The Herndandez family welcomes 10th child at Good Samaritan Hospital

If you thought packing the kiddies in the car was a tough task, meet the Hernandez family who just welcomed their 10th child on Saturday.

At 2 p.m., the Hernandez’s newest bundle of joy, Savannah Leigh, was born in a place very familiar to them: Good Samaritan Hospital.

It was there where, husband and wife, Joseph and Dawn Marie, birthed all of their children — all by the same doctor.

“We kind of knew they would continue,” said the couple’s doctor, Joseph Livoti.  “She would say no more, but six months later she said would be back.”

Outside of the Hernandez family, Livoti had never delivered more than six children from one mother.

“It is has been a journey,” said the doctor, smiling. ” Some of them were easy, some were hard, but [Dawn] is a great patient.”

That journey began about 15 years ago when the couple decided to have its first child, Joseph Anthony.

Since then, the Coram family has grown to exactly 5 boys and 5 girls: Joseph Anthony (15), Rebecca Emily (12), Nicholas James (10), Madison Lynn (9), Julianna Rose (8), Alex Christopher(7), Zoey Marie(6), Noah Ryan(4), Hunter Jaxson (2), and newborn Savannah Leigh.

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Before the two had their first child,  they actually considered never having kids.

“But we shortly decided to change our minds,” said the mother, laughing.

One of the reasons for the change of heart was Joseph’s upbringing.

“I was a foster child and I was around tons of kids,” said Joseph, who grew up in Bay Shore. “I was always hanging out with kids and having fun my whole life.”

Now, the couple says they get mixed reactions when they tell people how many kids they have.

“Some embrace it and love the idea,” said Dawn,  “And some think its ridiculous.”

Even with the large family, both Joseph and Dawn find time to work — Joseph sells premier artwork, while Dawn is a nurse at Mather Hospital and nurse educator at Adelphi University.

“I try not to think day-by-day, you just have to keep going,” said Dawn, of Bohemia.

If you visited the Hernandez 8-bedroom home, you would never think 12 people lived there, says Joseph.

“I am a clean freak,” he said. “Our friends can’t even believe it.”

In order to maintain the household, the family relies on the kids to help out, especially the eldest.

“It’s a lot of work, but I love all of them,” said Joseph Anthony, who is a 10th grader at Newfield High School.  “They are going to be my friends for the rest of my life.”

As of now, Hernandezs say there are no immediate plans for baby No. 11.

“You never know,” said the smiling father. “But we are comfortable for now.”