The couple thought they were well prepared for the arrival of their bumper brood.
They had seven of everything – cots, bottles, dummies, prams, tiny clothes and fleecy blankets – and although it seemed daunting at times, they were ready.
On 4 May, Halima Cissé was wheeled into the operating theatre to deliver her septuplets via C-section – but what happened next made world news and stunned Halima, her husband, Kader Arby, and the team of medical professionals.