OHIO'S SEXTUPLETS Volunteers form baby brigade

With six infants, Jennifer and Keith Hanselman take all the help they can get.
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio (AP) -- Life at the home of Ohio's first set of sextuplets is a constant stream of feedings, diaper changes and visits from volunteers.
Jennifer and Keith Hanselman are treading softly into their second week with all six babies home from the hospital. Lucy, Kyle, Logan, Isabella, Sophia and Alex were born two months premature Feb. 26.
With their families too far away to help daily -- his in East Liverpool, hers in Millersburg -- the Hanselmans could have been thoroughly daunted by the challenge of caring for six infants.
But the friendships the young couple formed in the past three years at Twin Falls United Methodist Church, Munroe Falls, keep them optimistic.
"Our support group was in place before we even knew we were having six babies," Mrs. Hanselman said. "We'd be in a world of trouble without them. It was meant to be."
Shifts of volunteers
Volunteers from church arrive every four hours, working shifts from 90 minutes to two hours to help feed the babies.
Lucy is the Hanselmans' demanding daughter, the one who's always first to fuss when mealtime approaches.
"If she had teeth, she'd be gnashing them," Mrs. Hanselman said.
Just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, Mrs. Hanselman's mother, Betty Hofstetter, scooped the grumbling Lucy from a quilt to feed her.
As Alex started to stir, volunteer Nancy Kralik, of Hudson, slipped in the front door. She cleaned her hands, slipped a cloth diaper over her shoulder, picked up Alex and headed for the kitchen for a bottle.
A soft knock on the front door announced another volunteer. Christine Ryan, of Cuyahoga Falls, almost immediately prepared to feed Logan, who has distinguished himself as the most impatient of the boys. Lucy and Logan are the screamers and Kyle and Isabella are the mellowest.
A few minutes later, Twin Falls pastor Michael Swab arrived. He pulled from his small canvas bag a pile of letters and checks for the Hanselmans, along with a list of the 240 or so various donations, including a van load of disposable diapers, six car seats, six high chairs, six cribs, and mountains of clothing and toys.
His congregation is small, about 60 members, but they'll keep up with the family's needs, Swab said. "Sometimes God overloads us to get us off our butts," he said.
Nap time
By 1 p.m., five babies have been carted to their bedroom to sleep. They share three cribs. Only Lucy was awake.
Minutes later, Mrs. Hanselman's father, Duane Hofstetter, strode through the front door. He had driven from Millersburg to mow the lawn, clean the gutters and take his wife home.
"I'm going to take a nap," Mrs. Hanselman said decisively.
"Oh, you've got a life of leisure," her father said jovially.
She slept for two hours, but by mid-afternoon, it was time for another feeding. Another volunteer arrived, Drama Samara, the church secretary. "Oh, little girl!" she squealed as she picked up Sophia to feed.
One by one, the babies were carted into the living room, where Mrs. Hanselman changed their diapers, and some damp pajamas, too. And one by one, they were fed. "Sometimes it doesn't seem possible that they're all mine," Mrs. Hanselman said.
By 5 p.m. all the infants were asleep. Keith Hanselman, a chemist, returned from work after picking up their 2-year-old, Connor, at day care.
At 7:30 p.m., two more volunteers arrived. Andrea Remains took Isabella, and Jeannie McGaughey fed Lucy.
The marathon continued until all the babies were fed and Connor was in bed. "I'm tired of changing diapers," Mrs. Hanselman said wearily. "Twenty in 15 minutes."
By 9 p.m., she was mixing formula. Meanwhile, the last two volunteers said goodnight, leaving Keith Hanselman surrounded by babies sleeping in infant seats in the living room. He sat in the rocker, stroking the bushy striped cat purring in his lap.
And for a perfect peaceful moment, the Hanselman household was quiet.