These moms of quadruplets have found a way to stay sane
The 35-year-old from Tampa, Florida, delivered her quadruplets at 26 weeks and spent four agonizing months watching them in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as they underwent surgery, breathing and feeding complications.
She was 'drowning in depression' and sought support from an exclusive Facebook group of quadruplet moms, who were planning a trip to Nashville in August 2023.
Five days before the trip, Torres' last quadruplet came home happy and healthy. It was her sign to finally take some time for herself.
'It's hard because as mothers, we just deep dive into motherhood and we forget we have needs as well,' Torres said. 'I had poured so much into my kids. It was time for me to also take care of myself.'
This first trip turned into an annual tradition among the quadruplet moms who found each other on Facebook and instantly bonded over the hardships of having high-order multiples. It has also captivated the interest of social media users, with a video from a June trip to Utah receiving over 750,000 views on TikTok.
Quadruplet pregnancies and births are extremely rare. There were only 128 quadruplet births in 2023 compared to 110,000 twin births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Artificial reproductive technology and older age can increase the risk of having quadruplets, said Dr. Layan Alrahmani, OB-GYN and maternal-fetal medicine specialist, and advisory board member for BabyCenter, a digital parenting resource.
'With fertility treatment, now we're very careful and it's very rare to implant more than one embryo,' she said. 'Some people are still using ovulation induction, so the quadruplets that I've seen are with judicious use of Clomid (a medication used to induce ovulation).'
90s kid summer: Millennial parents want it for their children this but what does that mean?
Quadruplet and other higher-order pregnancies are unique in that they increase the risk of certain complications such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and postpartum hemorrhage, Alrahmani said. They also increase the risk of depression, anxiety and stress during pregnancy and in the first years after birth.
Quadruplet babies are also at increased risk of learning disabilities, developmental delays and premature birth, Alrahmani said, with most deliveries occurring between 30 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Some doctors may recommend that patients get a fetal reduction to decrease the risk of complications.
Due to the high-risk nature of the pregnancy, medical visits are frequent and "so intense" because "we're asking about bad things and it's a lot," Alrahmani said, who does not have quadruplets. It can suck the joy and excitement out of pregnancy.
The quadruplet moms say there's no one around who can relate to their parenting experiences, which is what inspired Hanna Castle, 25, to start organizing the trips.
'These trips are one big mom-sleepover that makes us feel like teenagers, again,' said Castle, a mom of 3-year-old quadruplets from Columbus, Ohio. "It's become a true friendship."
She first learned about the exclusive Facebook group after posting a video of her ultrasound on social media. Another quadruplet mom began following her and then invited her to the Facebook group, which can't be found with a normal search. Before being added as a member, Castle had to provide proof that she was having quadruplets.
The secrecy of the group is "super important," Castle said. "Having such a high-risk pregnancy that's rare, that nobody understands, you can be extra sensitive and want to be private with a lot of things."
Since finding the group, she has leaned on her fellow moms as she navigated pregnancy, the NICU and motherhood.
She spearheaded the first trip to Nashville and has also organized trips to Florida and Utah. The moms hit up bars, go to the beach, take hikes and some have even gotten matching tattoos. Castle tries to rotate the trip's location and times of the year to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to attend.
Torres and Castle look forward to the annual gathering each year.
'It's a time to really disconnect as much as you can and get a feeling like you're back to yourself for a moment while also getting the support and advice you need to go back and be the best mom you can,' Castle said.
Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@usatoday.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
TikTok failing to shield kids from extreme weight loss content
Hundreds of extreme weight loss and cosmetic surgery videos were easily found with a simple search on TikTok and available to a user under the age of 18, in violation of the platform's own policies, CBS News has found. CBS News created a TikTok account for a hypothetical 15-year-old female user in the United States and found that, at the very least, hundreds of extreme weight loss and cosmetic surgery videos were searchable and watchable on the platform using the account. Once the CBS News account interacted with a handful of these videos, similar content was then recommended to the account on TikTok's "For You" feed. Searchable videos ranged from content with captions such as, "nothing feels better than an empty stomach," to "what I eat in a day" videos promoting restrictive, 500-calorie-per-day diets. Guidelines published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health suggest that girls between the ages of 14 and 18 ingest between 1,800 and 2,400 calories per day. Many of the videos promoted thin body types as aspirational targets and included the hashtag "harsh motivation" to push extreme weight loss advice. Some of those videos included messages or slogans such as "skinny is a status symbol," and "every time you say no to food, you say yes to skinny." TikTok's own community guidelines say the platform only allows users over the age of 18 to see content promoting restrictive, low-calorie diets, including videos promoting medications for weight loss or idealizing certain body types. The Chinese-owned platform also says it bans users under the age of 18 from viewing videos that promote cosmetic surgery without warning of the risks, such as before-and-after images, videos of surgical procedures, and messages discussing elective cosmetic surgery. But CBS News found a range of videos by entering basic search terms on the platform, such as "skinny," "thin," and "low cal," that promoted thin bodies as ideal, while also pushing harmful weight management behaviors. One such video showed an image of a scale with a weight of 39.9 kg (88 pounds) alongside a caption saying "weight loss" and the hashtag "ed," which is a common abbreviation for "eating disorder." Another graphic video with the caption "ana gives you wings" showed a series of models with protruding collar bones and spines. The term 'ana' is an abbreviation for the eating disorder anorexia. Responding to CBS News' research, a TikTok spokesperson said Thursday that it was "based on a very limited sample size and does not reflect the experience of the vast majority of our community." "TikTok does not allow content that promotes disordered eating or extreme weight loss behaviours, and we work with health experts to provide in-app support resources where needed," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson pointed to a study published in May by the University of Southern California, which found that a majority of the eating disorder content on TikTok is discussion among users about recovery from such conditions. The same study noted, however, the platform's "dual role in both challenging harmful cultural norms and potentially perpetuating them," regarding body image perceptions and eating disorders. "We know that this isn't a one-off error on TikTok's part and that children are coming across this content on a scale," said Gareth Hill, a spokesperson for the Molly Russell foundation, a U.K. charity that works to prevent young people from committing self-harm. "The question for TikTok is, if this is not representative, then why has this account [created by CBS News], which is a child's account, been shown this content in the first place, and then why is it continuing to get recommended to it?" CBS News also found a wide variety of videos available to the under 18 user promoting the weight loss drug Ozempic and various forms of cosmetic surgery. That included videos that showed up on the recommended "For You" feed, which promotes cosmetic surgeries such as rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and liposuctions. In one case, a user talking about their waist reduction surgery included a voiceover saying: "I would rather die hot than live ugly." A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment specifically on CBS News' findings regarding cosmetic surgeries being promoted to underage users. TikTok says it has taken a range of measures over the past several months to address criticism regarding the availability of extreme weight loss content on the platform. In early June, the platform suspended search results for the viral hashtag #SkinnyTok, after drawing criticism from health experts and European regulators. The hashtag had been associated primarily with videos promoting extreme weight loss, calorie restriction and negative body talk, often presented as wellness advice. A TikTok spokesperson also told CBS News on Thursday that searches for words or phrases such as #Anorexia would lead users to relevant assistance, including localized eating disorder helplines, where they can access further information and support. "I think we're understanding more and more about how this content shows up and so even when you ban a particular hashtag, for example, it's not long until something similar jumps up in its place," Doreen Marshall, who leads the American nonprofit National Eating Disorders Association [NEDA], told CBS News. "This is going to be an evolving landscape both for creating content guidelines, but also for the