When a Surrogate’s Stomach Wouldn’t Stop Growing, Her Doctor Took A Closer Look And Found This

when a surrogate's stomach wouldn't stop growing her doctor took a closer look and found this [Music] [Applause] [Music] shanice sturdy was young when she decided to become a surrogate she had never done anything like that before and at just 21 years old she didn't really know what to expect but this was certainly not it she looked first at the monitor and then to her ever-growing stomach she was only in her second trimester but she seemed to have grown so much recently she knew that something had to be wrong she couldn't catch a break and she was constantly hungry her back among other things always seemed to be aching and in general she just never felt good shanice stayed nervously on the table as the nurse squeezed the cold jelly onto her stomach and then rubbed the ultrasound instrument across her round belly these symptoms are absolutely normal for a first pregnancy the nurse calmly explained as she performed her job but shanice still wasn't sure she watched as the screen reflected a blurred mix of gray and black and she held her breath in anticipation and fear finally she managed to ask is everything okay the nurse didn't respond instead she called for a doctor growing up as a little girl shanice had always known that she wanted to be a mother and have her own family one day it was a dream of hers and what she looked forward to achieving when she was finally old enough she grew up with two parents who had met and fallen in love when they were young just 16 years old she also had an older sister who married her childhood sweetheart as soon as they both finished school but shanice was surprised how much pain she saw in the first few years of their marriage shanice and her older sister were several years apart and they spent a lot of their childhood fighting and arguing but they were also friends who loved each other she was just 14 years old when linda her sister moved out to move in with her partner and shanice was excited finally she wouldn't have to put up with linda making unreasonable demands or their constant fighting to chinese life was about to become much easier now that her sister was out of the house she had more space to live her own life what chinese didn't expect after her sister had moved out was for her house to suddenly feel too quiet at first she had somewhat enjoyed the peace and lack of arguing but now she started to miss the constant back and forth in bickering even though she still saw linda on the weekends she could tell that things were no longer the same the two sisters were beginning to drift apart because they no longer lived together so shanice came up with a solution she bought a bus ticket to visit her sister but what she found was not what she expected shanice took the bus to visit her sister when she arrived at the bus stop she got off and started to walk up the road in the direction of where her sister lived while she walked she noticed her brother-in-law driving toward her in his red truck she waved at him and then stopped expecting him to pull over or slow down to talk to her instead he didn't acknowledge her not a wave or a smile as she watched him drive by she looked hard at his face she had never seen him look so serious shanice was surprised that her brother-in-law josh hadn't seemed to notice her and if he had he hadn't acknowledged her or paid her any attention what was going on maybe he was having a bad day or maybe he'd had a bad day at work shanice kept walking toward her sister's house when she arrived she knocked on the door excited to finally see linda but when linda opened the door shanice was shocked by how she looked when linda opened the door to her house shanice could tell that her sister had been crying black mascara was running down linda's cheeks in little rivers and her eyes were red and wet from tears shanice stared back at her sister's pale face with worry and asked did he hurt you as she waited for her sister's response shanice hurried into the kitchen to grab a wet towel to wash her sister's face she listened with worry while linda explained what had happened don't be silly linda said i asked him to leave shanice was shocked by linda's answer she leaned back and stared at her sister studying her face for any sign of a lie she knew linda so well that she could always tell when linda was lying but this time it was clear that linda was being honest in her answer shanice's parents hadn't been thrilled when linda and josh got married and maybe they'd been right the newlyweds were extremely young to make such an important decision why did you ask him to leave linda shanice said linda's answer was the last thing she expected as linda explained the situation between herself and josh to shanice linda's eyes filled with tears and she continued to cry as she spoke you know we've been trying for a year now shanice he wants to take out another loan for ivf but we can't afford it we couldn't afford the first treatment linda wiped her nose as she spoke she was quiet for a second and then she continued with the sigh we can't keep doing this shanice's heart broke as she listened to her sister talk about trying to get pregnant she had seen linda upset before but she had never seen her this upset shanice knew how much linda wanted to be a mother and have a child of her own she also knew that linda would be unhappy forever if she couldn't have children