We’ve all heard about them – MOMPRENEURS! Those incredible, creative, and inventive moms who turn their hobbies or fun ideas into a business or create something of value for others.
Well, you will be moved to tears by what this young mom has done in the face of overwhelming challenges. Nicole Parris has faced something that none of us ever want to face – and she’s done it with strength, courage, and a commitment to make life better for her baby and others.
Nicole’s precious baby, Wrenn, was born with a rare lung disease called ABCA3 Surfactant Deficiency. She has a double mutation; the 4th diagnosed in the world. She is the 83rd baby under the age of one to ever receive a double lung transplant. Just those words alone are enough to stop us in our tracks. But Nicole couldn’t stop – she had to keep moving to help save her baby’s life!
Tiny Wrenn spent the first 9 months of her life in hospitals. She was on 18 medications pre-transplant and was constantly on oxygen because she could not breathe on her own. She had tubes for oxygen, a PICC line in her head, g-tubes, medication tubes, central lines, and more medical equipment attached throughout her tiny body to keep her alive. She was just 5 months old when she underwent her lung transplant.
Wrenn spent 9 straight months in two different NICU’s as she fought for her life and underwent the lung transplant. Her mother anxiously watched and waited as she helped doctors and nurses take care of her precious baby. She ached to hold her baby all of the time, but she had to be patient. It often took 10 minutes or more for medical staff to rearrange central lines, trachs, cords, drains, and other equipment so that she could simply hold Wrenn.
Nicole spent sleepless nights at her baby’s bedside watching to make sure her baby’s tiny little fingers didn’t get tangled up in the cords and tubes. She worried that Wrenn might accidentally pull the tubes loose and cause serious problems. She was often jarred by Wrenn’s feeding tube which would come loose as Wrenn turned at night, leaking all over her bed. The anxiety over whether or not Wrenn had received enough nutrition before the tube became disconnected was difficult to manage. In addition to being worried about her nutrition – after feeding tubes became disconnected, changing her wet, cold clothing and sheets was an ordeal with all of the tubes to manage.
In the midst of caring for her very fragile young baby, Nicole came up with an idea that changed how she and the medical staff were able to care for her baby. She created a very special garment for babies like Wrenn with special needs.She started by buying baby outfits and cutting and sewing them in different ways. She took sewing lessons to learn how to sew well and made it her mission to create a garment that would make life easier for her baby, the medical team, and herself.
“This was the last thing I ever expected to be doing,” explains Nicole. “I had no idea I would ever sew anything, let alone a garment for my sick baby.”
The unique garment Nicole created allows cords, tubes, and wires to be maneuvered through openings in the garment, keeps them safely tucked away, and still allows access for feeding, blood draws, and all of the other procedures that keep her tiny body alive and well. This unique garment even has pockets and infusion tabs down the legs to keep everything away from a baby’s diaper area.
“Wrenn was wearing her garment to doctor’s appointments and hospital visits and the staff noticed how useful they were. They were brought to the attention of a doctor in the NICU who was excited with the way they made medical care so much easier, more efficient, and more comfortable for the tiny babies they care for. With this doctor’s help and encouragement, Nicole tested different styles and garment options and tested them throughout the year with Wrenn and other babies. For babies undergoing transplants, cancer treatment, or anything requiring the use of medication tubes, IVs, feeding tubes, and other equipment, the garments were GREAT!
Today, Nicole continues to care for Wrenn as she helps other parents going through difficult ordeals with their babies by creating these unique, one-of-a-kind garments for them in sweet patterns and colors. She has created a website, Inspired by Wrenn, where the garments are offered for sale with a percentage of the proceeds going to the sibling daycare room in St. Louis where Wrenn was once hospitalized.
“The hospital setting and medical treatment for babies is shocking and difficult enough. The clinical, hospital-oriented gowns just made it feel cold and uncomfortable. In the midst of my daughter’s difficult treatments and medical care, I wanted to find something I could control and give back to those people who had helped me so much. It feels so good to give back by providing this garment to clinical staff and families dealing with childhood illnesses – and it’s just one small way I can thank people for all they have done for Wrenn,” Nicole told us in an interview.
Nicole continues to refine the garment and create it in different styles and colors. “Every mom has a mission to control their situation and make their baby safe and comfortable. They are a part of my team,” Nicole reflects.
It is obvious that Nicole is Inspired by Wrenn to do so much more than she ever dreamed possible! This MOMPRENEUR has overcome incredible challenges, pain, and difficulties to make life so much easier for others dealing with similar situations.
And we believe that she and Wrenn really ROCK!
Visit her website to learn more.
Thanks to Nicole for sharing her story in an interview with Richmondmom.com! All photos from Inspired by Wrenn website with permission from Nicole.
