Barrett Laura Barrett

Unconditional Love : An empowering guide to accepting your child's diagnosis, managing long hospital stays and building your new self. Barrett Laura Barrett

This autobiographical story is written by a mother of three boys as she navigates her way through two months in Great Ormond Street Hospital with her newborn son, and his medical diagnosis of the life-limiting genetic condition cystic fibrosis.

Laura's journal entries expose the deeply honest emotions felt by a mother, heartbroken by the journey she found herself on and longing to piece back together her family of five, as well as herself.

The story is followed with comprehensive support guides co-authored with specialists, to provide informative and practical advice to walk parents into a new life with their child's medical diagnosis, whatever that may be. Support topics include:

• Coping mechanisms
• Managing guilt
• Journaling
• Advice for hospital admissions
• Breastfeeding and expressing at times of distress
• Creating clean environments
• Cystic fibrosis facts and answers

"These are the tools and techniques I used to cope during such challenging times of a sudden hospital admission and medical diagnosis. My purpose with this book is to offer hope, comfort, strength and inspiration to all parents of a child with anything perfectly imperfect.

Those special little Elmer elephants with a unique start in this world and journey through life."