A mum at 20.. at 21 she gave birth to surrogate triplets
A MOTHER aged just 21 has given birth to triplets for another couple.
When she had her own son Rylee at the age of 20, Shaniece Sturdy was determined to become a surrogate mother and help those unable to have children themselves.
Instead of ‘partying ’ like other young women, she decided she wanted to help another couple ‘fulfil their family dream’.
Miss Sturdy made the decision after watching a TV documentary on surrogacy. ‘It really doesn’t matter how old you are, as long as you’re ready and understand the importance of what you’re doing,’ she said.
At the time, she did not tell her family about what she wanted to do, and it was only when she met the couple she would be helping that she revealed her plans. Miss Sturdy, from Carshalton, Surrey, flew to a specialist clinic in Los Angeles to have an embryo implanted.
The parents, Joanna and Steve, who did not want to reveal their full names, only wanted a brother or sister for their daughter but Miss Sturdy ended up presenting them with two girls and a boy.
‘I was only supposed to be helping the family have a brother or sister for their little girl but I ended up giving them three babies at once,’ she said.
‘At our first scan we were all told I was carrying twins,’ she said. ‘At the 10-week scan I joked, “I wonder if they will find another heartbeat,” and just minutes later, they did.’
The triplets – Willow, 4lb 2oz, Daisy, 3lb 7oz, and Harrison, 3lb 11oz – were born in October 2013. Speaking about her surrogacy for the first time, Miss Sturdy, described it as ‘one of the best experiences of my life’.
She added: ‘It was amazing. I would recommend it to anyone.’
Now 24, Miss Sturdy, who became one of Britain’s youngest surrogate mothers, has flown out to visit the three youngsters each year for their birthday. ‘I always get so emotional when I see them, not because I miss them or want more children of my own but because I’m so happy that I was part of their journey,’ she said.
Miss Sturdy, who runs her own cleaning business, added that she ‘can’t wait to do it again’.