Mother of 'surprise' quintuplets on what it's like to have five children

'Fifty fingers, fifty toes, six hearts beating at once'

Kim Tucci and her husband Vaughn wanted to try for one more child - and got a surprise (Erin Elizabeth Photography)

A mother has shared photos of her new quintuplet babies for the first time in a bid to explain what it's like being "surprised by five".

Kim and Vaughn Tucci wanted to try for one more child to "round off their little family" when they discovered they were set to have five more instead - a 1 in 60 million chance.

Now, five months after they were born, Ms Tucci has described how it feels to be responsible for so many little people all at once.

"Fifty fingers, 50 toes, six hearts beating at once," she says.

"My body fought the toughest of battles to get five babies here safely. Everything I did, I did for them."

She also described trying to get the babies to the doctor for check-ups.

"The babies are off to another appointment today," she said.

"I'm still overwhelmed by all the capsules lined up holding the precious cargo I call my babies."

The couple, who live in Australia, have even turned to online fundraising to try to buy a car and other items needed to look after the quintuplets.

Ms Tucci's grandmother posted an explanation of her 26-year-old grandaughter's situation on Gofundme.org.

"Kim is a wonderful mother and Vaughn a fantastic father, the pressures placed on this young couple go far beyond what many of us could ever imagine," she says.

"Each day they strive to make their family as happy as they possibly can without passing on their worries and concerns to each other."

The pair had a rented home they currently could not afford to buy and which was not big enough to accomodate everyone, she added.

Nor did they have a car with the required nine seats for themselves, their two other children and babies Ali, Penelope, Tiffany, Beatrix and Keith.

Since the appeal went online 24 days ago with the photos, the couple have raised more than $32,000.