shanice decided to stay at her sisters for the weekend so that she could comfort linda she made them both some tea and grabbed a blanket preparing for a long weekend over the next couple of days shanice convinced linda that she needed to try again what chinese couldn't have predicted was how much of an impact that weekend would have linda agreed that she would continue trying to get pregnant it took about two years before it finally happened but eventually linda found out that she was finally pregnant her original plan was to keep the pregnancy a secret until she reached the second trimester since that would mean the pregnancy was more secure than it was in the first trimester unfortunately linda never reached the second trimester of that pregnancy linda was devastated by the miscarriage and at first she refused to consider trying to get pregnant again but just like she had before linda once again changed her mind linda struggled to cope with the miscarriage and she fell into depression and began isolating herself from everyone she became a recluse and even though shanice tried to help her linda refused to leave her house for an entire month there didn't seem to be any way to help lift linda out of her depression but josh had a plan that could be just what linda needed he knew one other way to give linda what she really wanted a child it seemed like getting pregnant and giving birth to her own child wasn't in the cards for linda which was devastating but josh had a plan that no one had thought of so far it was certainly an unorthodox one which was perhaps why no one had suggested it so far but it might be the last opportunity to give linda what she wanted and make her happy but linda remained devastated by the miscarriage and the pain was still too fresh for her to have much hope of getting pregnant again but when josh told her his plan she started to feel some hope linda agreed to josh's plan but there was one person whose consent was the most important josh's sister linda and josh were both on board but was it something his sister would agree to after all they were about to ask her to make a huge sacrifice something that many people would turn down without a second thought how would she feel what would she say there was only one way to find out josh contacted his sister and asked her to meet with him and linda so that they could talk they had something important they wanted to ask her finally josh and linda sat down with josh's sister to talk to her they were both extremely nervous this request they had was not something that most people would agree to what would she say would she agree to participate linda was especially nervous her chances of being a mother were dependent on how josh's sister responded all she wanted was to be a mom and it was not working out for her but this request would give linda a shot at finally being the mom she knew she was destined to be linda wasn't naive she knew she and josh were about to ask a huge favor from his sister there was a very good chance that his sister would say no and refuse to help them after all she was a person and most people would say no too it was a huge request linda and josh waited nervously as his sister considered their request when she responded they were blown away by her answer the three words josh's sister said shocked them it was what they had hoped she would say but they had never dared expect that she would actually agree i'll do it she said and linda and josh felt such a huge amount of relief and excitement his sister had agreed to their request finally linda would see her dream of having a child of her own beginning to take shape it no longer felt like something that was never going to happen with his sister's help josh and linda were finally going to be parents josh and linda had asked that his sister consider being a surrogate for the couple and carry their first child for them basically she would carry josh and linda's biological child in their womb since josh and linda were unable to carry a baby full term everyone was thrilled that linda had another shot at being a mother especially shanice this was her sister's dream and josh's sister was going to make it happen shanice had no idea how much she would be inspired by josh's sister's generosity seeing her agree to such a sacrifice was a huge inspiration for shanice had josh's sister really taking the time to think through what she was agreeing to after all pregnancy is difficult for anyone but to agree to carry another woman's child for nine months and undergo all the hardships that come with being pregnant that was a huge sacrifice there was no doubt that it would not be easy in fact it would be extremely difficult but his sister had agreed despite the difficulties she would carry her brother and sister-in-law's baby for nine months to give them their dream hearing about this moved shanice but she couldn't appreciate how much it would inspire her in the future for years josh's sister was making a big sacrifice for the couple and linda appreciated it but she was also slightly hesitant she had already had her heart broken before with the miscarriage and the years of trying and failing to get pregnant could she really handle going through this again just to watch it fail she didn't want to become too excited only to have her hopes dashed again but what was wrong with trying one more time maybe this time would work and this time they had a different plan something they had never