Hip Diplaysia Support Group #3

[KylieCL]

Hey Rachelle,

Its good to hear from you. Im glad that Taylors operation went well. I just want to remind you that we are all here to support you over the next year or so as i am sure there will be plently of challenges ahead! But regardless im sure that all will work out fine!

It's so sad to hear that Taylor isnt coping to well after her operation. She will get there remember that! she can only get better and now after the resident is on side and doing what mother knows best you may beable to relax a little and get your head around a bit of what been happening.

All the best over the coming weeks and please keep us posted!

[Rachelle]

Thanks Kylie!

Taylor is doing much better today. She was actually discharged last night from the hospital. She just wasn't doing well in an unfamiliar environment and the other baby that was in the room was crying off and on constantly. So, last night they sent us home with the pain meds and muscle relaxers and Taylor slept 12 hours although I got her up three times to change her diaper, positioning, and give her the medication. Now, she is sleeping again (her third two hour nap today). So, I am grateful that she is getting caught up on her sleep. She definitely needed it! She has been very frustrated and angry today and when she gets too overwhelmed that she can't get down and walk like normal, I think her brain shuts down and she just wants to sleep. I guess it's her body's way of healing itself and her way of dealing with it all. I know she will get better with time!

Thanks for all of your support ladies!!!

Rachelle and Taylor

P.S. How do you get a picture on the bottom of your messages?

[BubbaGirl]

Hi Kartier,

My bub is 6.5 months old and has been in the Spica for just over a month. She has been a great night sleeper since 2 months old and after being placed in the spica she does wake more often HOWEVER I don't think it is mainly due to this.

One night Summer woke 6 times crying her heart out and I was able to quickly settle her and she would go back to sleep. This happens on and off especially after I have put her down in the evening - she wakes about an hour later crying but then settles straight back to sleep. I wonder if she has muscle spasms after being asleep for a short period (although this does not happen during the day).

When they hit 6 months bubs go through developmental changes due to a whole range of factors like eating solids, growing teeth, reaching new milestones. My clinic nurse told me that Summer is probably getting frustrated because her body is telling her to do new things ie roll, crawl, sit up but her legs won't let her.

Your situation sounds far worse than mine (and I hope it has calmed a little since you sent your message) but I guess you just have to hope its a phase that will pass. To be crying constantly does indicate that something just aint right.

If it persists maybe try contacting your specialist/hospital care team to see if they have had experience with this. I don't think GPs really have the expertise in this area to identify a problem relating to the brace.

Hope that helps in some way.

Cheers, Karen

[Rachelle]

Hi Kartier,

My daughter is now 18 months old and wasn't in a cast or harness at 6 months, but right at about 6 months old she went from sleeping all the way through the night for 12 hours to waking up multiple times per night. Her pediatrician said that this was due to her development and teething, although I am sure your baby's harness isn't helping. My daughter had sleeping issues until she was 10 months old and then I just got to the point where I was so sleep deprived and couldn't handle getting up with her multiple times. I finally let her cry it out and stopped bringing her back to bed with me. I would go in to soothe her and it was the hardest 4 nights of my life and hers too probably, but at the end she learned how to put herself back to sleep and hasn't had any problems since. If you try this method, be sure to have a lot of support because it's almost impossible to not go pick up your baby when they're crying. This doesn't work for everyone and as long as your happy with the arrangement and don't mind this phase then just continue with what you're doing. She will grow out of it at some point! I hope this helps.

Rachelle

[Kartier]

Hi,
Thanks for your support and help, it has helped us out in our current situation. DD had a few bad days where she just wouldnt sleep at all no matter what we did to help her it wasnt what she wanted or needed. Since then it has settled down and she has been checked out by her specialist and a new harness was fitted yesterday. Although her specialist seems to think it was not the harness but her development (ie teeth). DD has been a little better in sleeping at night but we are still having a few problems putting her to bed,we will keep at it.
BubbaGirl: Thanks for your help. We ended up seeing her doctor the next day and she was o.k. Her specialist thought that it may have been her brace and fitted her to a new one. Since then her sleeping has been o.k. It is strange as she will sleep during the day on time and for 2 hours a go,but when it comes to putting her to bed a night she gets so upset. We end up trying to settle her for an hour then we take her for a drive or a walk. It seems to have helped lately. I am sure it is just a phase DD is going through.
Rachelle: I took your advice and let her cry it out for a little while, but she went on and on for at least an hour. So we gave up and took her for a drive. I know that this will not last I will keep at it and will have some postive news soon
Thanks everyone
Kartier

[Rachelle]

First off, Kartier, I am glad to hear that your DD is doing a little better. The cry is out method is definitely the hardest emotionally. I think my DD cried for 90 minutes the first night and then she still woke up several times and it took her 30minutes each time to go back to sleep. I gave up quite a few times. It really is so hard to hear your baby crying and not respond. Finally after four months of it with my DD, I just got to the point where I couldn't handle it anymore and literally went out to my living room and put in ear plugs that made her crying not so loud. If your DD is teething, benadryl rubbed on her gums works well. It acts as a topical anethestic. Anyway, I hope things get better.

To all the ladies: Last night was a really hard night for us. My DD is SOOOO angry and is acting out agressively. I got up at 4 AM to change her position and diaper and give her the medication. She was screaming and trying to pull her spica cast off and saying "STOP! STOP!". I finally broke down and lost it and started crying right along with her. I feel so helpless! She was so out of control that I had to give her the relaxer/anti-anxiety meds, which I've been trying to stay away from, but she may need a little a few times a day just to get her through these three months. I just can't imagine what must be going through her head, to be a happy 18 month old toddler one day and wake up completely immobilized from the chest down (except her feet). Her anger and frustration is totally warranted I just don't know how to handle it when she gets so physical with me and starts slapping me in the face. I've tried her normal routine of holding onto her hands and telling her "No" firmly. I've also tried telling her that I know she is mad but she can't hit. Hitting hurts. None of it seems to be working and I know she's doing it out of anger because she is "stuck", as she calls it, in her cast. Any advice would be appreciated!

Rachelle and Taylor