Mum gives birth to seventh girl

Antonina Viamosa missed being a New Year's baby by four hours.

The newborn of Kaponga couple Rachael and Sonny was due to have arrived on December 27, but with each of her six other children having been late, Rachael wasn't aiming for New Year; she was expecting to have labour induced next week.

Baby Antonina was born on January 2 at 3.59am, weighing a healthy 3.37kg. She and Rachael were home a few hours after the birth and, with her older children helping out, Rachael (31) says it is 'no sweat' having a seventh child in their very busy household. They live on a 10-acre lifestyle block, rearing calves and keeping a few horses. Rachael also works as a home-based childcare provider.

Rachael will not be taking time off work, as one of the advantages of working from home is that she can still be there for her kids, she says.

She and Sonny changed roles this time round.

"He will be doing most of the caring, while I will continue the nursing."

Their other kids range from Leeward (2) to Natalya (13), who starts high school at St Mary's Diocesan in Stratford this year.

The couple moved from Auckland to Taranaki at the end of 2011. Leeward, Waikauri (5), Farrayne (7), Serafi (8), Christine (10) and Natalya were all born at National Women's Health at Auckland City Hospital. Antonina was born at Elizabeth R in Stratford.

Rachael says while they are not thinking of having more children, the future will tell.

"If it happens, it happens."

While she admits it would be nice to have another male in the family, she says they have lost the "wanting" for a boy.

"It is nice to have all girls now."

She says they did not plan to have a big family.

"We just planned for one and then another came and then another..."

Both are from big families - Rachael is one of 15 and Sonny one of eight.

Both Rachael's parents are twins, but Rachael says she is confident that it will skip to the next generation.

Their neighbour, Rachael's sister Leeanne Ngatai, is also following in the family tradition, with nine children.