Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has delivered a profoundly emotional account of her motherhood journey, revealing that her personal identity has shifted entirely since welcoming her twin daughters. In a candid discussion on Jamie Laing's Great Company podcast, the singer confessed that her own needs and worries now pale in comparison to the wellbeing of her children, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe.
A Challenging Pregnancy and Premature Birth
Jesy Nelson and her ex-partner, Zion Foster, faced significant medical complications during the pregnancy. The twins were diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) whilst still in the womb, a serious condition that affects blood flow between identical twins sharing a placenta. This led to a difficult and high-risk pregnancy, culminating in the babies being born prematurely at just thirty-one weeks gestation.
The singer spent an arduous three months in hospital prior to the birth, monitoring the twins' condition. When Ocean and Story finally arrived, they required immediate specialist care in a neonatal intensive care unit. Tragically, Jesy was admitted to a separate hospital facility, preventing her from being with her newborns during those critical early days.
Late Diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy
In a further devastating blow, the twins were later diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type one, a genetic neuromuscular disorder. The diagnosis came late, after the babies had already been born. Spinal muscular atrophy affects the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles, leading to progressive muscle weakness.
Jesy explained the condition can severely impact breathing, swallowing, and overall motor function. She heartbreakingly revealed that, without treatment, children with this particular diagnosis may not survive beyond two years of age. The Mirror has joined Jesy in advocating for all UK newborns to be screened for SMA at birth, hoping to prevent delayed diagnoses for other families.
Finding Strength in Her Daughters' Resilience
Despite the overwhelming challenges, Jesy Nelson speaks with immense pride about her daughters' fortitude. She described them as "superhuman" for maintaining happy and smiling dispositions despite the immense medical hurdles they face daily. "Every day they are happy, and I'm like, What have I created?" Jesy shared. "The s**t that they've had to go through, and they're still happy and smiling."
This resilience, she says, fuels her own strength. "That almost gives me even more like strength to be like, Well, what gives me the reason to be sad?" The singer admitted that prior to motherhood, she would sometimes spend days in bed, consumed by worries that now seem trivial. "I don't have a choice to do that anymore, because I have to just get on with it," she stated.
Co-Parenting with Zion Foster
Jesy and Zion Foster have separated but remain committed to co-parenting their daughters as friends. Their focus is entirely on providing the best possible care and support for Ocean and Story. Jesy emphasised that whilst the situation is "really f***ing s**t," she feels blessed by her children's fighting spirit.
"It's not okay, but it is what it is, and I just have to accept it," she said, determined to make the best of the circumstances. "My girls are the strongest, most resilient babies and I really believe that they are going to defy all the odds." Jesy Nelson's story is a raw testament to parental love, medical advocacy, and finding light during life's most difficult storms.
