A mum has revealed she believed nurses had swapped her child after giving birth to two albino babies.

Ashley Griggs has shared the experience of her children being diagnosed with albinism after “completely normal” pregnancies.

Ashley, 34, lives with her five children, Stanley, 16, KD, 13, Munchie, 11, TT, 10, and CO, 9, in Kissimmee, Florida, along with her father Bernard, 65.

Both KD and TT were diagnosed with albinism after birth – which nurses told the mum was “so rare”.

Initially, she even believed nurses had made a mistake and handed her the wrong baby.

“My pregnancy with KD was completely normal, nothing out of the regular at all,” Ashley, a digital creator, told http://NeedToKnow.co.uk .

“He was delivered at 40 weeks and weighed eight pounds.

“It was after the birth where it became difficult.

“The nurse brought me my son over, but he was covered up in a shirt, blanket, and had a hat on.

“I noticed a random yellow strand of something by his ear, thinking it was maybe lint.

“But as I reached for it, I saw it was attached to his head and I started crying in shock.

“The nurses tried talking to me, but I was in so much distress, I thought something was wrong.

“His hair was blonde, he was very pale and his eyes were a pinkish colour.

“I was convinced there was a mix up at the hospital with the babies because you hear things like that happening.

“I truly believed I was living a nightmare.”

The nurses and doctors calmed Ashley down and explained that KD had a genetic disease, albinism.

Albinism affects the production of melanin, the pigment that colours skin, hair and eyes.

She said: “I was confused, I was asking what they could possibly be on about.

“My baby was healthy the whole pregnancy, how could this happen? I don't believe this.

“The doctors were explaining everything, but I was mentally gone, I just didn't believe it.

“The next day I remember my father and Stanley coming to see me.

“And as they came into the room, a nurse brought KD in, which made them also question if the baby was mine.

“I was withdrawn from breastfeeding and I didn't have any connection with my son.”

As more family visited her, and she spoke to more doctors, Ashley came to terms and started to understand what her son was born with.

She added: “Some of the nurses were amazing, and so understanding.

“It definitely took a couple months to wrap my head around all of it, and my dad was a massive help, as he knew I’d eventually come round.

“He stayed with me throughout my maternity leave, but eventually it was me, Stanley, and KD, so it was hard.

“The one day I remember is when I was first left with KD alone and he started crying.

“I was scared to go up to the crib, as I’d been expressing my milk and not feeding him straight from the breast.

“But as soon as I got to his crib, he stopped crying, smiled at me, and I picked him up and hugged him.

“I told him so much how sorry I was and how much I loved him, I was holding him so tight, it was then it all clicked in place.”

Having settled into life with her two children, Ashley was told by doctors she was unlikely to have a second child with albinism.

She welcomed baby Munchie two years later, but the following year gave birth to daughter TT and was stunned to find she too had the genetic disease.

Ashley said: “We were told by doctors that having an albino child more than once was so rare, and that we had nothing to worry about.

“But this time, I automatically embraced my daughter.

“I didn't want to miss a moment, as I knew more this time round.”

After giving birth to TT in 2012, she then gave birth to Chase, nicknamed CO, who was born without albinism.

Ashley added: “These are my kids, and even if they don't look like me, I love them either way.

“I don't entertain any negativity and if anything, KD and TT have taught me to ignore ignorance.

“We are truly blessed as a family.”

In an effort to spread awareness on albinism, Ashley started an Instagram page to help others – having taken “months” to accept the diagnosis herself.

She said: “We have something very unique within our family, so let’s share it with the world.

“The feedback has been very good with people being understanding and wanting to learn about albinism.

“It's crazy because a lot of people are still unaware about albinism and don't know much about it.

“In public when we are out as a family people will stare and think I am babysitting or ask what is wrong with them.

“But I don’t entertain negativity anymore – my kids have taught me to ignore ignorance.”

ENDS

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