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Gifts of love for the smallest premature babies
Walking into Gráinne Mahon-Henson's shop is like walking into an Aladdin's cave. It is jam-packed full of beautiful things for babies and young children.
It is not just the products on show which make this shop stand out, it is the ethos, the attention to detail, service and also the story behind it.
Grinne, a former nurse manager, always had a sense of how unsatisfactory mass-produced plastic products were and this was heightened following the birth of her first child in 2001.
During a trip to Paris that same year she was struck by the beauty, style and substance of many European toys. She was reminded of the importance of good quality and of doing things properly. You won't find anything battery-powered at The Old Treehouse.
"So many children's goods on the market today are cheaply-made and designed to be disposable. I would like my own children to learn to appreciate the value of well- made toys and clothes. There is no reason why children's products cannot be made from natural materials and designed to last.
"It is through play that we start to learn our values and children are never too young to start learning to appreciate beautifully-made toys and clothes."
This is part of the legacy she says she hopes to leave her four children, all aged under seven. Grinne felt so passionate in her desire to lead by example, that she overcame her fears about starting a new business and, with the support of her family and friends, The Old Treehouse in Hebden Bridge was born.
"Since then the store has been nourished by the hearts, minds and energies of some truly wonderful members of staff, who continue to pour love into the mix," she says.
But alongside the beautifully crafted and ethically-produced toys and baby slings, which you can "try before you buy", is a range of tiny baby clothes.
These were inspired by the birth of her second child, Eva Marie at just 23 weeks, and are sold on a not-for-profit basis.
"The birth of any child is a life-changing event. It is a time of extreme emotions; everything from the deepest sense of joy and wonder to the most heightened sense of anxiety regarding the responsibilities attached to bringing such a vulnerable and precious human being into the world," says Grinne.
"It has also been my experience that the range and intensity of emotion is even more diverse and extreme, if that is possible, when a baby is born prematurely."
Grinne says when Eva Marie was born nearly two months premature, her world was quite literally thrown into turmoil.
"For babies born very prematurely, or in poor health, medical interventions obviously take precedence.
"Our main concerns for Eva were related to how well the incubator could simulate the essential functions of the womb and what help could she be given to overcome the numerous complications associated with her prematurity. These were also the primary concerns of the doctors and nurses who cared for her.
"Another concern was that it was easy to get distracted by medical charts and readings from the machinery, and we got the feeling that the medical practitioners occasionally forgot that Eva was an individual.
"It was clear from looking around the neo-natal intensive care unit, that the babies in these incubators were each very special in their own unique way and even at that early age were developing their own personalities. It was for this reasons that I wanted to buy Eva her own clothes."
But Grinne was shocked at how difficult this was to achieve. "We were living in London at the time and I couldn't find a single shop where I might choose from a range of clothes small enough to fit my daughter. In the end I had to order clothes for her via the internet from the US."
Eva did not survive beyond the first seven weeks of her life.
Grinne says: "All of my children are special to me, none more than the others, and of course all children need to experience love from the moment they are born.
"What is often different for premature babies however, is that the medical care necessary for their survival can create a barrier to the expression of parental love that is sometimes taken for granted.
"Experience tells me that parents thrown into the situation of caring for a premature baby need a lot of help and guidance. They will sometimes have extremely difficult decisions to make regarding medical treatment and often face considerable anxiety in relation to their child's health."
It was also Eva's death which made Grinne take stock of her life and decided on a change of career.
"As an NHS nurse manager for 20 years I found it impossible to continue in my role following her death, as everything in the hospital in which I worked triggered sad memories."
So instead, the concept of The Old Treehouse was developed and opened in Hebden Bridge in August 2004, followed this year by a web store.
The Old Treehouse also has a "One World" ethos with dual-language CDs and books and multi-ethnic dolls. Grinne hopes that she has achieved in creating something which is much more than just a shop. She wants the Old Treehouse to be somewhere parents can go for advice and support as well as a place to buy presents for their children.
n The Old Treehouse is located at 1–3 Market Street, Hebden Bridge. www.theoldtreehouse.co.uk
Bliss, the premature baby charity, can be contacted on 020 7378 1122 and has local branches nationally. It also has a free-phone family support line on: 0500 618140.
HELP FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE
One in every nine babies in the UK is born prematurely or sick. That is more than 80,000 babies every year.
22,000 of these babies need intensive care, often for many weeks or even months. As medical treatments continue to improve, this figure is rising all the time.
The vital care that premature and sick babies receive after birth can have a profound impact on the rest of their lives. And for families struggling to cope with having a baby in special care, this will be one of the most difficult, emotional and stressful times of their lives.
Bliss was established 30 years ago and continues to champion the care of our most vulnerable babies and their families.
Bliss provides a dedicated support service to families.This helps them to understand the often complex challenges that their babies are facing and also offers emotional and practical advice at what can be a very difficult time.
Advances in technology have resulted in more babies surviving. However, there are chronic shortages of specialist nurses to provide the necessary care. The demand for specialised neonatal services can also often mean that hospital units are forced to work well over their agreed capacity. In addition some mothers and babies are transported hundreds of miles to find a cot in a neonatal unit. Bliss campaigns to address all of these crucial issues with governments and the NHS.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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