VIDEO | Baby No 5 arrives, dad swoons

Joe Buthelezi‚ father of quintuplets born at the Clinix Botshelong-Empilweni in Vosloorus‚ Ekurhuleni, almost collapsed when his fourth and fifth babies were born.

He and his partner‚ Noluthando‚ had been expecting only three babies.

Dr Moeng Pitsoe chuckled as he recalled how Buthelezi had to be helped to his seat when he realised that he was the father of five newborns.

“Three is a lot, but they had prepared for that. So when No 4 and No 5 came‚ he almost collapsed‚” Pitsoe said.

“The mother was calm. She was aware of the commotion around her, but she was calm.”

So how long did it take to deliver the quins?

“C-sections are quick. From delivering the first baby to the last‚ it took five minutes‚” Pitsoe said.

It would have been even quicker‚ he said, but the nurses had to prepare for the two surprise arrivals.

Pitsoe said the fourth and fifth babies had come as a surprise to him too.

“I had delivered the third baby and was preparing to deliver the placenta‚ when I saw something that looked like a head – and there was baby No 4. We joked that we should search for the fifth baby and‚ indeed‚ there was baby No 5!”

While Buthelezi already has twins from a previous marriage‚ Noluthando had only one child.

But she became concerned when, after a long period of trying to conceive‚ she failed to fall pregnant again.

“She was taking ovulation induction drugs to assist in releasing more eggs.

“She just wanted one more baby, but she ended up with five‚” Pitsoe said.

It was known 10 days after she took the drugs that she was pregnant.

The babies‚ delivered at 30 weeks on September 6‚ have been named Siyanda‚ Sibahle‚ Simesihle‚ Silindile and Sindisiwe.