tried before maybe this would be the time that would work if the surrogacy attempt failed there were still other options this certainly didn't mean that linda would never have a child after all there was foster care linda and josh could foster a child and then possibly adopt the world was full of children who needed homes and linda and josh could provide just that but linda still hoped for her own biological child shanice wanted the same for her sister and so she spent every night praying that this pregnancy would take and that josh's sister would be able to carry the baby to charm and then it finally happened the surrogacy was a success josh's sister got pregnant with josh and linda's baby and was able to carry it to full term finally the day came when the baby was born when shanice heard the news she couldn't stop crying it was the happiest she had ever been she was thrilled for her sister linda deserved to be a mother and she would be a great one but something else important happened that day linda and josh didn't just become parents for the first time shanice also made a promise to herself something that she knew she had to do seeing surrogacy changed linda and josh's lives and make shanice an aunt changed something in chinese she realized that surrogacy was something she wanted to do she promised herself that if the day came when she had the chance to be a surrogate she would do it and make someone else's dream come true what chenise couldn't have anticipated was how different her surrogacy journey would be right after shanice turned 21 she met joanna and steve a couple who was trying to conceive they too were looking for a surrogate to help them grow their family and shanice realized this was her chance to fulfill her promise her family was thrilled when they found out she was going to be a surrogate they had seen the happiness it brought josh and linda and they were so proud that their daughter wanted to give a couple the same gift shanice had to fly to los angeles for the procedure to get pregnant after it was done she flew back home unfortunately things didn't go as planned shanice was very young when she agreed to become a surrogate for joanna and steve she said i was only 21 at the time but i wasn't interested in partying and drinking i wanted to help another couple fulfill their family dream joanna and steve were thrilled that chinese had agreed to be their surrogate just like surrogacy gave linda and josh their family surrogacy could also give joanna and steve theirs shanice did get pregnant but when the first trimester ended she knew something was different something felt off and she was right shanice had only ever met one other surrogate josh's sister shanice had watched his sister go through the pregnancy his sister had experienced all the struggles of pregnancy from nausea to morning sickness to constant exhaustion and she had continued to work through all of that up until she was eight months pregnant shanice was lucky her pregnancy seemed to be going well but she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right she just couldn't help but worry shanice was lucky pregnancy didn't impact her daily life too much she was able to continue living her life and doing her daily activities one strange thing however was how big her stomach continued to grow well into the second trimester that worried chinese she didn't know what it meant of course babies keep growing during the final months of pregnancy but this seemed to be more growth than was normal chinese needed to find out what was wrong she decided to give her doctor a call to see what was going on when she niece went to see her doctor she was nearing the end of her first trimester and about to start her second she was going in for her 10-week scan to check in and see how things were going as she lay on the table she thought about her concerns she didn't know what the doctor would say as she waited she twiddled her thumbs and looked at her baby bump finally the doctor returned with paperwork when he entered the room he was silent her doctor's silence worried her was there something wrong with the pregnancy was there something wrong with the baby shanice didn't know what she would do if something went wrong she knew how desperate joanna and steve were for a baby they had tried so hard and had put all of their hopes in her she would never be able to forgive herself if something went wrong and she let them down finally the doctor looked up from his notes and strayed at her when he spoke she couldn't believe what he had to say his next three words shocked her dr ryan's face broke into a huge grin as he looked at her and said you're having triplets shanice felt her heart stop triplets how could this be she wasn't pregnant with just one baby no she was pregnant with three but what about joanna and steve they had wanted a baby how would they feel about three babies would they be excited would they be happy what if they were mad or even worse what if they decided they didn't want all three babies much to shanise's relief joanna and steve were thrilled with the news that shanice was pregnant with triplets in fact they were overjoyed they had never expected triplets but they couldn't be happier their dreams were finally coming true a triplet pregnancy was hard on chinese's body her stomach continued to grow and it became huge her body always seemed to be aching from the pregnancy but deep down shanice knew it was worth it she