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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Lifestyle
Katy-Rose Meaney & Courtney Pochin

'My baby has strawberry marks - trolls think it's abuse and say I should be arrested'

In September last year, 29-year-old Lucy Tapley and her fiancé Tom welcomed their first child - a baby girl they named Lola.

The tot was born with faint marks on her cheek, which were initially thought to have been caused by labour, but when the infant was a few days old, more distinguishable marks began to appear across her face and body.

Now six months old, it's been confirmed that Lola has haemangiomas, which are more commonly known as 'strawberry marks'.

The marks run under her chin and neck and have swollen like a non-cancerous tumour around her ear.

Her parents, who live in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, have been documenting their journey as a family online and have found many parents with children who have the same condition.

However, they were also shocked to have been sent a lot of negativity online, with strangers even accusing them of causing the marks by hurting their daughter.

Lucy has received horrible abuse from trolls online (@thelifeoflola___/CATERS NEWS)
Lola has been diagnosed with haemangioma, also known as 'strawberry marks' (@thelifeoflola___/CATERS NEWS)

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Lucy, who works as a part-time primary school teacher and beautician, recalls: "Strangers have sent horrible comments and I was devastated by the negativity we received.

"What kind of person trolls a baby?.

"People would ask 'what's that on her face?' but others would say 'what on earth has happened to her? Poor baby must have been hit or abused.

"Because the marks are red, people wrongly assume she is bleeding from her mouth."

"People have said that it's blood on her face, that I should be arrested because she has obviously been hit.

"One awful woman posted to say that Lola was ugly and people were just saying she was beautiful because they felt sorry for me."

Trolls often mistake the marks for blood (@thelifeoflola___/CATERS NEWS)

Following the abuse Lucy considered closing down the page she'd made, but eventually realised it had inspired others - and she didn't want her daughter to look back and think she'd hidden photos of her.

"I've realised that it's very common, but so many parents are too worried to share their own photos, which is so upsetting," she explained.

"Parents have been honest with me about how they have dealt with it, only posting photos from certain angles or not sharing their precious baby photos and I didn't want that.

"Lola's marks are part of her and I don't want to look back in years to come and see that I've purposely hidden them."

She continued: "I nearly closed the page down due to trolls but then I saw that I had encouraged other people set their own pages up and for every unnecessary comment, I would have a parent message me thanking me for being so open about my experience so far.

"There are some amazing people and positive comments and overall it has really helped me and other parents and I am proud of that.

"It did bother me when people stare and I've overheard so many 'poor little baby' comments, but it's something we have got to get used to."

Speaking about her daughter's condition, the mum shared more information on what she'd learned so far, saying: "We were terrified when parts of her face became extremely red at just a couple of weeks old.

"The marks became bigger and darker, developing from pink to crimson red. At six weeks old she developed a huge lump.

"Doctors were concerned by the size as it had swollen inside her ear so we spent eight days in hospital.

"Doctors believe [the haemangiomas] will grow for up to a year and then gradually decrease and the colour should drain naturally on their own.

"She will be on medication until she is two to try and shrink them. Treatment so far has healed the lump in her lip but not in her ear.

Lucy added: "Doctors said she may need plastic surgery when she is older and laser therapy is an option too but we are going to wait and see what happens as some go away on their own.

"Lola can decide if she wants cosmetic treatment later in life. Tom and I are happy now we know it's not hurting her.

"She is feeding again and she can roll over now, it isn't stopping her from developing well.

"I am proud to raise awareness and I will never be ashamed to share photos of my beautiful and perfect little girl."

Follow Lucy and Lola @thelifeoflola___ on Instagram.

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