Melissa Cunsamy was devastated when doctors told her that years of battling eating disorders meant that she could never have children.
But the former checkout assistant was determined to become a mother - and 12 years later she and husband Mike have nine youngsters, with twins on the way.
Amazingly, eight of the couple's children were born after Mrs Cunsamy suffered an ectopic pregnancy and had to have a fallopian tube removed.
Between the ages of 19 and 24, she fell victim to bulimia and anorexia, and her weight plummeted to 38kg (6st).
Doctors told Mrs Cunsamy that the rigours her body had been through meant it was unlikely she could get pregnant.
'I was told if I didn't buck my ideas up I would be 6ft under,' said the 36-year-old.
'My chances of having children were very very slim and I was absolutely devastated.'
Two years later she gave birth to her first child, Charlotte, and she and 45-year-old Mike have never looked back.
The full family now comprises Charlotte, ten, Charlene, eight, Dominic, seven, Natalie, six, Jean Pierre, four, Pierre-Laval, three, twins Gabriella and Gabrielle, two, and 18-month-old Antoine.
And the couple are looking forward to the birth of twins in July.
The Cunsamys' giant family squeeze into their three-bed semi in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Melissa and her Mauritian-born husband have given up work to look after their ever-expanding brood of children.
Their weekly shopping bill includes six loaves of bread and 48 pints of milk and they drive a minibus for family outings.
Mrs Cunsamy said: 'The kids have their moments, like all brothers and sisters do, but they all get along great and play happily with each other.
'They have learned to share and we are really proud of all of them. We can take them out and they behave impeccably, they are all well mannered and respectful.'
Source: Metro
