The Power of Colour

I am so happy today. I am very grateful for all the kindness that people have shown me…. we are off to a good start.

Pregnancy should be a time for excited anticipation but for Mary* the anxiety she felt about bringing a baby into the world far outweighed any feelings of happiness. Mary has a hereditary macular degeneration which has got progressively worse over the past few years, leaving her with very little sight – she is now only able to see strong colours. As Mary’s pregnancy moved forward, her anxiety grew, especially without a support network to lean on. Parenthood can be incredibly challenging. From sleepless nights and frequent feedings to the seemingly never-ending nappy changes, it’s quite a journey. Mary began to wonder how she would care for her newborn and manage all the demands of new motherhood. Thankfully, support was available in the form of Lynn from Croydon Health Services’ Family Nurse Partnership. Having referred to Stripey Stork before, Lynn knew that she could explain the circumstances and that we would do our best to help.

Mary needed clothing and equipment for her baby, but it needed to be brightly coloured to ensure that she would be able to see it and make out what was what. Although we regularly provide newborn packs to expectant parents, we knew this request would take a little longer to fulfil. As donations came in, our team were on the look out for any equipment, baby clothes, sleeping bags and towels that were in bright colours, putting them to one side so we could create a unique bundle for Mary’s baby. However, we soon realised that most newborn clothing tends to come in quite neutral shades, which wouldn’t be suitable for Mary. To widen our search, we turned to social media, hoping some of you might have bright baby clothes tucked away that you could spare. What followed was nothing short of remarkable and truly surpassed our expectations!

We were contacted via our Facebook page by Hannah* who saw our post and wanted to help. The request really resonated with her and she spent a lot of time looking for the ideal baby grows and sleeping bags that would work for Mary so that she would be able to care for her baby as independently as possible – she was a woman on a mission! Considering how Mary would manage to fasten the baby grows, Hannah discovered a retailer in America that sold baby grows with magnetic fastenings and ordered a selection in various sizes. We had never seen anything like these at Stripey Stork, , and we are incredibly grateful for the thought and effort she put into ensuring that Mary would be able to dress her baby with ease.

Hannah arranged to bring the items to us at our warehouse in Reigate and we really couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw what she had with her. Not only were there magnetic baby grows but there were also vests, more baby grows and sleeping bags in a fantastic array of bright colours. Many of these came in multipacks with more neutral colours and she was happy for these to go into stock to go out in other newborn packs. What really moved us were the added extras that Hannah had included for Mary and the baby. There were nappies, a teddy, comforters and toiletries for both baby and mum. At Stripey Stork, we always strive to add those little touches that bring a smile to someone’s face, and it was a joy to see the care and thought Hannah put into Mary’s bespoke newborn pack – just like the care and attention our regular volunteers put into making up our newborn packs in the warehouse. Alongside the clothing from Hannah, thanks to your donations, we were able to provide a brightly coloured baby bath, a change mat with sides and a bouncy chair.

When referral partner Lynn arrived to collect the items she explained a little more about how they were supporting Mary and getting her ready for her baby’s arrival. They were practising nappy changes and dressing a doll so that Mary could get used to how to do it and gain confidence. She also told us that with support from the RNIB and the local vision support officer, Mary had been moved into more appropriate accommodation, decorated specifically for her with bright contrasting colours and correct lighting so that her home was safe for both Mary and her baby. She was also confident that, with the items we had been able to provide, Mary would manage parenthood independently.

Fast forward to June and we heard some exciting news from Lynn.

Baby arrived and surprised us all 4 weeks early, so thank goodness all items were ready for her. A little girl who is delightful. All was well at birth. Having the clothes with easy fastenings gave mum much confidence in dressing and changing baby – task many new parents struggle with. Mum felt confident in that others did not notice her sight impairment as she could fasten the clothes with ease and could manage independently. This has also made night-time changes much easier to cope with. Having the bright colours also helped her to identify clothing quickly. Mum was amazed at all the thought that had been put into supporting her, and so grateful at the kindness shown to her by your supporters. Baby is now 8 weeks of age and mum is able to get out and about with ease. She is using the sling for short trips and using the buggy for longer journeys.

Shortly after this Lynn passed on a message from Mary:

I feel blessed for me and my baby. Everyone is so thoughtful… with all these beautiful items. The baby grows with zips and magnets will make dressing and changing baby so easy for me. I feel confident in being able to care for my baby, we are so lucky. We are off to a good start. And treats for me! How exciting and kind of people to think of me. Thank you to everyone who has helped us.

We’ve recently been able to further support Mary with a high chair ready for weaning and we were pleased to hear from Lynn that baby is now a happy, smiley six month old. She loves sensory toys and has recently started nursery, meaning that Mary can go back to college and work towards her goal of attending university and studying languages. Mary was keen that her impairment didn’t get in the way of her parenting and thanks to continued support from Lynn and the RNIB, as well as the kindness from our supporters, Mary is enjoying parenthood.

As this story shows, a little bit of kindness goes a long way. Every donation to Stripey Stork, big or small, makes a real difference to the family that receives it. Take a look at our monthly wish list for the items that we currently need.

* Names changed to protect their privacy.