{"id":709,"date":"2017-04-29T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2017-04-29T13:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=709"},"modified":"2017-04-18T17:48:27","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T21:48:27","slug":"amanda-benoit-amanda-phister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=709","title":{"rendered":"Amanda Benoit & Amanda Phister"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four Times the Fun<\/h1>\n

By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alice G. Patterson<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

While some mothers might see it as four times the challenge, partners Amanda Benoit and Amanda Phister \u2014 the \u201cQuad Moms\u201d \u2014 see it as four times the blessing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say four is better than none,\u201d Phister said. \u201cIf we didn\u2019t have these four, we\u2019d still be trying for one. I always tell people: we have such a different view on it, because for us, we would rather be dealing with four sets of diapers, and four this, and four that, than none of it at all, you know? Or one more month of \u2018No, you\u2019re not pregnant.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Benoit, 31, had been trying to get pregnant since July 2014. The couple approached the process of IUIs and IFVs (intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization, respectively) with little insider knowledge. They met with fertility doctors, learned the basics and started trying for a child.<\/p>\n

The plan was for Benoit to have their first child, and then Phister to have their second. So the couple bought eight samples from the same donor, four apiece. Benoit would try three IUIs, and if that didn\u2019t work, move on to an IVF. Having that last option to fall back on gave them more hope after the first three tries didn\u2019t work, Benoit explained.<\/p>\n

They decided to use two eggs for the IVF, but after the process, Benoit still wasn\u2019t pregnant. They were devastated.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, with our story, what it comes down to is we just didn\u2019t get all the information,\u201d Benoit said.<\/p>\n

The couple did more research on their own, bought higher quality and quantity sperm \u2014 something they hadn\u2019t known about when they started \u2014 and tried again.<\/p>\n

Benoit went through the process of three IUIs again \u2014 still nothing. Each of the now seven procedures came with a slew of fertility treatments and hormones, physical stress and emotional pain. If this last IVF didn\u2019t work, she was done trying.<\/p>\n

She put in three eggs, with a warning from the doctor that there was a 10 to 15 percent chance all three eggs would take. \u201cOK, I can ride that 85 [to] 90 percent,\u201d she thought. \u201cI can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also told them there was a small chance one of the eggs would split. Knowing multiples didn\u2019t run in her family, she wasn\u2019t worried about it. What she didn\u2019t know was the fact that fertility treatments increase the chances of eggs splitting.<\/p>\n

On Dec. 7, 2015 \u2014 18 months and eight procedures after the couple had started this process \u2014 Benoit began her day with a pregnancy test.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was positive,\u201d Benoit recalled, smiling from ear to ear. \u201cAnd I remember I was just crying, crying, crying.\u201d<\/p>\n

She woke up Phister, tears still streaming down her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd she just starts consoling me, saying, \u2018It\u2019s OK. It\u2019s OK,\u2019\u201d Benoit said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just thought it was one more negative,\u201d Phister explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd finally, in [between] the moments of my sobbing, I was finally able to get out, \u2018It\u2019s positive!\u2019\u201d Benoit said.<\/p>\n

The next seven months were filled with visits to their local doctor, and then eventually with Dr. Alexandra Spadola, at Upstate University Hospital.<\/p>\n

Benoit set herself a goal of making it to 30 weeks, and she did. On week 30, she started to feel \u201cnot so good.\u201d Her blood pressure was climbing. They checked her into the hospital, and on June 10, the couple welcomed their four babies \u2014 two boys and two identical twin girls \u2014 into the world.<\/p>\n

The infants spent the next month or so in the NICU \u2014 \u201cbest babysitters in the world, round the clock!\u201d Benoit said.<\/p>\n

For the first few months after they brought them home, Benoit and Phister had at least one family member there to help at all times.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would not be where we are without our families,\u201d Benoit said.<\/p>\n

As the babies began to grow and develop their own distinct personalities, word of the Quad Moms spread. Syracuse cancer awareness advocate Ann Marie Otis caught wind of their story. She was helping to start a new project called Wisdo, an online wisdom-sharing platform, and thought Benoit and Phister\u2019s tale could help a lot of people.<\/p>\n

The women didn\u2019t love the spotlight, but knew Ann Marie was right.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have such a story about our experience, and it\u2019s not all good experience,\u201d Benoit said, pointing out the fact that they spent a lot of money and hadn\u2019t planned for four babies. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t change it for the world, but there are people out there who might not want our situation and might want more knowledge going into it. And that\u2019s what I love about Wisdo. People have this wisdom because they had these experiences.\u201d SWM <\/em><\/p>\n

For more of the Quad Moms\u2019 wisdom, visit wisdo.com\/profile\/amanda-benoit<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Four Times the Fun By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alice G. Patterson While some mothers might see it as four times the challenge, partners Amanda Benoit and Amanda Phister \u2014 the \u201cQuad Moms\u201d \u2014 see it as four times the blessing. \u201cI would say four is better than none,\u201d Phister said. \u201cIf we didn\u2019t…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[146,236,237,133,201,238],"class_list":["post-709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-alice-g-patterson","tag-amanda-benoit","tag-amanda-phister","tag-lorna-oppedisano","tag-may-2017","tag-wisdo"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Quadruplets-0003-copy.jpg?fit=5200%2C3470&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1894,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1894","url_meta":{"origin":709,"position":0},"title":"The Ice Cream Stand","author":"Staff","date":"June 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Bringing Syracuse Year-round Sweetness By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Steven J. 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