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Woman told she was too anorexic to have children now has brood of NINE - with twins on the way
Last updated at 00:22am on 28.02.08Melissa Cunsamy was devastated when doctors shattered her dream of having a big family.
Her five-year battle with eating disorders had left its mark on her body, they said, and she was unlikely to conceive a child.
But Mrs Cunsamy and her husband Mike proved the experts wrong - ten times.
The couple are the proud parents of nine (including one set of twins), and expect another set of twins in July.
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Defying the odds: The Cunsamy family - with two more on the way
Incredibly, all but their eldest, Charlotte, were born after Mrs Cunsamy suffered an ectopic pregnancy and had a fallopian tube removed, which halved her already poor chances of conception.
Yesterday the Cunsamys, of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, told how they felt "blessed" at having such a large brood.
Both have given up work to look after the children. Mrs Cunsamy, 36, a former checkout assistant, suffered from low self-esteem and battled anorexia and bulimia from the age of 19.
Five years later, she met her husband, a former motor mechanic, when he called in to the Tesco store where she worked.
Two years later, Charlotte arrived safe and well.
Mrs Cunsamy said: "I was told by doctors that if I didn't beat my eating disorders, I would end up six feet under.
"They said my chances of having children were very, very slim and I was absolutely devastated.
"But when Charlotte was born it was like sunshine was brought into my life.
"When you've been told you'll never have kids and then you fall pregnant it's just wonderful."
Struggle: Melissa pictured when she had anorexia. She fought eating disorders for five years
By January 1999, she was pregnant with Charlene, now eight, and over the following six years had Dominic, seven, Natalie, six, Jean Pierre, four, Pierre-Laval, three, twins Gabriella and Gabrielle, two, and baby Antoine, 18 months.
The Cunsamys have crammed three sets of bunk beds into their three-bedroom, semi-detached property, with the oldest and youngest children sharing one of the bunks, Jean Pierre and Pierre-Laval another and twins Gabrielle and Gabriella top and tailing in a third.
The family gets through six loaves of bread a week, along with 48 pints of milk and eight cartons of orange juice, and to get around they own a 12-seater minibus
Mrs Cunsamy added: "I guess we are lucky because the children aren't fussy eaters.
"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.
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Big family: Left to right; Dominic (7), Antoine (18 months), Pierre-Laval (3), Jean-Pierre (4), Gabriella (2 ), Natalie (6) and Charlene (8)
"By just after 8pm they're all in bed. They are all happy children and we are happy to be their mum and dad.
"We thrive on looking after them and just put our tiredness to one side. They certainly keep us feeling young."
Mr Cunsamy, 45, gave up work as a motor mechanic eight years ago to help care for the children as his wife has a slow-moving disc in her back which affects her mobility.
Mr Cunsamy added: "The children come first, they are our priority and I wouldn't be without them.
"I don't think bringing up children is hard. You get so much back from them, such love and the funny things they say and do."
Reader views (6)
I'm always very happy when someone else has children, because it's not really very fashionable nowadays, and it is what keeps society together.
I always wanted to have 5 children, but I waited until we were economically stable before I started, to be sure I could afford the sort of things I'd like my children to have - so I was 31. If I'm lucky - and if my husband knuckles down to it - working three quarters of his time away from his 5 year old and 1 year old - we might be able to afford a third before the fertile period of my life is over.
Why should someone else pay for this couple to have 'hobby' children? Fine and dandy if they need a bit of economic help if the money isn't going round, but for 11 kiddies? This must be very upsetting for any tax payers who are denied NHS fertility treatment based on cost.
- Roz, Chamonix, France
Fantastic. Proof that good parents make good kids! Good luck to them - I'm willing to pay taxes to support such a good example of a family, instead of supporting alcoholics, drug addicts, foreign "workers", convicts or any other professional scroungers.
- Nick, London
No wonder they're all smiling! Who's paying for all this?
- Paul, Bromley
It beggars belief. Why do women think it is their God given right to have a large brood of children to be paid for by the tax payer? These spongers make me sick.
- Sally, London, UK
"a former checkout assistant... a former motor mechanic"
Can I hazard a wild guess as to what they do now? Stay at home and look after their 10 little angels whilst we the taxpayer pay for them? In a world where volume of humans now outstrips the available natural resources having 10 children is utter stupidity.
- Aunty Natal, Highgate
Are that many children really necessary or was there a point to be proven here? I call it irresponsible personally.
- Steve, London
