Jesy Nelson of Little Mix Posts Photo of Her Infant Daughter’s Feeding Tube

Former Little Mix member Jesy Nelson is giving insight into her life after her twin daughters, Story and Ocean, were both diagnosed with a serious muscular condition.

“I’m utterly captivated by her little laugh,” Nelson, 34, shared on Instagram Stories, posting an adorable photo of one of her babies asleep. A feeding tube was visible attached to the infant’s face in the image.

Earlier this month, Nelson disclosed that both daughters were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1. SMA is a genetic disorder that leads to progressive muscle weakness, with varying severity across five different types, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“A few months back, my mum noticed the girls weren’t moving their legs as much as they should have been,” Nelson mentioned in a social media video on January 4. “[It] didn’t concern me initially because after leaving the NICU, I was told, ‘Your babies are premature, so don’t compare them to others. They won’t hit the same milestones. Just accept them as they are.’”

Nelson and her fiancé, Zion Foster, welcomed their daughters prematurely in May 2025 during a high-risk twin pregnancy.

Once home, they began to observe certain “signs” that indicated the girls’ SMA diagnosis.

“They were having difficulty feeding. It was decreasing gradually,” she explained. “Long story short, after a challenging three to four months filled with appointments, the girls have been diagnosed with a severe muscle condition known as SMA Type 1. It’s the most severe form a baby can have, impacting every muscle in their body, including the legs, arms, breathing, and swallowing, ultimately deteriorating muscle function.”

Nelson went on, “If not treated promptly, your baby’s life expectancy typically won’t exceed two years.”

After the SMA diagnosis, doctors advised Nelson and Foster that their daughters would likely never “be able to walk” and would require wheelchairs.

“They will probably never regain any strength, which means they will be disabled. The best we can do now is seek treatment and hope for the best,” Nelson remarked. “I feel so thankful because without treatment, they wouldn’t survive. The number of hospital visits has been overwhelming; I feel like I practically live there.”

Nelson is mainly grateful that her babies are “still here” and receiving treatment.

“They’ve had their treatment, and I genuinely believe my girls will overcome all obstacles,” she concluded. “With the right support, they will fight this and achieve things that were previously thought impossible.”

Nelson provided an update on her children during a January 7 interview on the U.K.’s This Morning talk show.

“They are still smiling and happy,” she said. “They have each other, and I’m incredibly grateful for that, as they could be going through this alone. Being twins, they are experiencing this journey side by side, which I find beautiful. All I can do is strive to be there for them and provide positive energy.”