The seventh child of Britain’s largest family has spoken out about expecting her first child and says she was nervous about breaking the news to her parents.
Eighteen-year-old Millie Radford, who’s mum Sue is currently pregnant with her 22nd child, took a pregnancy test in the toilet of the ten-bed home she shares with her mum, dad and 17 siblings in Morecambe, Lancashire.
‘My cycle is regular, so I knew I was pregnant. But I was scared of finding out for sure — and what Mum would say,’ she told The Sun.
Sue Radford, 44, from, Lancashire, who is expecting her 22nd baby in Spring, took to Instagram to announce her daughter Millie (pictured), 18, is also pregnant
‘As ‘two-three weeks pregnant’ flashed up, I knew instantly I was keeping the baby. My fear immediately turned to excitement.’
Last month Sue, 44, and husband Noel, 48, who welcomed their first of 21 children thirty years ago and are preparing for the imminent arrival of a little girl, took to Instagram to announce it was an ‘exciting year’ – before revealing they are set to become grandparents for a fourth time.
The supermum shared a snap of an adorable onesie, booties and ultrasound scans surrounded by scattered heart-shaped petals with her 226,000 followers.
The supermum shared this adorable snap to her social media page, which included a onesie, booties and ultrasound photos
She captioned the post: ‘What an exciting year it’s going to be with our baby due in 6 weeks and now a new grand baby due in September! Congratulations @millieeradfordd you’re going to be an amazing mummy #newbaby #grandbaby #soprecious #love #blessed.’
Millie says: ‘It’s weird that my baby will have an aunt who is only five months older. But it means they’ll hopefully be really close.’
Millie says her baby was conceived during a six-month relationship with a boy around her own age and is due in September.
They are no longer together but her former partner has vowed to be a part of his baby’s life.
She adds the couple didn’t use contraception but she wasn’t worried about STI’s as she ‘trusted him’ and had ‘known him for years,’
My parents have always seen me as the ‘good girl’. They are not strict but I knew that telling them would make it real.
‘Thankfully, they weren’t disappointed. They were excited.’
Sue revealing she is pregnant again aged 44. The new baby is due in April
Millie says: ‘It’s weird that my baby will have an aunt who is only five months older. But it means they’ll hopefully be really close’
Sue and Noel even accompanied Millie to to her 12-week scan at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on February 24.
‘When I was at the hospital, people couldn’t believe we were a mum and daughter who were both pregnant. ‘Lots of the staff were clamouring to be my mum’s midwife.
‘They all want to watch her give birth. But I didn’t feel overshadowed because I can see why people love her.
‘Midwives know her story and think she’s amazing,’ Millie says.
She says she isn’t looking forward to her own labour but that she wants ‘to do it as naturally as possible like Mum, who has never had a C-section or epidural.’
Millie admits she is a bit of an expert when it comes to changing nappies and getting small babies dressed.
‘I have had a lot of practice. I started helping Mum with the babies when I was around eight years old — changing them, bathing them and feeding them. My older siblings did it for me, and it’s just how our family works.
‘I don’t know how they did it, but I also spent quite a bit of one-on-one time with my parents, too.’
Sue, 44, and Noel Radford, 48, from Lancashire, with some of their brood. Pictured, Sophie, 26, Chloe, 24, Jack, 22, Daniel, 21, Luke, 19, Millie, 18, Katie, 17, James, 15, Ellie, 14, Aimee, 13, Josh, 12, Max, 11, Tillie, 9, Oscar, 8, Casper, 7, Hallie, 4, Phoebe, 3, Archie, 2, Bonnie, 1
Millie says their home was like any other.
‘We did after-school clubs, Brownies and all those things. The only difference was there were more of us.
It’s not like I was living in hand-me-downs, either. We always had new toys and clothes.’
She is hoping to move into her own flat before the baby arrives and plans to take a year’s maternity leave from her bakery job.
As for their own brood – Sue and Noel’s most recent child is Bonnie Raye, who was born in November 2018, with the others being Chris, 30, Sophie, 26, Chloe, 24, Jack, 22, Daniel, 21, Luke, 19, Millie, 18, Katie, 17, James, 16, Ellie, 14, Aimee, 13, Josh, 12, Max, 11, Tillie, nine, Oscar, eight, Casper, seven, Hallie, four, Phoebe, three, Archie 2 and Bonnie, 1.
The couple’s 17th child, Alfie, was stillborn in 2014.
Sue and Noel already have three grandchildren, who are Millie’s older sister Sophie’s children – Daisy, six, Ayprill, four, and Leo, two.
‘Some people judge us, especially my mum, but I put it down to jealousy, Millie says.
Mum never rises to it or lets it bother her, and we are the same. It’s a valuable thing she’s taught us.’
As for having as many children as her mum, Millie says she would be content with three.
‘I don’t want to drive a minibus to school each day,’ she says.