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My two babies: Sophie’s allergy story

When my school friend of 30 years and co-founder Amy asked me to join Grow with Iris, my world was in a very different place.

With a background in branding, I was keen to join a start-up with a hearty and hefty mission. Amy asked me to create the branding for Grow with Iris and I leapt at the chance, knowing how much love we could pour into our new venture. I could also see how real the need for our product was.

Six years later, with three rounds of Innovate UK grant funding under our belts, I’m now a seasoned bid writer, labelling expert, risk register writer and hairnet wearer extraordinaire. Being a co-founder pushes you in directions you never thought you’d go, or even knew existed.

More importantly, I’m now also a mum. Not just a mum, but an allergy mum too. You couldn’t write it.

When I joined Grow with Iris, I was undergoing IVF. After a very long ‘journey’ I was accepting that Grow with Iris was going to be my only baby. We’d just secured investment and placed our first commercial order when our last viable embryo decided to stick.

What followed was an absolute whirlwind – launching two babies at the same time.

Leni, my miracle baby, spent his first 10 days in NICU which meant our planned feeding journey was thrown from the get-go. I couldn’t be with Leni 24/7 so he was given cow’s milk formula when I wasn’t there to feed him. (Sidenote: there was no other choice available in the hospital.) Once Leni was safely home I was able to breast feed more, but continued to give him cow’s milk formula once a day.

When Leni was just one month old, the screaming came. Then came the blood in his stools. Leni was diagnosed with non-IgE allergy colitis. We were switched to a hypo-allergenic formula and I cut dairy from my diet. Still the blood and pain came. I then had to go on the gruelling MEWS (milk, egg, wheat, soya) exclusion diet so I could continue to feed my baby.

Being a new mum on such a limited diet was physically and emotionally exhausting. On top of that, I had a very unhappy baby and experienced first-hand the isolation and loneliness that so many new mothers face, all whilst launching Grow with Iris.

We were extremely fortunate to have the help of Grow with Iris paediatrician, Dr Diab Haddad, who calmly guided us through everything. And with all her lived experience, I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive co-founder than Amy.

Right now, Leni is a happy and healthy 9-month old. I’m back at work with my ‘other’ baby, fuelled with inspiration and determination from Leni. Weaning has been a success so far but has been limited until he’s one year old due to his allergies. Every cloud, as they say… Leni will literally be growing with Iris when he turns one. 

Watch this space…

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