Quadruple the fun: Superior couple's quadruplet journey first of its kind in 26 years at Essentia

Gabby and Bobbijean Gidley are familiar faces in Superior. The teachers and softball coaches have been inseparable for eight years, married for two and always knew they wanted kids. The two met playing softball at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Gabby had always dreamed of parenthood.

The couple ultimately decided to try intrauterine insemination, or IUI. After a couple of months, it worked.

Gabby’s first thought? “My dream’s coming true!” Bobbijean, however, felt a flutter of nerves. “Here we go; it’s real,” were her first thoughts.

Early tests showed Gabby’s HCG, a key pregnancy hormone, at extremely high levels.

While the two knew they wanted kids, they weren’t sure how big of a family they wanted. When Gabby was seven weeks pregnant, they found out just how big their family would be.

“I was getting an ultrasound and I noticed two sacs,” Gabby said. “Are we having twins?” she asked the ultrasound tech.

“I think there are four,” he replied, leaving Gabby and Bobbijean speechless.

Statistically, quadruplet pregnancies are rare — about 1 in 700,000.

Processing the news took time. “It was a blur,” she said, “but I needed structure.” Bobbijean’s mind went straight to Gabby’s safety, worrying about the risks of a high-order pregnancy.

The couple leaned on their care team at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center, led by Dr. Vani Mova and Dr. Rebecca Hartman, who were phenomenal throughout.

“They put it all in perspective,” Bobbijean said. “We had the best people for this situation.”

Near-weekly appointments brought reassurance. The doctors and certified nurse-midwives were proactive, outlining options and crafting a clear path forward.

The pregnancy progressed smoothly until a weekend visit to Bobbijean’s parents in Grand Rapids for her mom’s birthday. At 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, pregnant for less than 29 weeks, Gabby lost her mucus plug. By 12:30 a.m., her water broke. They raced to St. Mary’s in Duluth, arriving around 2:30 a.m. Contractions hadn’t started, and the team discussed bed rest, but the babies weren’t keen on staying put. By 5 a.m. Monday, contractions were consistent and painful, and Gabby was dilated to five centimeters. The staff sprang into action, calling in a crew of about 25 team members across two birthing suites to prepare for the delivery.

The Essentia care team was well prepared. In the weeks leading up to the birth, nurses, doctors and NICU staff all volunteered to come in and help with this rare and complex birth.

“This isn’t something we do every day, or every year even. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation,” said Micah Alton, nurse manager for the NICU at St. Mary’s. “We spent weeks preparing for this, running trials and making sure we were prepared for every scenario possible – the good and bad. Fortunately, it was a really smooth birth and everyone was happy and healthy.”

On Monday, July 28, all four babies were born by C-section between 6:37 and 6:39 a.m.

Gabby, while worried, trusted Dr. Hartman’s steady presence throughout.

“I was just praying the babies would be OK,” she said.

Those prayers were answered. In the span of about two minutes, Gabby and Bobbijean went from a family of two to a family of six, welcoming three baby girls – Rozelia, Lillette and Icelynn – and one baby boy – Miller. All four were about 14 inches long and weighed between 2 pounds, 14 ounces and 3 pounds.

Bobbijean, watching the team’s precision, felt calm.

“There were so many people, but it put me at ease,” she said. “They were 10 steps ahead, ready for anything. The nurses were phenomenal, answering every question and supporting Gabby through every moment.”

The quadruplets, now in the NICU at St. Mary’s, are hitting milestones weekly. “It’s been fun,” Gabby said. “We’re holding them now, helping with their care, making sure they’re happy and healthy.”

The NICU staff, with their consistent care and growing familiarity with each baby’s quirks, feel like family. “They know their personalities already,” Bobbijean said.

The hope is to bring them home by late September or early October, though they may come home at different times.

“The babies will really determine when they are ready to go home,” Alton said. “We have to make sure they can regulate temperature on their own, eat on their own, breathe without respiratory devices and several other benchmarks. We have staff monitoring all four of them around the clock to make sure they are growing and getting the care and attention they need.”

Gabby’s already dreaming of dressing them up, spending holidays together and maybe coaching them as future athletes. But like any first-time parent, she’s got the usual jitters:

“How am I going to keep four tiny humans alive?” she said with a laugh.

Preparations are already underway, with a wide support system of family and friends, and, of course, upgrading from Gabby’s dream Subaru to a minivan big enough to hold four car seats.

From the doctors to the NICU nurses, the care team at St. Mary’s turned a daunting journey into a joyful one. Gabby and Bobbijean’s dream of parenthood didn’t just come true; it multiplied, and with the support of an incredible team, they’re ready for the adventure of raising their four little stars.