Supposedly, earlier this week a woman in Pretoria, South Africa gave birth to ten children. If that is verified, she will have outdone the current Guinness World winner who last month gave birth to nine. Frankly, the thought of these multiple births boggles my mind.
Yes, I’ve birthed two daughters—but one at a time. I can vividly remember having an ultrasound and praying there was only one bun in the oven. Ye Gods! Not nine or ten! I can’t imagine trying to tend to a veritable litter of newborns. Diapers, bottles, onesies. I would have to buy a twelve-passenger, short bus to accommodate car seats. How would I grocery shop with 10 kids in a shopping cart? When would I ever sleep?
But the mere thought of trying to name 10 kids is overwhelming. Some couples choose to name each of their children with the same first letter, i.e. Charles, Candace, and Cooper. I have enough trouble trying to remember names, let alone names that start the same. So what would I name them? Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Quincy, Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler? Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia? Or would simply take a permanent Magic Marker and write a number: 1 through 10 on their foreheads?
Snopes.com is currently investigating if indeed 10 children were born to one mother. Stay tuned in for updates. In the meantime, when you can’t fall asleep, amuse yourself by contemplating the care of 10 babies!