There was a time when Natalie Jackson was looking at a life without children. It would be just her and her husband, Oliver. Two people leading a loving and committed life together, but in a home which would see no first steps, no first tooth, no first day at school.
That's what they prepared themselves for after Oliver was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer at the age of 25, having discovered a lump the year before they were due to marry. The disease had already spread to his stomach and lungs.
He had one testicle removed and underwent gruelling chemotherapy, finishing treatment in October 2004. A follow-up test six months later confirmed their chances of conceiving naturally were extremely slim.
Having frozen some of Oliver's sperm before he'd started chemotherapy, the young couple decided to take their chances with IVF. Yet they braced themselves for the worst.
But fate, as it turned out, had an entirely different plan for them. And what a plan it was. Today, 22 years later, Natalie, 46, is pregnant. The baby is due in June.
But this isn't her first 'miracle' child, a last roll of the dice after two decades of hope and heartbreak. This much-wanted baby will be the couple's 14th child.
To date the couple have had 13 of those baby 'firsts' they thought they'd never have. And as if that isn't miraculous enough, four of those children, including the baby Natalie is now carrying, were conceived after Oliver had a vasectomy in 2018.
Somehow, he became that lucky - or unlucky, depending on how you want to look at it - one per cent of men for whom the procedure reverses itself.
Natalie most definitely counts herself as lucky. 'Every single one of our children is a miracle in their own right,' she says. 'We felt so grateful that Oliver had survived, that we'd been given this chance, that we've just kept going.
'I think Oliver's calling was to be a father. He is completely involved throughout the pregnancy and birth, supporting me in whatever way I need. When he comes in from work, he goes into full Dad mode and contributes to every aspect of childcare, from changing newborn nappies at night to teaching the older ones to drive.'
The couple met in 2000 while working for the RAF - Natalie in air traffic control and Oliver training as a jet pilot.
In June 2004, Oliver noticed a lump and went to his GP, who thought it might be the result of an infection, but arranged a scan to be safe. Events then unfolded with breakneck speed. Within a week of the scan, he'd undergone surgery to remove the lump and cancer had been confirmed.
'That first week was a blur; our life and future was now so uncertain,' recalls Natalie. 'Oliver's prognosis was good, but it was still scary as hell.'
Though the couple - then aged 24 and 25 - had yet to discuss their plans for children, both assuming they would wait until after Oliver had completed his training, his diagnosis now made it a necessity.
'When we had the consultant appointment to discuss his treatment plan and the whole subject of fertility was brought up, I think that's when the reality hit - that not only was Oliver battling cancer, but the future that had only really been an assumption was now also potentially being taken away,' says Natalie.
With doctors unsure to what extent chemotherapy would affect his fertility, Oliver was advised to freeze his sperm.
'Going to the fertility clinic made the seriousness of not having children very real. Inside I was devastated but didn't want to make it about that,' explains Natalie. 'We tried to joke about it, but I felt completely heartbroken.
'I was being strong and taking care of Oliver and I kept the fears that had suddenly appeared about not being able to have children inside.'
Thankfully, Oliver's chemotherapy was successful. 'When he was given the all-clear from cancer, I was so relieved and felt guilty that I'd been worrying about starting a family,' says Natalie.
The couple married in February 2005. Two months later, Oliver provided a sperm sample and was told, once again, that their chances of conceiving were extremely low.
They were just about to start looking into IVF when Natalie realised her period was late. 'I panicked,' she says. 'I worried there was something wrong and that maybe I had fertility problems. So when I saw the positive test, I was absolutely gobsmacked.'
At 26, Natalie gave birth to their first son, Elliott. They never thought for a second they'd get so lucky again. But seven months later, Natalie became pregnant a second time.
'After everything Oliver had been through, we felt incredibly fortunate,' Natalie says. 'So, we decided to leave the rest to chance.'
Today the Jackson brood ranges in age from 19 to three years old. Elliott is 19; Casper 18; Rhett 17; Seren 16; Taliesin 14; Felix 13; Milo 11; Jonah nine; Delia eight; Kit seven; Quinn five; Kiefer four; Indy three.
Home is an eight-bedroom house in Lincolnshire, with a 15-seater minibus and seven-seater car in the drive.
'I love being pregnant. There is no feeling quite like knowing you're growing a little life. And it turned out my body is very good at it,' laughs Natalie, who has had a mixture of hospital and home births.
'I've never torn and I've never needed a stitch despite my biggest baby weighing 10lb 3oz. My quickest birth was just 21 minutes - fortunately in hospital.
'I do have a bit of saggy skin on my stomach and some varicose veins, but luckily I'm in pretty good shape and tend to bounce back quickly.'
