8 Kids? Really?

Is it just me or does anyone else think this is a really creepy idea? I totally understand that parents don't want to use selective reduction to eliminate the number of embryos already implanted and that the whole point of fertility treatments is to hyper-stimulate the ovaries. Then docs implant mulitple fertilized embryos at once to increase the chances of implementation in one attempt, rather than another round of IVF, but OMG. If humans were supposed to have litters, we would have been blessed with more than two nipples. Plus these children, being born 9 weeks early, though they seem to be doing well now, are at higher risk for a whole host of developmental delays and are certain to be spending a huge amount of time (read $$$$) in the NICU. I mean, the mom hasn't even been able to see her children yet. Honestly, I think this might be one of those cases where science may have progressed further than our ability to process the consequences of our actions.

Don't get me wrong, I wish this mom and new family, the best of everything. Any life is precious and should be celebrated with joy at the new potential that has been brought into our world. I pass no judgment on her choices, because I'm not in her shoes. It will be so hard for her to bond with those children and I can only imagine the challenges they will face. I'm positive like other good parents, these parents will love and adore each child, and they will face unique difficulties and also experience immense joy and pleasure at being parents to miracle children. My comments are mostly directed at the level to which we as a nation and I suppose, western society have gone to allow as many women as possible to give birth. While this is a laudable goal, maybe not everyone was supposed to be a genetic parent. Maybe I can say this, having given birth to one child, and will be repeating the performance shortly; but this seems like to me to be about a step over that line that maybe is too far. Shouldn't we be considering the resources of the parents and family before proceeding with this? I know that Lansinoh is donating a breast pump and a year's worth of freezer bags (how do you breast-feed octuplets anyway?), and I'll bet the formula and diaper companies will step up too. But once the babies aren't so cute and cuddly anymore, what happens when these kids have to go to doctor's visits and pay ($25 a pop for a co-pay) and needs braces? Shopping for that many school clothes and that much food at wal-mart would probably exceed my annual salary in a few months. So having said all that, I repeat, I'm sure these challenges will be met by the family and the community, but I just would really like not to forget the more than 100,000 kids in the U.S. who are older than 5 and are in desperate need of forever families. No, they aren't perfect like the newborns in this hospital, and yes they come with challenges and heartaches, just like any parent knows is down the line.

I just wish our society would treat our kids in foster care and protective custody with the same level of love and admiration that we treat newborn multiple families. I wish we could see profiles of good kids in need of good homes on the news like I saw the first Octuplets who live in Chicago on the Today Show this morning. I know some fabulous, funny, talented, and troubled kids here in Clark County that need parents too!!!