I completely understand about feeling "ripped off" and there is nothing wrong with allowing yourself to feel that way, particularly on a tough day. DD is our first too and hip dysplasia doesn't seem to have a lot of respect for our hopes and dreams of motherhood, does it?

I found I was emotional enough packing away DD's smaller clothes just because she outgrew them, let alone clothes that she didn't get to wear because of a hip problem. No wonder that was hard for you...it's so symbolic of your precious little one's earliest days and all that you feel that you have missed out on because of this unexpected problem. You have to allow yourself room to "grieve" because it really is a loss that you are experiencing, so don't be hard on yourself if it all gets on top of you sometimes. I know it did for me, but once you let the emotion out, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and put on a big smile for DD because her happiness and health is what really matters. She will be perfectly happy and okay as long as her Mummy is with her through this, and it sounds like you are doing a great job.

I just kept reminding myself that every day that passed (good or not so good) was another day closer to DD being free again. It won't be long until you are excitedly giving an update about DD being without her harness. I know it doesn't feel like that now. I have been where you are and I remember so clearly how it felt like it would never end. I swear I used to count down not just the days, but the hours too. Whilst in the cast my DD had serious skin problems developing so I had the added worry of whether she may have had a serious infection that I couldn't see. I felt like I was doing something wrong because I couldn't stop her skin from deteriorating and at times I felt like I was letting her down. As it turned out, her skin problem was bad enough to prevent her second cast from being applied so I was right to worry. Logically I knew that I was doing everything in my power to look after her, even blow drying her cast at every nappy change for what added up to well over an hour a day. But it doesn't change how you feel inside when it is all out of your control and you are powerless to protect your baby girl.

Hang in there...it won't be forever and you will come out the other side so proud of both yourself and your baby girl for getting through this period.

At this stage DD won't be having any physio. The surgeon says that it is unlikely to be needed as she will work her way back through her milestones in her own time. Hopefully she should catch up fairly quickly but if there are any residual issues (assuming that her hip is all okay) then physio might be an option at that point, just to address any specific problem. I wouldn't worry too much about your little one falling behind. You will be amazed at what she will learn to do even with her harness. And once she is out of the harness, she will catch up so quickly. From everything I have read and talking to other CDH / DDH mums, most bubs catch up to their peers in a much shorter time than you would think possible. There are a couple of mums on here that could probably attest to that.

Must run because it is 2am (!!!) but just remember that there are always people here to chat if you are having a tough day or need to vent. :-)