was keeping her promise to herself and she knew it was the right thing to do she just hadn't expected to carry triplets when she agreed to be a surrogate finally the nine months had gone by and it was time for the babies to be born the birth went well and chinese gave birth to three perfectly healthy little babies the triplets were two girls and one boy and joanna and steve named them willow daisy and harrison shanice was overjoyed that she had been able to give steve and joanna the children they always wanted after the triplets were born shanice said even though i was only 21 it was a huge responsibility carrying their babies it was one of the best experiences of my life shanice's pregnancy had been fairly easy considering she was carrying triplets when asked about the pregnancy she said i had no morning sickness or cravings the whole pregnancy flew by and with the support of joanna and steve it was amazing and i would recommend it to anyone it was a breeze compared to what some women go through when they are pregnant of course not everyone gets as big as chinese did just because the babies were born doesn't mean that chinese would no longer get to see them willow daisy and harrison spent two weeks in the intensive care unit at the hospital after being born at the end of two weeks doctors finally cleared them to go home with joanna and steve for the first time shanice was lucky that joanna and steve wanted to keep her a part of the baby's lives she goes to visit them every year on their birthday some people may find this odd since chinese doesn't have any biological connection to them besides having carried them for nine months but she has provided an explanation as to why she keeps in touch with joanna and steve in the triplets shanice said there is a lot of misinformation out there about surrogacy and how it works many people have misconceptions about who the children are biologically related to and they often think that the surrogate is the biological mother chinese has tried to combat those misconceptions and she said i think that a lot of people presume that 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 just because shanice's pregnancy was physically easy doesn't mean that she didn't feel any effects from it pregnancy is difficult for anyone and being a surrogate can impact more than just the surrogate's psychological health carrying triplets especially can have many effects on the body and that's particularly true when the mother is so young and chinese was just 21 years old when she got pregnant with steve and joanna's triplets unfortunately for chinese she started to experience those unwanted effects of a triplet pregnancy chinese is worried that carrying the triplets may have impacted her own ability to get pregnant several years have passed since she gave birth to the triplets in a later interview shanice said i'm in a relationship now and would like to have more children i've had a miscarriage so i do wonder if carrying the triplets has had an effect on my body it's not clear if the triplet pregnancy is the reason why shanice has had a miscarriage but chinese doesn't regret her decision to be a surrogate and she has some advice to share shanice said that she would encourage anyone thinking about being a surrogate to really do their research and make sure they know what they are getting into she said my advice for anyone thinking about surrogacy is to make sure you've done your research and that you have support around you but that's not the only thing chinese said people should consider there's something else to keep in mind that many people might not be aware of and it can make or break a person's decision to be a surrogate surrogates do not get paid to do the job it's basically free labor to give someone else a child shanice said you don't get paid to be a surrogate you only get expenses for your travel and so on so if you're looking to make money this isn't for you surrogacy can be expensive for the parents using a surrogate but it can also be costly for the surrogate herself some pregnancies are so difficult that women are put on bed rest are required to leave work early and that can cause a loss of income that may create a stressful financial burden but shanice doesn't regret her decision to be a surrogate in fact she has become an advocate for surrogacy and she has recently been working to get some of the laws relating to surrogacy in great britain changed because of her experience shanice now believes that the parents who use the surrogate should have more control than the law currently provides for chinese said she was often asked questions about the babies that really should have been directed to steve and joanna since they were the triplets biological parents she said throughout the pregnancy i had all the questions about the babies directed at me for example birth plans vaccinations scan dates whenever she got questions like that she said she would look to steve and joanna for answers i would just turn to joanna and steve and say what do you want to do she said shanice said it's my body but they weren't my babies if the law could change so that parents could make the decisions it would make things easier on both parts shanice isn't alone in how she feels about this either many other surrogate mothers feel the same way they think that the biological parent should be consulted more since they are the children's parents and the surrogate is just carrying the babies