Jesy Nelson just talked about raising twin children.
In a rather sentimental conversation on an episode of the Great Company podcast, the former Little Mix star spoke to Jamie Laing to share her experiences as a mother to daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, following their diagnosis with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
The singer, who previously admitted to not feeling motherly, talked about the profound change in her life’s purpose.
“I never wanted children, and then the universe gave me twins,” she told Laing.
However, despite the shock of an unplanned pregnancy, Jesy described a sudden sense of happiness: “I felt butterflies… it made me the person I always wanted to be.”
Jesy gave birth at 31 weeks, meaning both her daughters were born prematurely, leading to a grueling three-month hospital stay.
The Sweet melody singer spoke candidly about the trauma of childbirth, during which she was put to sleep before giving birth. “Everything has been taken from me. You wake up, they’re not there… they’re in a plastic box and you can’t touch them.”
After moving to Cornwall for a peaceful life, Jesy’s mother noticed the first signs of SMA: a lack of movement in the babies’ legs.
Despite being told not to compare premature babies, Jesy eventually realized something was wrong. “They look like rag dolls,” she explained, describing the muscle-wasting nature of the disease.
That’s why Jesy is now using her platform to call for greater awareness and the inclusion of SMA in the newborn heel prick test.
Although she admits she has had “good days and bad days” where all she wants to do is cry, her daughters give her strength. “They have been through so much, and they are still happy and smiling. What gives me reason to be sad?”
For those unfamiliar, SMA is a rare genetic disorder that weakens muscles and can lead to fatal respiratory failure; where without treatment many children do not live beyond the age of two.
