Army of 60 volunteers to help lesbian couple with for fab five
by Elissa Doherty From:
Herald Sun March 07, 2011
AN army of 60 volunteers will help a lesbian couple with the mammoth task of raising quintuplets and their baby sister.
A kind-hearted Melbourne grandmother is rallying helpers for Melissa Keevers, 27, and Rosemary Nolan, 22, who welcomed their bumper brood to the world on January 3.
The tiny bubs - two boys and three girls - are still in intensive care after being born just 26 weeks into Ms Keevers' pregnancy.
Multiple Birth Volunteer Support Program consultant Lynne Dunoon, who the Brisbane couple contacted last year for help, is searching for 50-60 volunteers to help with their daily parenting operation.
She said sleep deprivation would be one of their biggest challenges.
"The reality will hit them when the babies get home.
"With six babies and one mother working, it's going to be very tough, especially as Rosie has no extended family.
"It can take three quarters of an hour to feed and settle just one baby ... it would be a physical impossibility without help.
"There's no system in place that helps families on this scale, that's why we are looking for volunteers."
Volunteers who pass police checks will chip in with tasks such as settling, feeding and washing baby clothes, between 8am and 10pm daily.
The babies - sons Noah and Charlie, and daughters Eireann, Evie and Abby - reportedly weighed between 830g and 905g each and doctors have been thrilled with their progress.
They were conceived without the use of IVF after Ms Keevers was artificially inseminated with sperm from an anonymous American donor.
The quintuplets have an older sister, Lily, 18 months.
The man, a 27-year-old law student, has waived all rights to access the children.
News of the birth yesterday made headlines around the world, with online reaction revealing the couple face a battle with community prejudices on same-sex parenting.
Child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said he did not see sexuality as an issue for good parenting.
He said strong male role models could be provided in other ways "through a scout leader, or a sporting coach, for example", he said.