platforms themselves and, you know, while some progress has been made, there's clearly more that can be done," Marshall said. TikTok is not the only social media platform which has faced criticism for the accessibility of extreme weight loss content. In 2022, 60 Minutes reported on a leaked internal document from Meta that showed the company was aware through its own research of content on its Instagram platform promoting extreme weight loss and fueling eating disorders in young people. At the time, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, declined 60 Minutes' request for an interview, but its global head of safety Antigone Davis said, "we want teens to be safe online" and that Instagram doesn't "allow content promoting self-harm or eating disorders." Last year, 60 Minutes reported that the Google-owned YouTube video platform, which is hugely popular among teenagers, was also serving up extreme weight loss and eating disorder content to children. Responding to that report, a YouTube representative said the platform "continually works with mental health experts to refine [its] approach to content recommendations for teens." Available resources: National Eating Disorder Association If you or someone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, the NEDA toll free and confidential helpline is available by phone or text at 1-800-931-2237 or by click-to-chat message at For 24/7 crisis support, text "NEDA" to 741-741. F.E.A.S.T. is a nonprofit organization providing free support for caregivers with loved ones suffering from eating disorders. Wall Street Journal reports Trump sent "bawdy" birthday letter to Epstein, Trump threatens to sue 7.3 magnitude earthquake hits southern Alaska Medical expert on Trump's chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Extreme weight loss, cosmetic surgery videos available to kids on TikTok despite guidelines, CBS News finds
Hundreds of extreme weight loss and cosmetic surgery videos were easily found with a simple search on TikTok and available to a user under the age of 18, in violation of the platform's own policies, CBS News has found. CBS News created a TikTok account for a hypothetical 15-year-old female user in the United States and found that, at the very least, hundreds of extreme weight loss and cosmetic surgery videos were searchable and watchable on the platform using the account. Once the CBS News account interacted with a handful of these videos, similar content was then recommended to the account on TikTok's "For You" feed. Searchable videos ranged from content with captions such as, "nothing feels better than an empty stomach," to "what I eat in a day" videos promoting restrictive, 500-calorie-per-day diets. Guidelines published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health suggest that girls between the ages of 14 and 18 ingest between 1,800 and 2,400 calories per day. Many of the videos promoted thin body types as aspirational targets and included the hashtag "harsh motivation" to push extreme weight loss advice. Some of those videos included messages or slogans such as "skinny is a status symbol," and "every time you say no to food, you say yes to skinny." TikTok's own community guidelines say the platform only allows users over the age of 18 to see content promoting restrictive, low-calorie diets, including videos promoting medications for weight loss or idealizing certain body types. The Chinese-owned platform also says it bans users under the age of 18 from viewing videos that promote cosmetic surgery without warning of the risks, such as before-and-after images, videos of surgical procedures, and messages discussing elective cosmetic surgery. But CBS News found a range of videos by entering basic search terms on the platform, such as "skinny," "thin," and "low cal," that promoted thin bodies as ideal, while also pushing harmful weight management behaviors. One such video showed an image of a scale with a weight of 39.9 kg (88 pounds) alongside a caption saying "weight loss" and the hashtag "ed," which is a common abbreviation for "eating disorder." Another graphic video with the caption "ana gives you wings" showed a series of models with protruding collar bones and spines. The term 'ana' is an abbreviation for the eating disorder anorexia. Responding to CBS News' research, a TikTok spokesperson said Thursday that it was "based on a very limited sample size and does not reflect the experience of the vast majority of our community." "TikTok does not allow content that promotes disordered eating or extreme weight loss behaviours, and we work with health experts to provide in-app support resources where needed," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson pointed to a study published in May by the University of Southern California, which found that a majority of the eating disorder content on TikTok is discussion among users about recovery from such conditions. The same study noted, however, the platform's "dual role in both challenging harmful cultural norms and potentially perpetuating them," regarding body image perceptions and eating disorders. "We know that this isn't a one-off error on TikTok's part and that children are coming across this content on a scale," said Gareth Hill, a spokesperson for the Molly Russell foundation, a U.K. charity that works to prevent young people from committing self-harm. "The question for TikTok is, if this is not representative, then why has this account [created by CBS News], which is a child's account, been shown this content in the first place, and then why is it continuing to get recommended to it?" CBS News also found a wide variety of videos