Mom of Sextuplets Delights Crowd at Walnut Hills

Jennifer Hanselman says a lot of prayer and support from family and friends -- and even from strangers -- have helped her family get through the last three years Hanselman is the mother of Ohio's first sextuplets. She spoke to a crowd of more than 200 people at the Walnut Hills Retirement Home on April 27 as part of the annual Spring Community Day. Hanselman, who is a native of Holmes County, recounted how she knew there was a chance of multiple births with fertility treatments she was undergoing, but she knew something was up when the ultrasound technician had a strange look on her face.

Jennifer Hanselman, mother of Ohio's first sextuplets, addresses a large crowd at Spring Community Day activities at Walnut Hills.

"They started counting heartbeats… one, two, three, four, five, six," she recalled.

Hanselman said she would not even consider advice from her doctor to selectively reduce some of the fetuses to give the remaining children a better chance at survival.

After switching to a different high-risk pregnancy doctor, who was respectful of her decision, Hanselman prepared herself for what was ahead. On February 26, 2004, Alex, Logan, Kyle, Lucy, Sophia, and Isabella were born, joining big brother Conner who was two years old at the time.

Hanselman said "I thought I was prepared, but when the babies started coming home, I wondered how are we going to do this?"

To her surprise, the family's church was already organizing volunteers to offer help to them. More than 70 volunteers added the extra hands needed to care and comfort the tiny miracles, often helping change up to 60 diapers a day.

Throughout her presentation at Walnut Hills, Hanselman gave examples of how humor also helped her and her husband Keith survive. She told stories about the entire family having the stomach flu at the same time, how she must suppress the urge to hit people upside the head when they ask "What if all seven children need braces and glasses?", and how Keith will be waiting at the front door with a shotgun when boys come calling to date their daughters.

After raising her seven children through their early years, Hanselman isn't surprised by much. That was evidenced when she took questions from the crowd at Walnut Hills. One of the questions…. "How large was your belly when you were at your biggest?".

If she had a chance to go back, would she do it again? "I wouldn't change a thing," Hanselman said.

Following her presentation, Hanselman signed copies of her book, which includes several of the "Party of Nine" columns she writes for the Akron Beacon Journal.

A second "Party of Nine" book is expected to be published next year.

Spring Community Day at Walnut Hills also included music from Paul Ankrim of The Meadows, tours of the latest updates to Assisted Living suites and other living options on the campus, and refreshments.