Jackie - Bailey wore his brace 23.5hrs per day - every day for 6 months. We took it off and gave him a bath each day (and had a 30 min swimming lesson once a week in his brace free time but we weren't allowed to paddle his legs or anything - only movement that he made). Then we had an xray when he'd been in the brace for about 5 months and the surgeon said everything was going really well and to take the brace off at the 6 month mark and come back 3 weeks later to be xray'd and see how he was going brace free. So no, unfortunately the time in the brace didn't lessen, it was always the 23.5 hrs. We cheated though, the day we were supposed to take the brace off was a sunday, we took it off a day early so we could enjoy our first weekend brace free - so we were one day short of 6 months.

I know what you mean about feeling cheated, I still feel a bit that way, I'm annoyed and angry that half of my babies first year (and his first xmas and birthday) were spend in the brace. To be honest I think I'll always feel a bit this way. It's unfair and it just plain sucks! And yes, our lot in life could be worse, but you know what, this is the situation we have to deal with and at times it feels like the end of the world. Don't dismiss you feelings, they are completely vaild, and why shouldn't we all wish we had brace free babies with perfect hips? Its not too much to ask. Hang in there babe x