available to the under 18 user promoting the weight loss drug Ozempic and various forms of cosmetic surgery. That included videos that showed up on the recommended "For You" feed, which promotes cosmetic surgeries such as rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and liposuctions. In one case, a user talking about their waist reduction surgery included a voiceover saying: "I would rather die hot than live ugly." A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment specifically on CBS News' findings regarding cosmetic surgeries being promoted to underage users. TikTok says it has taken a range of measures over the past several months to address criticism regarding the availability of extreme weight loss content on the platform. In early June, the platform suspended search results for the viral hashtag #SkinnyTok, after drawing criticism from health experts and European regulators. The hashtag had been associated primarily with videos promoting extreme weight loss, calorie restriction and negative body talk, often presented as wellness advice. A TikTok spokesperson also told CBS News on Thursday that searches for words or phrases such as #Anorexia would lead users to relevant assistance, including localized eating disorder helplines, where they can access further information and support. "I think we're understanding more and more about how this content shows up and so even when you ban a particular hashtag, for example, it's not long until something similar jumps up in its place," Doreen Marshall, who leads the American nonprofit National Eating Disorders Association [NEDA], told CBS News. "This is going to be an evolving landscape both for creating content guidelines, but also for the platforms themselves and, you know, while some progress has been made, there's clearly more that can be done," Marshall said. TikTok is not the only social media platform which has faced criticism for the accessibility of extreme weight loss content. In 2022, 60 Minutes reported on a leaked internal document from Meta that showed the company was aware through its own research of content on its Instagram platform promoting extreme weight loss and fueling eating disorders in young people. At the time, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, declined 60 Minutes' request for an interview, but its global head of safety Antigone Davis said, "we want teens to be safe online" and that Instagram doesn't "allow content promoting self-harm or eating disorders." Last year, 60 Minutes reported that the Google-owned YouTube video platform, which is hugely popular among teenagers, was also serving up extreme weight loss and eating disorder content to children. Responding to that report, a YouTube representative said the platform "continually works with mental health experts to refine [its] approach to content recommendations for teens." Available resources: National Eating Disorder Association If you or someone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, the NEDA toll free and confidential helpline is available by phone or text at 1-800-931-2237 or by click-to-chat message at For 24/7 crisis support, text "NEDA" to 741-741. F.E.A.S.T. is a nonprofit organization providing free support for caregivers with loved ones suffering from eating disorders.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Woman Films Morning Gym Walk, Internet Not Prepared for Who's in Window
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a viral TikTok video, a woman from New York reveals her favorite thing about her morning gym walks, and internet users can't cope with it. The heartwarming video, shared on Tuesday under the username @erikaedaly, shows a pit bull sleeping on his blanket right by the window, living his best life surrounded by his teddies, and a fairy curtain. "The highlight of my gym walk every morning. Wish I knew his/her name," she writes in the clip. A caption says: "The sparkly curtain and stuffies." If you often find your pup lying on the couch taking a nap, don't worry; that's because dogs sleep much more than we do, and while they might sleep through the night, they still need some daytime naps to recharge their batteries. On average, adult dogs typically need 12 to 14 hours of sleep per day, although this can vary depending on the individual pup. While some pups are naturally more active, and require less sleep, others may enjoy longer naps. A canine's age also plays a role in the amount of sleeping hours they need in a day. For example, puppies, while being incredibly energetic, also need plenty of rest to support their growth. They may sleep as much as 18 to 20 hours a day. Older dogs also need more sleep than their younger counterparts because they need time to rest and recover. Senior pups may sleep for up to 16 hours a day. It is important to provide your senior dog with a comfortable and quiet space to rest, but it is also just as vital to make sure they take regular exercise to help keep them healthy and active. Stock image: A pit bull takes a nap on a cushion. Stock image: A pit bull takes a nap on a cushion. getty images The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 780,000 views and more than 195,000 likes on the platform. One user, Alison Leah, commented: "How do you have enough self control to not go to that window!?" Francesca Zarate posted: "How do you walk by and resist giving her a little kiss on her head." Umi Grace added: "I love how the toys are safely tucked nearby. I wonder how many times her/his human gotta retrieve toys below that window." Newsweek reached out to @erikaedaly for comment. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
