In 2007, the life of the Artamkin family drastically changed when Varvara and Dmitry had quintuplets — five wonderful, beautiful daughters.
While still pregnant, Varvara went for an ultrasound, and it was discovered that she was carrying five embryos. Doctors were concerned about the situation and suggested that the couple remove two embryos to avoid future risks. However, the Artamkins are devoutly religious and declined, deciding to leave things up to fate.
Due to the high-risk pregnancy, Russian doctors refused to take responsibility for the delivery, so the Artamkins went abroad to give birth.
The five lovely baby girls were born at 26 weeks and immediately transferred to the incubator for premature babies. They grew well, gained weight, and eventually went home.
When the family arrived back in Russia, officials greeted them at the airport with good news – the government had given them a four-room apartment with furniture and renovations.
Of course, raising five children at once was not easy, and the spouses often felt exhausted. But with the support of each other and their relatives, they managed.
“Right after the birth of the girls, it wasn’t easy to realize that we had five children, five new lives. But the children filled our lives with happiness. I always wanted to have children, and I am very happy to have so many. Honestly, I don’t see many differences between our family and any other large family.
My husband and I deeply believe that it’s much harder to raise one child, as they feel the constant attention of their parents, and they tend to be more temperamental. But when there are five children at once, they understand that their mother is just one person and can’t be everywhere at once,” recalls Varvara.
The girls were named Elizaveta, Aleksandra, Nadezhda, Tatiana, and Varvara. As the parents say, they are all completely different in appearance and character. The fourth girl was often ill, with frequent lung infections, bronchitis, and the like. However, she grew stronger with time.
In 2015, the sisters started first grade.
“It’s reassuring that the girls will study in the same class and be able to support each other. Can you imagine how scary it is for a child who’s going to school alone, without the support of siblings?” says the mother.
Currently, the girls are 14 years old, they are well-rounded and developed, and have been so since childhood.