Revisiting the Dilley Sextuplets
B E R N E, Ind., May 15 -- For Keith and Becki Dilley, the days of dealing with six crying babies and many more dirty diapers are long gone. But their six kids, almost 9-years-old and now in the second grade, are presenting plenty of new challenges.
While the six Dilley children — America's first surviving sextuplets — have developmental experts watching over them to see how multiples grow, they are also typical second-graders. The four boys and two girls have been split up to have separate bathrooms, where Claire now does her nails, Adrian sprays his cologne and Quinn puts each hair in place with hair gel (even down to his forehead).
Diane Sawyer revisits the sextuplets she has watched every few months since the moment they were born. Adrian, Brenna, Claire, Julian, Quinn and Ian will turn 9 on May 25.
Infants, Toddlers … Individuals
Keith and Becki Dilley spent six years trying to get pregnant before turning to fertility drugs for help. Then in the fall of 1992, Becki was told to expect five babies and a dangerous pregnancy.
Becki was soon so big she couldn't fit into the shower. Doctors actually tied her uterus closed to keep the babies in. In May 1993, when she was only seven months pregnant, 30 doctors and nurses began a Caesarean section to deliver the babies. Out they came: five 2-pound babies, two girls and three boys. But the obstetrician discovered another tiny foot: A sixth baby had been hiding out behind his mother's spleen.
Though Keith and Becki were overjoyed, they were also overwhelmed. There were 30,000 bottles, 13,000 baths, 7,000 loads of laundry, 20,000 diapers — and no nannies or day care. In the first year, Becki went back to work as a nurse, while Keith stayed home full time with the kids.
They grew from infants to toddlers, and in 1999, Primetime got their first day of kindergarten on camera. (The kids were fine; but for Keith and Becki it was an emotional experience.)
Six Self-Portraits
Now, they're almost through with the second grade, and the "six pack" has evolved into six different people. They're finally ready to speak for themselves and paint their own portraits of who they are.
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