Sue and Noel Radford’s big book bombshells - baby number 23 and depression scare
TV stars Noel and Sue Radford have defied all odds to become Britain's largest family with 22 kids, with the happy couple opening up about their family in a revealing new book.
Noel and Sue first met as youngsters, with Sue falling pregnant at the tender age of 13. Both of them, who were adopted as babies, decided to raise their first child and start a family together - going on to welcome another 21 children into the world together over the years that followed.
The parents of Britain’s biggest family share 22 children together, including Chris, Sophie, Chloe, Jack, Daniel, Luke, Millie, Katie, James, Ellie, Aimee, Josh, Max, Tillie, Oscar, Casper, Hallie, Phoebe, Archie, Bonnie, Heidie and their brother, Alfie, who was tragically stillborn.
The Radfords: Making Life Count, Noel and Sue's joint memoir, is a book filled with heartwarming and personal tales about managing family life, complete with moments of tears and laughter. We take a look at the biggest bombshells from their new literary offering.
Horrific birth experiences and crazy cravings
As the mother of 22 children, Sue has a lot of advice and anecdotes to share when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth. Writing about the birth of her first child, the mum-of-22 says: "With Chris, our first, I never really had any cravings as such, though I did used to like having a lot of ice lollies – which I think was because I had terrible morning sickness.
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"But then, for the rest of them, I had a really weird craving – for flour, of all things! Looking back now, I know it sounds awful – and it IS awful! I think it was the texture that appealed to me for some reason." Noel adds: "Flour – straight out of the bag! But you did have another craving, too – for pickled onions."
Recalling son Chris' actual birth, Sue remembers: "My first was absolutely horrendous. I remember having to be cut and then the midwife didn’t numb me enough and I needed stitches and could feel the needle going in and the thread coming out. I can still hear the noises associated with it all. It was absolutely terrible."
Chris was the longest of Sue's 22 children when it came to labour, at about 26 hours, "and Katie was the shortest," Sue reveals, adding: "I think the labour time for Katie was officially recorded at 11 minutes."
The Radford clan (THERADFORDFAMILY/INSTAGRAM)Terrifying depression battle
Writing in The Radfords: Making Life Count, Sue recounts her experiences with antenatal depression and postnatal depression."With James, our ninth child, I did suffer from postnatal depression, and it was quite bad," the star writes. "I think, partly, that was to do with Noel having had his vasectomy during that pregnancy."
She goes on to tell readers: "My postnatal depression lasted about six months. I just felt so rubbish. I had to be on antidepressants for the whole six months – but after the six months, that was it, I was fine. I think a lot of women get postnatal depression, but maybe it’s something that’s not talked about enough. I was fortunate, I think, because the antidepressants were really good. They got me through those six months – in fact, I would say even after just a few days of taking them, they started to work and have a positive effect."
Candid sex life admission
As parents to whopping 22 children, Noel and Sue would be forgiven for not always finding the time to keep their sex life active. But writing in their new book, the loved-up pair reveal they have no problems keeping the spark alive in the bedroom. "I think with having had 22 kids, there’s no lack of drive there!" Noel admits.
"Definitely not!" Sue adds in agreement, before going on to confess: "I think we prefer sleep to sex now, don’t we? I think when you get a bit older, you definitely appreciate your sleep a bit more." Noel adds: "That’s right – but there’s also Heidie, our youngest, to consider as well. She is a real mummy’s girl and never leaves Sue alone!"
Although their sex life is fine, Noel and Sue's relationship isn't perfect. Elsewhere in their book, Sue says of Noel: "He does drive me crazy when he bites his nails, though. It’s so bad, and so noisy – I hate it. And when he leaves his dirty clothes in the bathroom – that is also really annoying. Sometimes he’s so bad at putting things down and forgetting where he’s put them. That’s when I think he’s like my 23rd child! As he’s getting older, I don’t think his memory is quite what it was!"
22 children later and the couple are still very much in love (YouTube)Noel’s heartbreaking confession about his birth mum
"My birth mum is still none the wiser that I have been looking to find out more information about her, unless she watches us on the TV and she’s maybe put two and two together," Noel admits in his memoir. The reality TV star, who was adopted as a baby, goes on to tell readers: "I don’t think she would have been told details about who adopted me, where they were from and what my surname was going to be. I think things are completely different now compared with the time I was adopted.
"I could be wrong but I think that in the 1970s after you were given up, that was it. Though there may have been a six-week cooling off period, where you could change your mind and have the child back – but then there was no going back after that. I was born on Christmas Eve, 1970, and adopted on January 3, 1971 – but I don’t think I was officially registered as having been adopted until March of that year."
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Baby 23?
Could there yet be baby number 23 on the cards for Noel and Sue? "No, I don’t think so – though we have said similar things before!" Sue admits in The Radfords: Making Life Count, adding: But no, that’s it now." In agreement, Noel pens: "We’ve said similar things plenty of times before!
"But seriously, Heidie is three now, so yes...we’re enjoying our sleep at last! And we no longer have to worry about kids being at that age when they pick things up off the floor and stick them in their mouths" Sue goes on to write: "Yeah, there are all sorts of things we no longer have to worry about."
*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email [email protected]
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