Former Olympian, athletics star, doctor, and mum-of-six – there’s no denying Jana Pittman is an absolute powerhouse.
Jana regularly posts about her family, sharing photos of her gorgeous children – Cornelis, 16, Emily, eight, Jemina, seven, Charlie, three, and her twins, Willow and Quinlan, two.
WATCH BELOW: Jana Pittman Talks About Her Career Change From An Athlete To A Doctor. Article continues after video.
In October 2023, Jana spoke to the Daily Telegraph about the struggles of raising six children and staying healthy while also working 12-hour shifts.
She spoke with the publication amid rumours that she and her husband, Paul Gatward, had split after she shared a cryptic message on Instagram.
“This parenting six kids basically solo is so tough with all the other crazy things I have on,” she wrote.
“I believe we can achieve many things in life but when your village crumbles around you, the only way out, is to build a bridge.”
The Daily Telegraph reported that she refused to comment about her marriage… all she said was, “I lean on my village when I need. They are generally there when I need them.”
Being so busy, Jana shared that she often struggles to find time to exercise. “I am someone who needs motivation to exercise. I am definitely a person who make excuses,” she said.
Working as a doctor at Sydney’s Royal Hospital for Women, she knows just how important exercise is, even if it’s just 15 to 20 minutes.
“Exercise, activity, and eating healthy impacts every single aspect of a healthy lifestyle. If you want to avoid being in a hospital – (exercise) is the number one treatment you can do for yourself,” she said.
“We know that when you exercise more, the healthier you are, the more productive and brain power you have – theoretically and hopefully that leads to an increase in revenue.”
It’s fair to say Jana is a superstar mother and we love seeing insights into her life with her beautiful family!
Keep scrolling for a look into Jana Pittman’s family life…
Jana shared this adorable photo of the whole family together on April 21, 2024.
“Productive Sunday. Sure makes for light work when the 6 of them work together! Kid’s little picnic table complete 👷♂️,” she wrote.
The twins, Willow and Quinlan, turned two on March 22, 2024.
“Unbelievable they are already 2 years old. No more babies in this household. Double trouble are growing up so fast!!” Jana wrote in an Instagram post.
“Happy Birthday to my 2 little loves 🩷💙 You completed my world 🥰🎉🤩.”
Jemima turned seven years old on January 14, 2024. “Happy 7th birthday to my little miss Jemima! Can’t believe how grown up she is!” Jana wrote in an Instagram post.
The whole family plus Jemima’s friends spent the day at Treetops Adventure for her special day. She looked so happy!
Jana shared this adorable “proud mumma moment” to Instagram in December 2023.
Jemima and Emily competed in little athletics for track and field and Jana was very proud of her little ones.
“Mima got a 🥈in the 100m &🥉in the 70m (U7 get medals as too little for regionals), my Emily came 3rd in the hurdles and 4th in the 400 so off to regions she goes for both!! Little guns!!” Jana wrote.
Jana celebrated her 41st birthday on November 9, 2023, and took to Instagram to share how she spent her day.
The kids made her breakfast AND she got the day off work… Jana was thrilled about this.
“Perfect start to my birthday 🎂 Half the kids slept with me. The other half arrived at 6 am for cuddles followed by making me breakfast! Feeling so lucky and loved 🍀 🥰,” Jana wrote.
“Even have a day off work today.. perfection!”
When pregnant with the twins, Jana spoke with New Idea about her time as a mother.
“It’s been hard, to say the least,” Jana exclusively told New Idea. “Just the fatigue, working full time, all the hormones, and everything have been really rough.”
Jana, who at the time, had four kids, Charlie, Emily, Jemima, and Cornelis, came to realise just how different of an experience it is to be pregnant with twins.
“As a future obstetrician, hopefully, it’s been a good example for me to see how difficult carrying multiple babies are, especially when you’re approaching 40 years of age.”
While juggling a household full of six kids may be daunting for some, Jana and her husband Paul Gatward coudln’t wait to expand their family, and the kids were just as eager to welcome their new siblings.
“They’re over the moon – they think it’s fantastic,” Jana said. “They constantly kiss my tummy and they’re always trying to get involved and trying to name the kids.”
With the extension of her family in 2022, Jana said it would be a “real challenge” ahead to try and balance her career with family, but she saw it as a “huge blessing”.
“Working in women’s health, I see how many women struggle to fall pregnant,” she reveals. “So to be able to have the experience of carrying twins, but also being able to extend that family to such a big family is a real blessing.”
Keeping her family happy and healthy, as well as staying on top of work commitments and her pregnancy, lied within routine; plain and simple.
“For me, it’s just being really organised,” Jana shared. “Planning your day really well and nutrition’s a huge component because I’m always busy and the kids are often having quick lunches.”
As an ambassador for Australian Bananas, Jana is constantly checking to make sure her kids are eating healthy, nutritious food in their lunch boxes, and that she is too.
“It’s just having quick strategies like that, that you know are going to ensure that they’re not unhealthy and that I’m not unhealthy, particularly with the twins,” she said.
“I don’t think balance is necessarily an issue for us. I think it’s more just making sure we have little key ideas like that to throw in and make sure that we’re not flailing when it comes to the basics of just getting out the door in time.”
As a family, Jana and her brood will make their lunches and dinners together every night, with bananas a go-to for a quick and easy snack.
“They’ve got one of those little banana boxes where they stick their banana in a container, it goes straight in the bag and their juice and their berries and their sandwich and it goes straight in.”
“That way, the following morning, all we do is roll out bed, pack some breakfast in and then straight out the door,” she said
It’s a strategy that works, as Jana points out that leaving it to the last minute can fall by the wayside to after-work fatigue – and it’s unlikely to get done at that point.
“I remember getting to the front door a couple of times like, ‘Oh my God, there’s nothing in their lunch box’, and then you’re up with a lunch order.”
With such a busy schedule and plenty to do in a day, Jana considers her ‘me-time’ for when she’s with her kids – a blessing as she called it.
“That’s a choice – it’s not something that you have to do. I love my spare time is with my kids,” she said.
“I’m lucky with that because I am going to have six of them and a lot of the activities we do, so my downtime and my refreshing time is being around them.”
Although, with their high energy, Jana added that they certainly “fill my cup up”, but she wouldn’t change a thing.
“Don’t get me wrong, they yell and scream and sometimes you feel like you’re going to go bonkers, but most of the time they’re just such a pleasure to be around – that youthful energy is just such a blessing.”
