Janet and Graham Walton had one dream — to become parents. But for years, that dream seemed impossible. Despite countless attempts and medical treatments, they struggled to conceive.
Then, against all odds, a miracle happened. Janet became pregnant, and the couple’s lives changed forever.
During her six-week scan, Janet received shocking news — she wasn’t carrying just one baby, but six. “We just sat there in disbelief,” Janet recalled. “We’d been desperate for one, and suddenly there were six!”
Because carrying sextuplets was extremely high-risk, Janet was admitted to hospital for close monitoring as her pregnancy progressed.
On November 18, 1983, at 31 weeks, she gave birth via Caesarean section at Oxford Street Maternity Hospital in Liverpool. The six baby girls — Hannah, Ruth, Lucy, Kate, Jennie, and Sarah — became the world’s first all-female surviving sextuplets.
Although born prematurely, all six babies survived. “They came into the world at 31 weeks,” Graham told The Guardian. “Their lungs weren’t fully developed, so treatment began right away.”
In 1984, once the babies were strong enough, they were finally discharged from hospital. Life for the Waltons became a whirlwind of sleepless nights, feedings, and endless laundry — the family went through 11,000 nappies a year. “They didn’t sleep properly until they turned one,” Janet laughed. “Our lives revolved around feeding, changing, and trying to catch a bit of rest.”
Raising six children at once was far from easy. Between school runs, teenage years, and everyday chaos, Janet and Graham devoted their lives entirely to their daughters.
“I barely remember those years,” Janet admitted. “Everything was such a blur — I just wish we’d had a bit more time to take it all in.”
Despite the exhaustion, their home was always full of love and laughter. The sisters grew up extremely close, sharing everything from clothes to secrets.
Today, the sextuplets are thriving adults. Some are married, and the youngest, Sarah, made Janet and Graham grandparents when she welcomed her daughter Jorgie in 2014.
Janet and Graham adore their granddaughter and spend as much time with her as possible. “I love little ones,” Janet told the Daily Mail. “There’s so much to teach them — and no matter how busy you are, you always make time for your grandchild.”
Now living near one another in Merseyside, the Waltons remain a close-knit family. The sisters recently celebrated their birthday with a special trip to New York, taking their parents along — their first family holiday together in ten years.
Reflecting on their incredible journey, Janet said simply, “We feel so lucky. Our girls are our world — and now, we get to watch the next generation grow.”
