Hospital preparing now for arrival of 'Gardner Quad Squad'

December 22 — PROVO — While Ashley and Tyson Gardner are busy getting ready for life as parents of “The Quad Squad,” caregivers at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center are busy getting ready for the safe arrival of the couple’s four tiny infants.

With the help of in vitro fertilization, the Pleasant Grove couple conceived two sets of identical twins this past summer. In October, Ashley had emergency laser surgery in California to save two of the babies who were suffering from twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Then in mid-November, she began calling an antepartum suite at Utah Valley Regional her home after doctors decided hospital bed rest was necessary.

“It’s been a big adjustment, but I know it’s the best thing for my babies and me right now,” said Ashley, who reaches 29 weeks on Christmas Eve. “It’s comforting to know I have so many people around helping the babies grow as much as they can.”

Utah Valley Regional opened nine new antepartum suites early this year. The large rooms offer plenty of storage for clothing and personal items and include floor-to-ceiling windows that provide some of the best views in the valley.

Being on the antepartum unit means Ashley and her babies are watched around the clock by specially trained labor and delivery nurses. Formal, simultaneous monitoring of all four babies takes place every morning for at least 30 minutes. Contraction monitoring also happens twice a day. Those results are then sent to Ashley’s physicians for review.

The nurses are also available to help the expectant mom as she tries to stay comfortable. Just recently, they arranged for Ashley to spend one hour each day in the hospital’s therapy pool, which provides some much needed weightlessness. They also try to do a little physical therapy using stretch bands when Ashley feels up for it.

“The nurses caring for her today have over 50 years of experience working with high-risk patients,” said Judy Hunter, RN, manager of Labor and Delivery. “They can recognize any indications of problems. Their expertise is extremely high.”

But watching over the growing family is just one part of the hospital’s preparations. The Newborn Intensive Care Unit, where the babies will likely spend the first two months of their lives, has assembled a four-caregiver team for each baby. Each member of each team has volunteered to come in whenever the decision is made to deliver the quads.

“After delivery, each baby will be cared for by a nurse, a respiratory therapist, a nurse practitioner and a neonatologist,” said Jerold Wilcox, medical director of the NICU. “This is my fourth set of quads in my career and this one will go so much smoother than the first. We’re doing everything possible to prepare now for their arrival.”

Ashley said she and Tyson originally chose Utah Valley Regional for its convenient location, close to family members and Tyson’s job. But it didn’t take long for the parents-to-be to have even more evidence to show they’d made the right choice.

“I feel extremely well taken care of. Tyson and I could not be happier,” said Ashley. “It’s amazing to feel how much everyone really cares. I feel like I’m part of the family here at the hospital.”