of family and friends when they return home. But she is looking forward to finally being able to hold her babies and bring them home.
Dr. Anil Pinto, a fertility specialist at Baylor who did not treat Seals, said one of the medications Seals took increases risk of multiples by around 6 to 7 percent.
He said the other medication she was taking increases the risk of multiples by around 15 percent, but that 95 percent of those multiples are twins.
"Half a dozen is plenty for us," Michelle Seals said.
The Seals also have a 2-year-old son and said they don't plan to have any more children.
Maud is 150 miles northeast of Dallas.
