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| Sextuplets delivered in Belfast | Sextuplets delivered in Belfast |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A woman has given birth to six babies at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in Belfast. | A woman has given birth to six babies at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in Belfast. |
| They are four girls and two boys, weighing between 1lb 7oz and 2lb 2oz. The mother conceived the babies naturally, without the aid of IVF. | They are four girls and two boys, weighing between 1lb 7oz and 2lb 2oz. The mother conceived the babies naturally, without the aid of IVF. |
| The babies were delivered by caesarian section and were 14 weeks premature. | The babies were delivered by caesarian section and were 14 weeks premature. |
| The babies' parents have requested that the family's privacy is respected and they will not be available for photographs. | The babies' parents have requested that the family's privacy is respected and they will not be available for photographs. |
| Thirty medical staff were involved in the deliveries which took place by between 1119 and 1124 BST on Friday. | Thirty medical staff were involved in the deliveries which took place by between 1119 and 1124 BST on Friday. |
| This is both a happy time and a potentially difficult time Clifford Mayes Neonatal consultant | |
| The team was led by neonatal consultant Clifford Mayes. | The team was led by neonatal consultant Clifford Mayes. |
| Mr Mayes said the six babies were in intensive care and doing as well as could be expected after being born 14 weeks early. | Mr Mayes said the six babies were in intensive care and doing as well as could be expected after being born 14 weeks early. |
| "This is both a happy time and a potentially difficult time," he said. | "This is both a happy time and a potentially difficult time," he said. |
| "It is an extraordinary thing to have witnessed but you are also struck by the fact that there are little babies in intensive care." | "It is an extraordinary thing to have witnessed but you are also struck by the fact that there are little babies in intensive care." |
| He added that there had been weeks of preparation including technical experts from across Northern Ireland. | He added that there had been weeks of preparation including technical experts from across Northern Ireland. |
| "We have planned very carefully for today and it went as well as we had hoped it would." | "We have planned very carefully for today and it went as well as we had hoped it would." |
| 'Emotional time' | 'Emotional time' |
| Midwifery sister Patricia Denvir said the birth had gone "very well". | Midwifery sister Patricia Denvir said the birth had gone "very well". |
| "The mother was very composed - under a very stressful situation, both parents were very composed and they dealt with it very well," she said. | "The mother was very composed - under a very stressful situation, both parents were very composed and they dealt with it very well," she said. |
| "It is a very emotional time but it's also very stressful for all concerned." | "It is a very emotional time but it's also very stressful for all concerned." |
| A hospital spokesperson said they had contingency plans in place for such a rare event, and were working with colleagues across Northern Ireland to ensure they could cope with the extra demand placed on resources. | A hospital spokesperson said they had contingency plans in place for such a rare event, and were working with colleagues across Northern Ireland to ensure they could cope with the extra demand placed on resources. |
| The Walton sextuplets were born in Liverpool in 1983 | |
| Previously the largest multiple birth in Northern Ireland was quintuplets born in 2002. | Previously the largest multiple birth in Northern Ireland was quintuplets born in 2002. |
| The birth of sextuplets is rare across the world, occurring in about one out of 4.5 million pregnancies. | The birth of sextuplets is rare across the world, occurring in about one out of 4.5 million pregnancies. |
| It was the first recorded birth of sextuplets on the island of Ireland, and the first in the UK since 1993. | It was the first recorded birth of sextuplets on the island of Ireland, and the first in the UK since 1993. |
| The best known in the UK are the Waltons, born in Liverpool in 1983. | |
| Now aged 25, four of them are still living with their parents in Wallasey, Merseyside. | |
| Their father, Graham, 58, advised the parents in Belfast to "enjoy every minute". | |
| "I would never offer anyone advice on how to raise their children, but as a father of sextuplets, I can say a sense of humour is vital," he said. | |
| "All I can say to them is that there will be lots of tears, as with any family, but there will also be lots of fun and special times ahead." |