3 days ago
Mum-of-12 says ‘this wasn't my plan' after falling pregnant with ‘surprise' baby at 43, as she admits making key mistake
A MUM-OF-12 has admitted she was stunned when she discovered she was expecting her 13th baby aged 43.
Carly and her pastor husband David have kids ranging in age from two all the way up to 23.
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And after the birth of their youngest - daughter Rosalee - the couple were so "completely content with our even dozen" that Carly even gave away her "stock pile of 2 decades of maternity clothes and baby items".
"We launched ourselves fully into our amazing life of children getting married, grandbabies, and living life to the fullest with all the other children still at home," she added in the caption of an Instagram post announcing the pregnancy.
Carly went on to say she and David "took several measures" in terms of contraception to ensure they stayed "at an even dozen kiddos".
And while "it worked for almost three years", it was when her hormones went "whacky" around two years ago that she made the decision to try and balance them naturally.
"Well, it never dawned on me that balancing my hormones not only effected how I felt, but also my fertility!" she added.
She insisted another baby is the "best kind of blessing" but also added she's still in shock, as she concluded: "This wasn't my plan for 2026, or any other year!"
Carly is due in February 2026.
The pair were inundated with messages of congratulations from friends and family, with one writing: "YOU GUYS!! Congratulations!!
"Oh my goodness I'm thrilled for you!"
"What an amazing surprise!" another added.
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"We had a 'bonus' baby at age 45, born 24 hours after our granddaughter!" a third commented.
"That perimenopause got me, too!"
"Yay this gives me hope! I want one more lol. We have 12 and I will be 42 next month," someone else wrote.
"Hahaha I knew you couldn't resist one more! A baker's dozen!! Congrats!!" another laughed.
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"Everything about this is the best! Congrats!!!!" someone else praised.
While another praised Carly's "patience of a saint", adding: "I have 6 and I'm exhausted - even though 4 have grown up and left home hahaha.
"Just a 2 and 7 yr old left and I'm 45."
