Hi there,

Firstly, congratulations on your New Baby!

I’m Steph, wife to Simon and Mummy to Riley and Rosie. We live in Witney, Oxfordshire, we both work locally to Witney too.

Rosie was born in September 2020, and she was diagnosed with Down's Syndrome after birth. We had the screening in pregnancy, (same as we did with Riley), but there was no indication of Down's Syndrome during this, therefore Rosie’s diagnosis came as quite a shock. We didn’t know much about Down's Syndrome and had no time to prepare ourselves with any information, so it was a lot to take in at first.

We were fortunate enough to be pointed to the DSO website by a lovely nurse looking after Rosie (her son has Down's Syndrome also) and we found the New Parent group and pre-school group quickly. It was comforting to have the reassurance that we could talk to other parents who had been through the same experience as us. (I hope I can be this person for new parents now too!)

Fast forward to Rosie’s first Christmas, and we felt like we were finding our way a little more and enjoyed some virtual sessions with the pre-school group, we had met Rosie’s healthcare team and felt a lot more informed about what the first year or so may bring.

Once we were approaching Rosie’s first birthday, we had made so many new friends at DSO and virtually through other groups too, which was so valuable when the global pandemic was happening at the same time. A lot of our initial worries and fears have been so diluted by the happiness Rosie brings us a family. We laugh every day, we live in the moment, and take life at a steadier pace. Rosie has brought us a new and very much needed perspective in life. We wouldn’t change a thing about her. Her big brother loves her so very much, it is wonderful to see their relationship developing.

As part of the New Parent’s group, I would be more than happy to chat to you via the phone, on a message, or over a cuppa, and would love to welcome and celebrate your new baby with you.

We would also love to meet you and your lovely baby and family at the Stay and Play Sessions on a Wednesday morning. We hope to see you soon ?