Shaniece Sturdy was never really into the party scene.
The 21-year-old from Surrey was always very family-oriented, and was over the moon when she gave birth to her little boy, Rylee, now four. So when she saw a documentary about infertile couples desperate to conceive via surrogacy, she was inspired to help out.
She contacted a surrogacy centre and came across hopeful parents Joanna and Steve. Desperate to fulfil their dreams of having a child, she flew to LA to a specialist clinic to have their embryo inserted, and is now one of the UK's youngest surrogates.
But then she was told some surprising news.
“At our first scan at just a few weeks pregnant, we were all told I was carrying twins,” she told Kidspot.
But at just 10 weeks, Shaniece (pictured with her son below) got even more shocking news.
“I joked, ‘I wonder if they will find another heartbeat,’ and just minutes later, they did,” she said.
“I was now expecting triplets and at just a few months pregnant, I was already bigger than I had been with Rylee at eight months, I looked huge.”
While Shaniece was all set for a C-section at 33 weeks, the triplets had other ideas. Her waters broke on Halloween and she gave birth naturally.
“Joanna came down to theatre with me and although I was nervous all I cared about was ensuring the babies were delivered safe and healthy,” she said.
“The triplets were taken to intensive care but Willow, Daisy and Harrison were all perfectly fine, weighing 4lb 2oz, 3lb 7oz and 3lb 11oz.”
Despite the shock of carrying triplets, Shaniece has no regrets. In fact, she’s already thinking about next time.
“I would advise anyone thinking about becoming a surrogate to do it, I can’t wait to do it again!”
Touchingly, Shaniece didn’t just hand the triplets over and forget about them. She actually sees them every year on their birthday for a catch-up!
“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.”
“I think a lot of people presume you have to use your own eggs when you’re a surrogate but that’s not the case at all. I had Joanna and Steve’s embryo inserted in Los Angeles so it’s biologically their child not mine, I was just the host womb.
“Seeing them both with the triplets for the first time in hospital was such a special moment, I’ll never forget it.”
And while she was young doing it, Shaniece reckons age isn't the important thing. “It really doesn’t matter how old you are, as long as you’re ready and understand the importance of what you’re doing.”
What a wise, selfless young woman.
