'I’m never not busy’: Quintuplets are now home, with 50 to 60 diaper changes a day

A set of quintuplets born earlier this year in Lexington are home from the hospital and keeping their parents busy.

“They’re doing great,” said mom Briana Driskell. “They’re all extremely healthy.”

The three girls and two boys were released from the hospital one by one, and all five babies have been at home in Versailles since July 16.

The Driskell quints — Dakota, Zoey, Hollyn, Asher and Gavin — were born May 2 at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, when Driskell was in her 28th week of pregnancy.

Now, the new parents are beginning to adjust to life with five newborns.

“I’m never not busy,” Driskell said.

Her husband, Jordan Driskell, 26, recently returned to his job doing paint and decal work at Linkbelt. Before the babies were born, Briana Driskell, 29, worked at UK HealthCare.

Every day brings 50 to 60 diaper changes (10 to 12 per baby) and 40 bottles of formula (eight per baby).

Brianna Driskell said her mother and mother-in-law have been regular helpers, as well as other family members and close friends.

“We have to have a lot of help,” she said. “It definitely takes a village to raise five children.”

And it takes a rigid schedule to keep up with it all.

The newborns eat every three hours, so, Driskell said, “a baby eats every 30 minutes.” Since the babies take 30 to 45 minutes to finish a meal, Driskell said one baby sometimes isn’t finished eating before it’s time to feed the next one.

“You don’t really have a break between each bottle,” she said.

Driskell said local businesses have helped the family by holding diaper drives, and after months of problems with their air conditioning unit, Fayette Heating and Air donated a replacement.

Driskell said the one thing the family still needs is a vehicle that can transport them all.

“We’re having to take two to three vehicles everywhere we go,” she said.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to raise money for a van.

On Sunday, the babies had their first group outing, to have their portraits made by Georgetown photographer Ashley Childress.

Amazingly, they slept through most of the photo shoot, which took about five and a half hours.

Childress, of Sweetlilpics by Ashley, said a noise machine and keeping her studio very warm — even running heaters in the area — helped.

Aside from that, she said, it’s “really just a whole lot of luck.”

The cuteness of five snoozing newborns generated plenty of interest online, and the photos were featured in US Weekly as “the best thing you will see this week.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 12:43 PM with the headline "'I’m never not busy’: Quintuplets are now home, with 50 to 60 diaper changes a day."