Four times the joy: ‘miracle’ babies make family’s Christmas extra special

A couple left "shocked" after learning they were expecting quadruplets are now looking forward to the "best Christmas ever" with their "precious little miracle babies".

Jodie Keeley, 33, and partner Lyde Darien, 31, welcomed girls Xyliana (pronounced ‘Zy-lee-arna’), Xyla (‘Zy-la’) and Xylia (‘Zy-lee-a’), and boy Xyri (‘Zy-ree’) into the world in May.

The foursome, now six months old, were born at just 25 weeks – 15 weeks early – under the care of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s (OUH) maternity and neonatal teams at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

The tiny new arrivals, born via caesarean section, tipped the scales at a combined 2,590g (5lbs 11oz), with Xyla, the smallest, weighing 490g (1lbs 1.3oz) – the equivalent of a loaf of bread.

Naturally conceived quadruplets are exceptionally rare, with estimates putting the odds at about one in 600,000. Such pregnancies carry significant risks for both mother and babies.

After months of specialist neonatal care, Xyliana, Xyla, Xylia and Xyri were finally reunited at home in Northampton in October. While some hospital visits and monitoring are still needed, all four are "doing very well" – just in time to enjoy their first festive period together.

'Best Christmas ever!'

On finding out at her 12-week scan that she was expecting quadruplets, Jodie, a social worker, said: "We were left speechless. We didn't know how to think or feel – we couldn't talk as we were so shocked.

"With all four needing long stays in hospital, the last few months have been the biggest rollercoaster ride you simply cannot comprehend without living it.

“But now we’re now really excited for our first Christmas with Xyliana, Xyla, Xylia and Xyri. We feel so blessed and privileged – they really are our precious little miracle babies.

"We'll be staying at home this year with loads of decorations, a real tree and matching pyjamas – it's going to be the best Christmas ever!"

Lyde, the owner of a construction company with two daughters from a previous relationship, five-year-old Alaya and 10-year-old Lakiah, even knocked down a bedroom wall to make more space for the growing family.

He said: "It's difficult to explain the journey we've been on, even before the babies were born.

"Juggling life in hospital while also trying to manage my business and work was really difficult. I'm just so happy the babies are finally home, just in time for their first Christmas. 

"I'm a big lover of Christmas already, but this Christmas is going to be really special with my family."

The couple said the inspiration behind the names was wanting names that are unique, similar to each other, and have the same ending sound as Lyde's daughters' names.

Just how do they manage feeding, sleeping and nappies for four babies? Jodie said: "We honestly don’t know. We just get on with it!"

Specialist care

Due to the complexities and risks of giving birth to four babies, Jodie was referred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford – a specialist centre for maternity and neonatal care serving the Thames Valley region – following her 12-week scan.

The babies were born there and immediately transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), part of the Oxford Newborn Care Unit.

Jodie and Lyde meanwhile based themselves at the Ronald McDonald House Oxford accommodation on the hospital site so they could be near their children.

The infants stayed together for the first couple of months before gradually transferring to the family's local hospital and finally all making it home on 16 October.

More than 100 staff members from across the unit – including consultants, resident doctors, nurses, and speech and language therapists – were involved in the quartet’s care, and they were supported by colleagues from other hospital teams.

Jodie said: "We will forever be grateful for the care and support we received, and we cannot express our thanks enough.

"We hope that one day we can give back to the unit as they got us and our babies through the most challenging and scary part."

Geza Vass, a Consultant Neonatologist who was closely involved with the babies’ neonatal care, said: "Welcoming Jodie’s extremely preterm quadruplets was both exciting and challenging. While our unit has previous experience caring for quadruplet and other multiple births, this delivery still required meticulous preparation.

"Their three-month neonatal journey was filled with both highs and lows – an experience four times more complex than that of a single extremely preterm baby. We all feel extremely proud and privileged to have supported these tiny fighters and their family from the very beginning of their remarkable journey."

The family was supported during the hospital stay by the charity Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents (SSNAP), who Jodie described as "incredible and so lovely" for their day-to-day support and holistic care.

Yvonne Christley, Chief Nursing Officer at OUH, said: "Delivering quadruplets is exceptionally rare and requires meticulous planning and teamwork. Thank you to our maternity and neonatal teams, who worked tirelessly to provide the highest level of care, ensuring these babies had the best possible start in life. 

"Seeing them thrive and head home together is a wonderful moment for everyone involved – we wish the whole family all the best for the future."

OUH last cared for the birth of quadruplets in 2013. Quintuplets (five babies) were delivered at the Trust in 2007, and sextuplets (six) followed in 2010.