Think Your Lockdown Is Tough? Try It With Ten Kids And A Newborn

The average mum and dad are finding coping with a couple of children a serious challenge amid the coronavirus crisis.

- Amy Sharpe

So spare a thought for Joanne and Tommy O’Rourke – who welcomed their 11th child just days after the lockdown started, adding to a brood aged two to 16.

Joanne, 37, is getting by on five hours’ sleep a night while the 13 of them rattle around their four-bed semi. But she insists the lockdown has brought them closer together and is “a special time”.

She said: “It’s a weird time to give birth. There are no cards up and it’s heartbreaking that relatives can only meet him on FaceTime.

“But we are so grateful he’s here and healthy. Our house might seem manic to other parents but, lockdown or no lockdown, it’s all about following a routine.

“It’s easy to let the days trickle by and sometimes we get stressed and exhausted. But we are grateful for the opportunity for family time and make the most of it.”

The O’Rourkes began isolating a week before the lockdown took effect, over fears the virus could affect Joanne’s pregnancy.

Struggled

It means kids Mitchell, 16, Lauren, 14, Joe, 13, Ryley, ten, a girl of ten who cannot be named for legal reasons, Tommy, nine, Ashlee-Dean, seven, Freddie, six, Danny, three, and Neave, two, have been stuck in their home in Barnet, North London, for three weeks.

Joanne, a hairdresser, said: “The older ones struggled with the loss of freedom but understood why we were taking coronavirus seriously.

“Babies could be born with all sorts of conditions and we were worried about extra risk.”

In the final weeks of her pregnancy, Joanne had midwife appointments at her GP surgery, where a “one in, one out” policy was adopted.

Joanne was induced at Barnet Hospital on March 25 and their boy weighed in at 9lb 3oz the next day.