When Madison and Justin Collier discovered they would need to create more space than they initially thought, they were preparing to welcome what they believed would be their second and final addition to their metro Atlanta family. Madison Collier went to the doctor for a routine checkup without her husband and learned something she never would have imagined: she was expecting four children, not one.

Collier sensed that something was amiss when her doctor asked if she was taking any fertility drugs. She wasn’t. Collier’s husband, Justin, was at home dealing with allergies. So, Collier was alone on that day, and her mind started racing.

“I immediately assumed twins, and he said, ‘No, not twins,’” she said. “At that point, I was literally thinking to myself, ‘Do they come more than that?’ ” After discovering that she was going to have a baby, she called her husband to share the news. When he learned they were about to receive four bundles of joy, Justin Collier had to lie down on the floor.

Isla, the Colliers’ 4-year-old daughter, overheard their conversation and asked what had happened. Her response? “Are there any plans for four children?” They reassured her that there weren’t while laughing.

In the United States, less than 150 sets of quadruplets and higher-order multiples are born each year. They typically occur when either parent uses assisted reproduction.

Pregnancy 1 was difficult and exhausting, but carrying four babies increases the risk of complications for both the mother and the babies. One of the most common complications is premature birth. Collier experienced that when the quads were born around 28 weeks gestation.

Due to premature birth, infants weighing between 2 pounds, 5 ounces, and 2 pounds, 10 ounces are considered underweight and require treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit. But fortunately, after just three to four months, all four babies and the mother are healthy and growing. The Colliers welcomed two boys and two girls: Calloway, Eliza, Iris, and Wilder.

Although the babies were born prematurely, they received enthusiastic support from the medical team at the hospital. They were there right away to help and encourage us along the way. If you ever find yourself expecting multiple babies at once, the only piece of advice Justin Collier has for you is, “Be prepared as much as you can, then get on the roller coaster and move on with your dear life.”