Their achievement is all the more remarkable given that they've managed without the help of nannies, au pairs or state handouts. And with Oliver's job taking them to the US for several years, they have often been thousands of miles away from any family support, too.
Although their families have been incredibly supportive of their growing brood, reactions from strangers aren't always so positive. 'I was out one day with the kids and a woman asked if they were all mine,' Natalie says. 'When I said yes, she looked disgusted and walked away. People don't know me, but they think it's fine to judge.'
By the time of her tenth pregnancy, the comments were relentless. 'We get, "Do you not have a TV?" Oliver has been asked how many women the children are with!' In fact, it was after the birth of their tenth child, Kit, in 2018 that the couple decided maybe it was time to halt their baby making. Oliver, now 47, was 40 when he booked himself in for a vasectomy.
But incredibly, two years later, Natalie found herself experiencing those familiar tell-tale signs. She was pregnant again at 41.
'We just could not believe it,' she says. 'The operation had been confirmed as successful. People actually asked him, "How do you know it's yours?" Oliver went to see his doctor and was told it's not as uncommon as you think for a vasectomy to reverse itself, but for a lot of people it gets masked by an increase in age and declining fertility.'
Their excitement at the news, however, confirmed what they secretly knew: they'd always regretted having the procedure.
Baby number 11, Quinn, was followed by Kiefer and Indy. But towards the end of last year, with Indy about to start nursery, Natalie and Oliver were beginning to imagine a different future.
The baby clothes and pram were gifted away and Natalie started working part-time at Marks & Spencer - her first job since 2006, when her eldest son was born. So when she began feeling under the weather last October, Natalie assumed she had caught one of the endless bugs which circulate in a household of 15.
Deep down, however, she knew the truth, but was terrified to confront it. 'I didn't want to take a pregnancy test,' she admits. 'I genuinely thought that chapter of my life was over. If I didn't take the test, I could carry on pretending, so I kept putting it off.'
When a test at six weeks finally confirmed that she was pregnant again, Natalie was overwhelmed with shock. 'That evening, I left the test on Oliver's bedside table. He was thrilled, like he always is, and gave me a big hug,' she says. 'And now the shock has worn off, I'm also really excited to meet Jackson number 14 this summer.'
Elliott is currently studying for a degree in nautical science in Glasgow and wants to become a deck officer in the Merchant Navy. Rhett, Seren, Taliesin, Felix and Milo are at a military boarding school in Scotland where fees cost £585 a term. Casper, Jonah, Delia, Kit, Quinn, Kiefer and Indy are at home.
Natalie admits she was slightly nervous about telling them they were gaining another sibling. ‘It’s been a while since I was last pregnant and, like us, I assumed the kids had moved on. I was relieved that all of them were pleased.’
The children love being part of a huge ‘crowd’, she says, where there’s always something going on. They’ve even involved themselves with some of the home births. Elliott and Casper have both cut cords of their siblings.
Natalie and Oliver have worked hard, however, to ensure each child has individual time with them and that the older ones don’t get roped into childcare.
She is keen to challenge assumptions that large families like hers are irresponsible particularly after the fallout from November’s Budget which saw Labour accused of boosting a ‘benefits culture’. As a skilled multi-engine pilot and qualified RAF flying instructor; Oliver earns the family’s sole income. They receive no benefits and pay tax at higher rate.
'We make every effort to be responsible and ethical using reusable nappies; buying pre-loved clothes; meal planning; teaching children independence productive members society,' says Natalie.
'I want people understand having big family choice not shortcut does mean burden anyone.'
Running a household of 15 requires military-level organisation however. When everyone is at home there are three laundry loads a day eight loads bedding each week. The dishwasher runs at least twice day get through eight pints milk day plus two loaves. Each grocery run tops £300.
Despite the chaos Natalie says the rewards outweigh the exhaustion. 'We are never lonely. There is always someone to play with; someone to have your back.' Oliver agrees but credits his wife for keeping things running: 'As a father of 13 I feel extremely lucky; grateful; exhausted equal measures. Natalie is what holds our family together.'
Natalie is thinking about what needs to be done ahead of welcoming baby 14. They are keeping the gender a surprise.
'I'm halfway through my pregnancy and have currently done zero preparation,' she says.'I have no baby clothes because I've donated and sold everything.'
'After everything we have been through,Jackson number 14 feels like a miracle we never saw coming.Thats why my midwife has no concerns.I think my age bothers me more than her.'
Yet ,despite their excitement at imminent arrival ,Oliver has appointment booked for another vasectomy referral .
'While I'm delighted to be welcoming another baby ,this really has to be last ,'says Natalie .Or will it?