Cook Children's NICU Welcomes First Quadruplets in Over a Decade

By Charlotte Settle

At the beginning of this year, Catie Pulsifer, RN gave birth to the first set of quadruplets Cook Children’s has seen in over a decade. Catie is a Psychiatric Nurse in the Behavioral Health Unit at Cook Children’s, making this extraordinary event all the more special for everyone at the hospital. 

While she was in the NICU with the quads, Catie would often run into her coworkers in the hallways. 

“They were all so sweet and supportive,” she said. “A lot of them gave us their hand-me-downs and sent things from our registry.”

The Pulsifers' Journey

Catie and her husband Cameron already had two children—3-year-old Allie and 5-year-old Robin—when they decided they wanted a third. On July 4, 2023, the pair discovered they were finally expecting.

When Catie went to her first ultrasound, her scan showed not one, not two—but five gestational sacs. Cameron was out of town on a work trip during the appointment, so Catie had him on speakerphone when the doctor broke the news. 

“It was definitely silent on the other end of the line,” Cameron laughs. “We had a feeling we might be dealing with multiples, but we did not anticipate that many.”

After the initial shock passed, the couple was unbelievably excited. Their doctor, however, warned them of the high risk of miscarriage with that many embryos. At around 10 weeks gestation, they lost one of the babies. 

“It was really tough, but I'd had a miscarriage the year before and I think that prepared my heart to know what it felt like,” Catie said. “At the same time, we were just glad we had four that were doing so well.”

Week after week, Catie, Cameron and their doctors continued to monitor the quads, who just kept growing and getting stronger.   

“We celebrated every week that passed,” Catie said. “When I started getting really big and feeling them kick, that was really exciting.”

The Quads Make Their Entrance

Catie was admitted to Texas Health Harris Methodist at 26 weeks gestation so that she and the babies could be under constant observation until she gave birth. 

“That's when it really set in, and I was like, it’s happening! We’re having four kids,” she said.

On Jan. 8, at 30 weeks and one day, the quadruplets made their debut. James was born first, followed by Hannah—the only girl of the four. Next came Mark, thenLogan, the tiniest of them all, came last. All of the babies were born at least two pounds or bigger—a feat Catie had hoped for.  

After they were born, the quads were transported to the Cook Children’s NICU, where they were kept together in a suite known as “The Quad Room.” With a rotating group of nurses assigned to them alone, the four received round-the-clock care and attention. It didn’t take long for them to capture the hearts of the NICU staff. One of their primary nurses, KK Harding, joked that everyone fought over who would take care of the quads each shift. 

“They're so precious,” she said. “It brought us such joy to help this amazing family care for their babies and to help them grow.” 

“Even though I don’t work in this unit, I know firsthand how great the caliber of care is at Cook Children’s,” Catie said. “All of the nurses, doctors, staff, and respiratory therapists made this journey smoother than we could have ever imagined, and we are so thankful the babies could come to this NICU.”

Finally Home With Family

After eight weeks in the NICU, the quads made their way home at the beginning of March. Catie and Cameron transported the babies in their new Sprinter van—the only vehicle that could fit all four of their car seats.  

Catie is happy to report that the babies are doing great and continuing to develop their own distinct personalities. James, who she calls their “little James Bond,” loves being the center of attention. Hannah is leading the pack by being the best eater and sleeper, and Mark, who’s either stoic and brave or pouty, can’t decide what he wants. Logan loves cuddles and is the most pensive of the group—he’s also the tiniest and hungriest, trying to catch up to everyone else’s size.

Though Robin and Allie didn’t realize how much crying they would have to endure, they love being a big brother and sister. They especially enjoy having family reading time before bed and helping mom and dad out with diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.

It’s safe to say the Pulsifers have their hands full. They go through upwards of 64 total diapers and bottles per day, but they have been fortunate to have an outpouring of support from family, neighbors, and their church community. 

The days ahead for Catie and Cameron will certainly be far from boring. At one point, all six of their kiddos will be in elementary school together. Helping just one child through life’s major milestones is a lot for any parent—and the Pulsifers will have four navigating growing pains simultaneously. But if there’s anyone who’s equipped to handle it and ready to enjoy the ride, it’s this family.

“We can't really prepare for it, but the thought of what our life is going to look like is really exciting,” Cameron said. “A little scary, a little nerve-wracking, but exciting more than anything.”