“I’m obviously her biological parent, and we see each other – COVID-pending – as often as possible, and to think that I have the opportunity to be involved in their family, we call it our rainbow family – is quite a privilege,” she explained.
Màili is just one of five – soon to be seven – of Jana’s biological children.
Her first son, Cornelis, was an only child for some nine years before Jana was diagnosed with CIN3 – abnormal cells in her cervix which can become cancerous. She ended up having part of her cervix removed as a result.
The diagnosis led her to pursue the decision to have more children via sperm donor, in case she lost her ability to have more babies in the future.
“All of a sudden I was there, a single mum already, and thought, ‘why not look at the options of having children on my own’,” Jana said.
Jana took her son to look at donors, and they picked one with a strong resemblance to themselves, so that the family would all look similar.
Via the sperm donor, Jana gave birth to Emily, and then her second daughter Jemima a little later.
Emily and Jemima are full-blood siblings, and Jana confirmed that further down the track the girls will be given the opportunity to meet the sperm donor and get to know him.
Jana’s fourth child, Charlie, was born earlier this year to Jana and her second husband, Paul Gatward.
However, she is now pregnant with twins – meaning Jana will soon be the biological mother to seven different children, and the birth mother to six.
“I actually found out I was pregnant with the twins by ultra-sounding myself,” she explained.
“Soon I’m going to have six children, so it’s certainly going to be a busy household next year.”
Although her life is about to – somehow – get even more hectic, Jana seems to have found great contentment in her work in reproductive medicine.
Her long-term plan is to become an obstetrician and gynecologist and work in women’s health, and she is currently completing her PhD in obstetrics.
WATCH BELOW: Jana Pittman Talks About Her Career Change From An Athlete To A Doctor
