What kind of mother are you?  

This was what I felt people were thinking when they watched me push my itchy, red, writhing child around the park in a buggy with her hands held down under the straps.  She would twist her head unhappily from side to side desperately trying to rub her cheeks on anything nearby.  

I’d look straight ahead, walking fast, trying not to cry or catch their eye.  Stopping for a coffee and risking someone looking more closely wasn’t an option.  

Being a parent of a child with eczema was so much harder than I’d expected or experienced with my first child.  She had eczema too but, it was, I subsequently realised, relatively mild. 

Jo and Bonnie in her Mitten T back in 2008

On top of the day-to-day struggle with sleep, bathing, food, clothing etc., I also felt guilty believing that I must have somehow contributed to her condition – with our family genes for example or with things I’d eaten while pregnant, with things I’d fed her or exposed her to.  

So I was a stressed, exhausted, isolated and guilty mother.    

But I was also resourceful and strong and even, arrogantly perhaps, at times felt glad that it was me that had been given this challenge as I was convinced I must be in a better position than many others to overcome or at least manage it effectively.  

One of the rare things I found that worked, in my never ending quest for solutions, was the wonderful cotton clothing from Cotton Comfort and, as they say, the rest is history.  I loved the clothes so much I bought the company...    

Jo and Bonnie in 2020. It was Jo’s kids who encouraged her to post the letter she had written to our founder Dorothy about getting involved with Cotton Comfort. 

March is Women’s History Month and I can think of few better people to single out for their pioneering spirit, creativity and perseverance than Dorothy Clark, who founded Cotton Comfort.   

Dorothy founded Cotton Comfort over 40 years ago and made history when she designed our specialist clothing specifically for her daughter and all eczema sufferers. She was applauded by the National Eczema Society for ‘her invaluable range of eczema clothing’ and Great Ormond Street Hospital for ‘a range of garments that are the best available anywhere for their purpose’.  

Cotton Comfort is all about strong and resourceful women and our purpose is to help stressed and exhausted parents and adults coping with their own or others eczema to scratch less, sleep better, look good and feel that little bit less isolated.    

To celebrate this month – both Woman’s History Month and Mothers Day (27th) - we are running a special promotion on our own brand super soft 100% Organic Cotton nighties, so do take a look and treat the women in your life.