SUPER-skinny mum-of-12 Jo Watson has her size zero story featured in a national magazine. The 35-year-old’s tale is in this week’s issue of women’s weekly glossy Love It.
The 5ft 2in. mum of Guernsey’s largest young family, which gave their first exclusive interview to the Guernsey Press last year, has always been proud of her petite figure.
Before the birth of her first baby, Natasha, she was a trim size 6.
‘I certainly wasn’t ready for a life in elastic-waisted trousers,’ the now UK size 4, US size zero mum told the mag.
‘So, as I wiggled into my skinny jeans, I smiled smugly. I’d given birth to Natasha only four days before.
‘My husband, John, 41, came up behind me and playfully patted me on the bum. ﾓYou’ve got your figure back quick,ﾔ he said, grinning.’
While pregnant, Mrs Watson had eaten whatever she wanted but pinged back into shape just days later.
Eight months after Natasha was born, she was pregnant again.
‘In the first few weeks, my bump started to show, but still I never got any bigger than a size 8.
‘A few days after giving birth to baby Bradley, I tiptoed on to the scales and gasped as the needle came to a halt.
‘I was almost back to my pre-pregnancy weight, 7st 3lb.
‘My friends were so envious. ﾓWhat’s your secret?ﾔ they would ask.
‘I only wish I knew,’ she replied.
When our third, Shanice, was born, I was lucky to get away with just a few tiny stretch marks on my bum and thighs.
‘I did sit-ups in front of the TV to work off my tummy.’
Disappointment followed when the couple lost fourth baby Augustina after she was born prematurely.
‘But our hearts were still set on having a big family,’ said Mrs Watson.
It was not until her seventh pregnancy, after Mariah and Georgia, that cravings for life’s calorific goodies began.
‘Tearing off the wrappers, I munched through chocolate, biscuits and cakes.’
But at three months pregnant, she got out her size-8 dress.
‘I held my breath as I stepped into it.
‘It zipped up snugly.
‘We finally welcomed baby Caitlin into the world. At 7lb 9oz, she was my largest baby yet,’ she said.
Two more girls, Brittany and Febrianne, and a boy, Charlie, followed.
With nine babies on her hands, she had a sun bed installed in the bedroom.
‘I knew having bronzed skin would make me look slimmer.’
During her 11th pregnancy, her bump hardly showed and when born, Lily-Arna weighed in at just 6lb 2oz.
‘Afterwards, we went on to have another girl, Nerrily-Jade.’
By then the couple had nine daughters and two sons.
‘Soon, we had another son, named Armani.
‘This time, after the birth, I went down to a size 4 - a US size zero.
‘People wonder how I manage to stay looking so good with 12 kids.
‘I never leave the house without my 12-hour lipstick and I always make sure I get my hair highlighted regularly with blonde and red streaks,’ she said.
The pair are now trying for their 13th baby. ‘With nine girls and three boys, we want another son to even things out,’ she said.
‘We’ve been trying for a baby for a year and doctors are baffled as to why I can’t conceive again. Is it because I’m a size zero now? I don’t know, but after 18 years of being pregnant, I do miss having a pot belly.’
Mrs Watson declined to comment further on her interview.
Article posted on 7th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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