Hip Dysplaysia Support Group #2

[KirstenZ]

Thanks Corelly!
I appreciate it. How long was your girl in a brace for? I think my daughter Zara will go in to a Pavlik.
That's great that your DD has made up for having the brace in other way! Clever girl!
KirstenZ

[Miss.September]

KirstenZ - DD was in her first brace for four weeks, but it wasn't working, so she went in for surgery, was in plaster for five weeks and then into her last brace for around six months. Soooo, it started in July last year and ended in February this year. Please don't be disheartened, DD's left hip was pretty much non-existent and her right was poor too. Her first brace was a Dennis Browne and her last one a Rhino Cruiser - I think Mummy Naomi's DS had the pavlik. We used socks with the toes cut off to put under the Dennis Browne - I think the braces are fairly similar. The socks served as a soft comfortable barrier between the brace and DD's legs and then her pants went over the top. We also used a bean bag for her to sit in and she was very comfortable sitting in that.

Corelly x

[MummyNaomi]

I think Mummy Naomi's DS had the pavlik. Corelly x

Actually we had the Dennis Browne too!

KristinZ - sorry to hear this is the start of the DDH journey for you, its very scary and emotional at first, but I promise it does get easier. Give your baby lots of hugs this weekend before the brace is fitted, as they are a little harder to snuggle in so close with the brace (not that it will stop you giving cuddles ). Chat to all of us here, we've all been through it and know EXACTLY how you are feeling right now. As our orthopedic surgeon told me at the beginning - Your baby is ALREADY perfect, we are just making him even more so

Good luck next week, these little babies deal with it all much easier that their emotional Mummy's do.

Naomi

[Miss.September]

I'm getting confused Nay :P DD's didn't have the straps over the shoulders so I thought that's what the difference was. Love what your surgeon said to you though!

Corelly x

[MummyNaomi]

DD's didn't have the straps over the shoulders so I thought that's what the difference was.
Corelly x

Corelly, I reckon they only add the straps to the Dennis Browne if the baby's are a bit older (Bailey was 7 months the day he was fitted), I think it's because if they are more mobile the brace bar can slip under the bum and out of position so the straps keep it in the right spot as they crawl around etc

Nay
x

[crosswig]

Hi Kirsten Z,

Glad you found your way to the Forum. My DD went into a harness about the same time as yours for a period of three months. She is out of the harness now and it all looks pretty good.

I've posted before on some of the lessons we learned. But, in short, I found that we had to change from Huggies to Aldi nappies. The tabs on the Aldi nappies are much longer and softer which is helpful when they are in the brace. We got a bunch of men's hankerchiefs for bathtime. They get soft and you can wring out the excess water so you don't get the brace wet. DD also spent quite a bit of time in her vibrating rocker chair. It was quite comfortable for her. If the brace rubs on the skin you can ask the physio to put some gauze on the straps which will protect your DD's skin. When DD went up a brace size the physio offered us a second hand brace and we found this to be a good option. It looked yuck - but yours will too even if you work really hard to keep it clean - but it was much softer than a new brace on the skin.

Let us know if you have any questions. I don't always post but I come and check how everyone is going on a regular basis.

Crosswig

[Madcat]

Hi Kristen Z,
Take heart, it is a definitely a shock, but we get better at dealing with it day by day. Hospitals are great places for showing us how lucky we are, even with our hip journeys.
You are so lucky it was all picked up quickly. They really do catch up at warp speed afterwards, and are well ahead in the ways they are unrestricted.
Take care of yourselves, do things that make you smile, and it is ok to cry!
These forums are a great support, stay in touch.

Madcat

[liddy105]

Hi everyone, I hope it's okay if I join in? My 6 week old DD was fitted into her pavlik harness on Monday and we all seem to be adjusting okay. She's been feeding and sleeping well but has wanted a lot more chest cuddles and I don't blame her. I wonder whether she feels any crampiness or stiffness?
They noticed she had a clicky hip at birth and at her 6 week ultrasound it showed that although there was no dislocation and they could fan out both her legs, her hip sockets are both quite shallow. I think I spent the few days between the u/s and the fitting in constant tears, my poor DH really copped it at times!

[MummyNaomi]

Welcome Liddy, glad you dropped by, sorry to hear things have been tough, they are at the start, but I promise it does get easier, its such an emotional time when our perfect little babies have to go into harnesses and braces, but it sounds like you are doing wonderfully well under sucky circumstances, I'm sure your DH understands what you're going through, us Mums let it all out a lot more than the Dads do.
I'm certain your DD doesn't feel any crampiness or stiffness, our little ones are much more resilient than us, and at 6 weeks fortunately she is young enough that this big new world brings something new every day, even if it is a harness, but enjoy those precious chest cuddles (I miss those newborn snuggles, these days I only get them when DS is sleepy hehehehehe)
We are all here for you, let us know if you need any help or have any questions
Naomi

[liddy105]

Thanks so much Naomi I think I spoke too soon, Olivia barely slept at all last night no matter how much she was cuddled or fed. I was so seriously sleep deprived that I told my DH that I was tempted to rip the harness off!

