bumper brood
Millie Radford shows off the ‘tiniest bump ever’ – as mum Sue Radford prepares to give birth to her 22nd child
MILLIE RADFORD has revealed a 'tiny bump' at around 16 weeks pregnant.
The 18-year-old, daughter to mum Sue and dad Noel, is due to girl birth in early September.
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Meanwhile, her mum, who has 21 children, is due any day now.
Millie, who is battling cravings for Babybels, previously told Fabulous how she sneaked into the toilet of the ten-bed home she shares with her mum, dad and 17 siblings to take a pregnancy test.
She said: "My cycle is regular, so I knew I was pregnant. But I was scared of finding out for sure — and what Mum would say.
“As ‘two-three weeks pregnant’ flashed up, I knew instantly I was keeping the baby. My fear immediately turned to excitement.”
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Who's who
SUE and Noel are pictured with all their children, except Chris, 30, and Sophie, 26, who have both left home . . .
- . Chloe, 24
- Jack, 22
- Daniel, 21
- Luke, 19
- Millie, 18
- Katie, 17, holding Archie, two
- James, 16
- Ellie, 14
- Aimee, 13, holding Bonnie, one
- Josh, 12
- Max, 11
- Tillie, nine
- Oscar, eight
- Casper, seven
- Hallie, four
- Phoebe, three
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Her mum is Sue Radford, currently pregnant with her 22nd child, a daughter due early next month.
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's baby was conceived during a six-month relationship with a boy around her own age. The pair are no longer together but he has vowed to be a part of his baby’s life.
Millie says: “We didn’t use protection. I knew there was a risk of pregnancy but I didn’t think it’d be so easy.
“And I didn’t worry about STIs, as I trusted him. I’d known him for years.”
After that pregnancy test in early January, Millie knew she had to tell her parents Sue, 44 and Noel, 49, who run a bakery business, they were going to become grandparents for the fifth time.
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She was nervous about breaking the news and says: “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 and Noel are also parents to Chris, 30, who no longer lives in the family home; Sophie, 26, who has also moved out; Chloe, 24; Jack, 22; Daniel, 21; Luke, 19; Katie, 17; James, 16; Ellie, 14; Aimee, 13; Josh, 12; Max, 11; Tillie, nine; Oscar, eight; Casper, seven; Hallie, four; Phoebe, three; Archie, two, and Bonnie, one.
Sadly, the couple’s 17th child, Alfie, was stillborn in 2014.
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The couple, who live in Morecambe, Lancs, accompanied Millie to her 12-week scan at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on February 24.
Millie says: “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.”
As for Millie’s own labour, she is not looking forward to it.
She says: “Seeing how happy children make my mum, I grew up knowing I wanted kids. But I was convinced I’d use a surrogate.
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“The one thing I am really frightened about is labour. I’ve never seen my mum give birth, but I’ve watched it on TV on One Born Every Minute. I know I’ll just have to get through it.
“I want to do it as naturally as possible like Mum, who has never had a C-section or epidural.”
Labour aside, Millie is well prepared for a first-time mum. She says: “I’ve changed more nappies than I can count and I am an expert at getting squirmy babies into tiny clothes.
“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.”
Contrary to their critics’ claims, Millie says their home was like any other.
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She adds: “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.
“I don’t ever remember having an old bike or Barbie. People think our house must be madness but it’s really calm and all the kids are so well behaved.
“And I am not irresponsible, I’m very mature. I’ve had to be to set a good example to my younger brothers and sisters.
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“Some people judge us, especially my mum, but I put it down to jealousy.
“Mum never rises to it or lets it bother her, and we are the same. It’s a valuable thing she’s taught us.”
So will Millie be having as many children as her mum?
“Absolutely not,” she says. “I don’t want to drive a minibus to school each day. Three is my maximum.
And the mum-of-21 shares a snap of her enormous baby bump as she announces it’s just weeks until her 22nd arrives.
In other news, we told you how Sue Radford threw an LOL Surprise sleepover party for her daughter.