6th Septuplet Can Now Breathe On Her Own

A sixth member of the world’s only surviving septuplets was taken off mechanical respiratory assistance and was breathing on her own Thursday, the hospital said.

Lynne Yontz, spokeswoman for Blank Children’s Hospital at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, said Alexis May McCaughey was upgraded to fair condition after being removed from the ventilator that had helped her breathing since the three girls and four boys were born last week.

The change left only one baby--Nathaniel Roy--still in serious condition and on a ventilator. The others, like Alexis, were listed in fair condition and were being tube-fed. Nathaniel was the fourth smallest of the babies at birth, weighing 2 pounds, 14 ounces.

The parents, Bobbi, 29, and Kenny, 27, spent much of Thanksgiving Day at the hospital as they have been doing every day, family spokeswoman Marlys Popma said.

“They’re spending a lot of time at the hospital now that they’re able to hold the babies,” she said.

The village of Carlisle near Des Moines where the family lives planned a fund-raising balloon launch Saturday. Residents and visitors could purchase helium-filed blue or pink balloons for $1 each, to be released en masse as a sign of celebration.

The money raised was to go to the family, which has another child, Mikayla, 2, also conceived with the help of a fertility drug.

The father, who works as a clerk at a Chevrolet dealership, and the mother, who had taken in sewing to supplement the modest family income, have been showered with gifts ranging from a van to a new home to be built and even offers of seven college scholarships.

Kelsey Ann, Brandon James and Joel Steven were all upgraded to fair condition from serious after they were removed from ventilators and began breathing on their own Wednesday. Kelsey was the smallest in weight at birth while Brandon was the second biggest and Joel the third biggest.

The three joined Kenneth Robert, first born and largest, and Natalie Sue, second smallest in birth weight, who were also in fair condition and breathing without assistance.