The stunning Shunnell Lewis with her daughters Zariel (7), Anaya (5) and fraternal twins Aaron and Alexandria (15 months).
Shunnell had a wonderful pregnancy and vaginal birth with Zariel and was able to breastfeed for her first year. Her pregnancy with Anaya was a little more troublesome and she was in and out of the hospital during her third trimester with preterm labor scares. Thankfully, she was able to carry Anaya to term and deliver vaginally. They enjoyed a breastfeeding relationship for Anaya's first 7 months. Shunnell thought she was done having children and was enjoying her girls being mostly self sufficient. She started feeling ill and eventually went into the hospital to see what was going on. They screened her first for a heart attack and then suspected it may be her gall bladder. Before they performed the ultrasound, they decide to test her urine HCG levels which ended up being very high. The subsequent ultrasound revealed she was having twins. Shunnell was in complete shock and wasn't able to hear anything else the doctor told her. Once he left, she broke down and cried. She and her husband had been having a difficult time but she realized that there had to have been a higher purpose for these babies. Things continued well until about 19 weeks when Shunnell was having a lot of pain while at work. She called her manager in and struggled through what she thought were contractions. They tried to make it 5 flights down to see the nurse on sight but she couldn't get there so she sat and awaited an ambulance. Her manager timed the contractions while she waited and she was soon transported to hospital. Once there, they checked her out and realized she just had gas. She was given some medicine and soon, felt very relieved. The rest of her pregnancy progressed very well. She had hoped to have a vaginal delivery but her twins flipped to breech positions and she had to have a schedule cesarean at 37 weeks 2 days. Shunnell was scared as she'd never had a surgery in her life but her team introduced themselves and they all walked into the operating suite together. Her twins were born soon after without any complications. She was adamant about breastfeeding these babies and has been able to successfully do so. Aaron has weaned himself and Alexandria is still nursing today. Shunnell stepped way out of her comfort zone to join us and says, "I wish to be among other beautiful Mothers to give courage to those that might not otherwise might not have the courage to do so."