[pink_fairy]

Hi just thought i would up date you all - we got a date for dd's surgery and its in September, 3 weeks after her 3rd birthday. Im trying to stay positive as I know its for the best, but I'm sure once it gets closer I'll be a nervous wreck!!! Its going to be mid semester at uni so I've been busy arranging my mum and dd's dad (we aren't together anymore) to have holidays around my timetable, lucky uni is only 2 mornings a week.

Madcat - Thanks for all the tips. Your dd would be close to getting her cast off? Hope all is going well and she has made a good recovery!

liddy105 - It would be so tempting to take the harness off but I hope you get a better night sleep tonight.

[Miss.September]

Welcome Liddy. The first few days are rough but we're all here for you.

Pink_fairy - I was a rollercoaster of emotions leading up to DD's surgery, know what you're going through. I got up to the night before and totally cracked, it was awful. Keep coming in and chatting to us, it helped get me through.

It has been one year since DD's surgery. I've been thinking about it a bit this week, remembering what it was like then and looking at where she is now. Time really does fly. I also remember being as sick as a dog when she had her surgery....and whaddya know, I'm sick again now too!!!

Hope everyone is travelling okay

Corelly x

[pink_fairy]

Congrats Corelly on making it through the last year, I bet it feels like an achievement and I hope you feel better soon.

Well I gave DD's day care the dates of her surgery and weeks she will be having off - definitely is starting to feel 'real' now! They said they are quiet happy to have her in a cast but I said she will be home for at least the first 2 weeks then we will see what happens. Im not to keen on the idea but it may be good for her, to keep in routine.

[Miss.September]

Thanks Pink_Fairy. It does feel like a big achievement It's good that your day care has said that DD can go even in the cast. I can understand why you aren't keen on the idea, I'd be the same. But at the same time it may be a very welcome distraction for her too, especially if she is used to going. I don't know, maybe there is someone here who has been in the exact situation that will post and let you know how their LO got on. Good luck!

Corelly x

[liddy105]

Pinkfairy, I'm wishing you all the best for your DD's upcoming surgery. I hope everything goes smoothly and it sounds like you have a nice understanding daycare for her.

I feel like a bad Mum because although I've been checking DD's legfolds I noticed that she has developed a red, raw area under one of her knees from the edge of the leg part I had some soft micropolar fleece material that I've cut into strips and placed underneath. I hope that's an okay thing to do..

[furgurnie]

Hi all,

My 6 month old daughter Emma is having an open reduction on the 28th July, I am a little nervous about the op and the 6-12 weeks in a spica cast following it.

I have had a few tears tonight just thinking about the op on Wednesday and I'm sure there will be more to come! It is reassuring to hear that I'm not alone and that many children have had this procedure and are now walking/running normally.

Any suggestions on what I should get up to whilst she is having her hour and a half long operation?! I think I will be a mess, I feel for my hubby already!

For those who are going through the same thing, I hope we'll get through this together. For those who have made it out the other side, I hope you can answer our many questions!!

[Miss.September]

Furgurnie - welcome to the group. For what to do while Emma is in surgery - are you still breastfeeding? I spent a lot of the time expressing milk because the surgeon told me that it would be easier to give her a bottle afterwards if the spica was still a bit wet. So I did that and that seemed to calm me a little, gave me a different focus for a little while. DH got busy getting new bottles of water and snacks from the hospital cafe. The remainder of the time was spent leaping out of our skin each time the doors to theatre opened. The anethesist was first to come out, and he was smiling, the greatest gift he could've given us at that point. If you aren't b/f, find a focus. Go to the chemist in the hospital and stock up on long stemmed cotton buds and the tape they use to seal the edges of the spica. Finding things that will help care for Emma immediate will make you feel like you are helping even at that moment. Feeling for you hon.

Liddy - You poor thing. It's a horrible time and no matter what you do its hard. I'm sure the micropolar fleece will be nice and soft for your DD. We used adult socks with the toes cut off and folded them over. Be kind to yourself.

Corelly x

[Madcat]

Hi all,
Welcome new mums and good luck to you all,

Furgurnie, while in surgurgy I went for straight for a coffee! Its always a 'nervious wreck' time, do something for yourself, then you have more to give back when they get out. Take care, breath deep!

Pink Fairy - DD has get less than two weeks left for her cast to come off, SOOO excited! She has done really well putting up with the whole ordeal. She has gone back to kinda, the first week she wouldn't let me leave, the second week the teachers were happy to give it all a go on their own, and she was fine. Its great for them to get their self esteem back among their peers, and feel a bit independent again! Not to mention great excuse to leave the house for a change, cabin fever be gone!
Good luck, keep busy til the op date, then hopefully it will just sneak up on you, the waiting is the worst bit!

PS - DD is pretty worried they will chop her legs off accidently when they remove the cast. She says she is going to ask to be asleep for this. Haha