It’s incredibly rare to have six healthy children at once, and even more so when a mother wasn’t expected to have any at all. Janet, a woman who had always known she wouldn’t become a mother, found herself part of a miracle she never thought possible. Destiny, it seemed, had other plans for her.
Janet’s journey began on the Isle of Man, where she met Graham when they were both just 17 years old. What started as a simple friendship quickly turned into something deeper. As they grew closer, Janet knew it was time to tell Graham the truth about her infertility.
She had never had a menstrual cycle due to a rare medical condition, and doctors had told her that becoming pregnant wasn’t a possibility.
“I want to be with you,” Graham said, reassuring her. “If we’re not meant to have kids, then so be it.”
But Janet had a different dream. When they were 24, they married, and soon after, something unexpected happened. Doctors gave Janet news that filled her with hope: there was still a chance for her to become a mother.
This news came in the 1980s, when medical technology was far from what it is today. Despite the odds, they made the decision to give it a try—no matter what it took. But after twelve unsuccessful attempts, they were ready to accept the possibility of not having children.
Then, the impossible happened. On the thirteenth attempt, Janet got the news she had been waiting for.
“You’re pregnant, ma’am,” the doctor told her.
It was a moment of pure joy mixed with nervous excitement. But the couple didn’t stop there—they had agreed that if pregnancy didn’t work out, they would adopt. Still, a miracle had happened. Janet was pregnant at 31, and at her eight-week ultrasound, the doctor’s stunned look told her that something extraordinary was happening.
As the doctor’s wide eyes met hers, Janet’s heart raced. The doctor left the room and came back with the chief physician and a team of colleagues. They quickly advised her to go to the hospital immediately. What they told her next was unbelievable: Janet was expecting six babies.
The couple was stunned. It was hard to even comprehend what they were hearing. The chances of carrying all six babies to term were incredibly low, but Janet didn’t lose hope. She held onto her faith that everything would be alright.
The doctors told Janet that if she wanted to give the babies the best chance, she would need to wait until she was at least 23 weeks pregnant.
Though the pain was unbearable at times, Janet was determined to do whatever it took to bring her children into the world. At 31 weeks, the babies were running out of space, and the doctors decided it was time for a C-section.
On November 18, 1983, seven medical teams worked together in the operating room. Janet underwent a general anesthesia and gave birth to all six babies—six healthy girls. When Janet woke up, her first thought was for her children. She was relieved to hear that all of them were still alive, each weighing between one and one and a half kilograms.
“Two Hours of Sleep and State Support: A Large Family’s Everyday Life”
It was only a month later when Janet and her daughters returned home. Graham, ever supportive, took paternity leave to help care for his wife and children.
The couple had no idea how to care for six newborns, so the government sent several nurses to assist them at home. With only a few hours of sleep each night, they adapted to the chaos and joy that came with raising so many babies.
For outings, they used two double strollers and slings to help manage their large family. Despite the exhaustion, the couple was filled with a happiness they had never known.
As time passed, the Walton family became well-known in Liverpool. They were featured in advertisements and invited to appear on TV shows.
The girls grew up, and as time went on, each of them began to carve out their own path. Hannah, the eldest, became a primary school teacher. Jenny followed her passion for baking and opened her own bakery. Kate found work at a staffing company. Ruth took on a role as a secretary, and Lucy, always adventurous, became a flight attendant.
Then, in 2014, Sarah, one of the Walton daughters, became a mother herself, giving birth to a daughter named Georgie.
By 2021, Janet spoke to Mirror about her life. She revealed that she now had three granddaughters, and her heart was full of joy. Looking back, Janet couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the family she had built and the unexpected blessings that had come her way.
She had always dreamed of having a large, loving family—and now she had it.
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