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'I have 14 kids and there is one big challenge we really have to plan for'

Shay Barbee, 44, from Chicago, has given birth to 14 children and says having such a large brood can prove a logistical nightmare and admits the family might still grow further

[Shay Barbee and her children ]

Shay Barbee admits organising her children can be easier said than done(Image: Jam Press/@thismomof14)

A mum of 14 has revealed that the biggest challenge of raising her enormous brood is the logistical headache of getting everyone from place to place and admits the family could continue expanding.

Shay Barbee, 44, and her spouse Will own five cars but regularly pile into a 15-seater vehicle to get around, as their eldest child Sean doesn't always join every outing.

Shay explained: "The biggest logistical challenge is transportation. Because my oldest doesn't go everywhere with us, we now all fit in one 15-passenger vehicle, but sometimes we take two vehicles. We make reservations and plan accordingly in advance."

With fewer individuals choosing parenthood these days and fertility rates plummeting worldwide, Shay and Will Barbee are undoubtedly defying convention.

The 44-year-old mother-of-14 was previously branded a birthing "machine" by medical professionals. She welcomed her first baby 25 years ago while her youngest arrived just five years back.

[Shay with her 14 children ]

Shay and her husband spend an incredible amount each month (Image: Jam Press/@thismomof14)

The pair, residing in Chicago, Illinois, USA, take pride in requiring no assistance from others, whether practical or monetary.

They fork out an extraordinary sum on costs for their enormous household. Shay and Will splash a staggering 42,800 on food shopping annually, equating to over 3,500 each month, reports the Mirror.

This figure would climb even higher without their own hens supplying eggs.

Additionally, they fork out 11,000 on garments, 400 per child's birthday celebration and approximately 5,200 every Christmas.

She said: "Each child gets to pick what they want to do for their birthday plus a toy/clothes/shoes or whatever they choose.

[Shay cooking for her 14 children]

It can be difficult cooking for such a huge family (Image: Jam Press/@thismomof14)

Our Christmas budget includes gifts, trips, shows, new decor and Christmas pyjamas."

Despite their enormous monthly outgoings, the duo aren't against expanding their family further.

Shay revealed to creatorzine.com: "We didn't prevent or try to have children. We are open to whatever the Lord has for us. I have very easy pregnancies; my doctor called me a machine.

"We don't receive support from anyone; we provide, cook and clean ourselves. Our family raises chickens and ducks.

"We don't eat a lot of bread; I try to bake my own and I usually bake six loaves for the day."

The household gets through approximately 180 eggs weekly while consuming as much as 36 gallons of milk each month.

[Shay Barbee]

Shay Barbee loves having a big family (Image: Jam Press/@thismomof14)

The children comprising the enormous Barbee brood are: Sean, 25, Jacob, 23, Joshua, 21, Jaicee, 20, Jewel, 17, Jeremy, 16, Jordan, 14, Jenevieve, 13, Jonah, 13, Josiah, 12, Job, 10, Jameson and Jerusalem, both seven, and Jiuseppe, five.

Shay works as a full-time mum while Will operates as an entrepreneur and investor. All the youngsters receive home education while the elder siblings progress to university.

She confesses that when the entire family ventures out together, she frequently notices people tallying them in public. Nevertheless, the majority of reactions are well-meaning and positive with the hostility confined to online encounters.

Shay added: "I've witnessed people counting us, but mostly the reactions are positive and people tell us how beautiful and well-behaved our children are.

"The reaction is usually a resounding 'Wow, that's amazing, you don't look like you have 14 kids! You must have the patience of a saint!'

"We never receive rude comments in person. The only rude comments come from family and social media."

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