Katie Radford, the eighth eldest of Britain's largest family featured on 22 Kids & Counting, has spoken about the challenges of new motherhood and the isolation she feels after moving into a flat two hours away from the family home.
The 22-year-old, who gave birth to son Ronnie Hudson in October last year, admitted that living independently with her boyfriend Connor Carter has been tougher than expected. With Connor back at work, Katie described doing everything alone and feeling lonely, especially during night feeds when Ronnie woke every two hours.
Katie confessed she regrets leaving the family's 11-bedroom mansion, where she had help from parents Sue and Noel and her multiple siblings. She now misses sharing milestones like Ronnie's first smile with her family. Her mother Sue, however, imposed 'tough love' by limiting Katie's daily visits to the family home, saying it was necessary for her daughter to settle into her new life.
In the latest episode, viewers saw Katie struggle with the distance and the loneliness of independent parenting. She said, 'I wasn’t prepared for any of that - the loneliness.' Despite the difficulties, she and Connor are adjusting to their new flat life, though some days she wishes she hadn't moved out.
