'They are my whole heart and soul': Jesy Nelson reveals she's quit her music career to focus on campaigning for SMA1 screening at birth after her twin daughters' devastating diagnosis

Jesy Nelson has revealed she has quit music as she focuses her attention on her twin daughters after they were diagnosed with a life-limiting condition.

The former Little Mix singer's children Ocean and Story were born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1.

The genetic neuromuscular disease causes progressive muscle weakness and wasting, and feeding tubes are required due to severe swallowing, sucking and breathing difficulties.

As Jesy campaigns for screening for the condition to be included in the newborn blood spot test, she's revealed she has parked her music career.

Appearing on Heart FM's Breakfast show on Thursday, Jesy told Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston her focus is now solely on the twins.

She explained: 'Look listen I’d never say never say never to music, but for me, my girls are my main focus, I’ll be honest with you, I’ve not got time, I really don’t.

'They are my whole heart and soul and my main focus, and I want to continue advocating for them and getting this heel prick test changed and getting them strong, that’s my main focus.

'Because that’s going to determine their future. That’s my main focus right now.'

It comes after Jesy said she was 'open' to a Little Mix reunion after making up with music mogul Simon Cowell.

Speaking about Simon, 66, Jesy said: 'He called me, he reached out to me when I had the girls' diagnosis.

'We had a good long old chat and we actually spoke about his new Netflix show. I did watch it and I actually really enjoyed it.'

She continued by revealing the twins are 'vulnerable' right now during their treatment and 'can't do a lot'.

Jesy said: 'So my mum and sister in law have them today, so because they are so vulnerable where they’ve had their treatment they are on a course of medication right now, so they can’t do a lot, so we have to be very careful we can’t take them to many places, because they can’t catch anything.

'So once they’re off them hopefully we’ll be on the up. They’ll get even stronger, they’re doing really well.'

Last month it was revealed Jesy has split from Zion Foster, who is the father of her children.

In an exclusive interview, Jesy said how their dynamic had shifted, prompting her to end their engagement but they are 'doing good' as they co-parent.

She said: 'It's been tough, I'm not going to bulls*** you, it's been really tough, and I think that's understandable with everything we have gone through, but we are getting on with it, and our girls are our main focus. They're happy and doing well.'

Meanwhile, speaking about her campaigning, the singer said: 'Every day is so full-on - I can speak about it, but I'll never be able to explain how intense it is until you see it.

'There are a lot of medical things I have to do which I am still really struggling with, I'll be honest with you. I never expected that to be part of my life and it's tough.

'They're so tiny and I have to do things which I know are doing them good but at the time, when they're crying and screaming, it feels like I'm hurting them and I hate that I have to be the person to do that. I just want to be their mum.'

When asked about what a typical day looks like for the twins, Jesy said it was impossible to describe as no day is ever the same.

She explained: 'I don't know how to explain my life in the day because sometimes it's really f***ing s*** and then, other times, I don't necessarily forget about their diagnosis but there are days [that] are lighter and they're not as heavy.

'So many mums have told me that's what it's going to be like and that's why I need to take each day as it comes.

'It's a rollercoaster; I don't feel like this is going to be a steady journey at all.' 

Jesy's twins had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) while in the womb and were born prematurely at 31 weeks.