Joshua and Megan Hulen always dreamed of having a daughter to complete their family. With two sons already, they longed for a little bit of estrogen in their lives. So, they decided to try one last time for a girl. Little did they know that their journey would take an unexpected turn, leading them to welcome not just one, but five new additions to their family. That’s right, they were about to become parents to quintuplets!
When Megan became pregnant, she was filled with excitement and anticipation to find out if she was carrying a girl or a boy. But when the doctors conducted further tests, they were shocked to discover that Megan was pregnant with not one, but five babies. The news completely transformed the Hulen family from a family of four to a bustling household of nine!
Megan clarifies, with a hint of laughter in her voice, that the quintuplets were not the result of IVF. And, as if their lives weren’t already turned topsy-turvy, the pandemic hit. But Megan considers herself fortunate that the pregnancy began before the chaos ensued. It allowed Joshua to accompany her to some early appointments, bringing the family together and preparing them for the immense challenge that lay ahead. Megan was not only carrying five babies at once, but they would also have to navigate through the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns.
“It’s been really crazy, something we never expected, for sure,” says Megan, reflecting on their unique journey.
Before the quintuplets, the Hulens had two boys, aged seven and two. Desperately hoping for a girl, they explored fertility treatments, but the doctors detected some issues and discontinued any further procedures. Little did they know that fate had a different plan in store for them.
“At our first ultrasound at six weeks, we found out that there were five,” recalls Megan.
Joshua adds, “Pretty shocking. Exciting and terrifying all at once, I’d say.” Megan agrees, expressing the whirlwind of emotions that consumed them when they learned of their quintuplet pregnancy.
On September 2, at 32 weeks, the Hulen family welcomed their five beautiful blessings into the world. Chloe, Adam, Emma, Allison, and Madison instantly became the center of their parents’ universe. The doctors and even the Hulens themselves were astonished by this miraculous arrival.
Megan shares, “Usually, with high-order multiples like this, they’re not viable, or one or two vanish, or those types of things happen. And so we thought, ‘OK, there’s not going to be five. There’s going to be two, three, or something.’ But when we went back after a week, there were five heartbeats.”
This pregnancy was not only a one in 43 million chance, but it also marked the first time quintuplets were born in North Dakota. The news thrilled their oldest son Jacob, who couldn’t believe that such a rare occurrence happened in their family.
“I’m glad to be home, and it’s just amazing because you know, this has never happened,” exclaims Jacob, the babies’ proud big brother.
Despite the unexpected turn of events and the challenges that come with raising quintuplets, Megan and Joshua are incredibly grateful for their big, loving family.
“We’re super excited and happy to have a big family. It’s bigger than what we anticipated, but…” Megan remarks.
“A lot bigger,” Joshua chimes in, emphasizing the delightful chaos that has now become their reality.
“We’re blessed, and we’re happy about it,” Megan concludes, with Joshua wholeheartedly agreeing, “Absolutely. And at some point in the future, when we get to sleep again, we’ll be thankful for that too.”
With their laughter and resilience, the Hulen family is an inspiration, reminding us that even in the face of unexpected challenges, love and joy can abound.
