Whitestone sextuplets doing well

BY URSULA GONZALES

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 8:54 PM EDT

After months of carrying her sextuplets, Digna Carpio, 31, of Whitestone gave birth to them secretly on Monday, October 6 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan.

“I’m so excited about this new experience. Each day of my life is just a miracle, because [it] is one more day of life that my kids have,” Digna said. “There are a lot of things to do and I don’t have time for anything, just to go to the hospital and press conferences.”

The Ecuadorian mother will continue to visit her newborns everyday at Mount Sinai until January of next year so the four baby boys and two baby girls will be able to receive the special care they require.

“All of them were born with oxygen problems and I also had the same condition. My heart and my lungs were squeezing and it was difficult for me and for them to breathe. Hopefully they are doing very well now,” Digna said.

“When we go and see them some are sleeping and others are awake. My wife can’t wait to take the babies home and play with them,” said 35-year-old Victor Carpio, who is also from Ecuador.

The operation took about an hour, with the babies being born quickly between 10:36 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. One of the girls had surgery on her heart that took 15 minutes and is now doing well.

Councilmember Tony Avella is helping Carpio’s family by collecting baby supplies such as pampers, milk, baby bottles, baby wipes, undershirts, blankets, towels, sheets, strollers, car seats, highchairs, and cribs.

“He and many people [are] helping us with supplies. My husband and I opened an account in Banco Popular and also we will be establishing a baby registry in the near future in Babies R Us,” Digna said.

The Carpio family already has an 8-year-old child named Jahncarlos, who cannot wait to have his brothers and sisters at home.

“He’s very happy and he said that will help us to take care of them,” Victor said.

The Carpio family is receiving donations of baby supplies through the P.O. Box: 570105 Whitestone, NY 11357-0105 and also is getting economic support through the account 6805302400 in Banco Popular and under the name New York Sextuples.

The newborns will be named Justin Leo, Jezreel Eliceo, Joel Alberth, Jaden Ivan, Genesis Victoria, and Danelia Victoria.