Chiro thinks our clothies are causing 'funny' walk.

I take DD to the chiro to have her neck adjusted as it helps her circulation in her hands and feet. Without it they are blue and cold. She also has adjusted her sacrum/pelvis as when DD was crawling she was very twisted and tight on one side. It has helped her a lot.

DD has been walking for almost 3months now and still has a very wide apart stance. She is not bowlegged but just walks with her feet very wide, like a learner. I have noticed she will walk that way even when naked so I wasnt blaming the cloth nappies although I have had backhanded comments from aquaintances along those lines! (Grrr).

We use either Baby beehinds hemp with covers or terry squares (more squares in the wet weather due to drying times) and I dont think either are ridiculously bulky in the crotch but she seems to think they are causing it and has asked me to try sposies for a few weeks to see if she changes her stance.

What do others think of this? Has anyone else had a bub who walked this way? I know Maz has had rave reviews from specialists about how GOOD clothies are for her DS so wondering how this could be?

I put her in a sposie tonight for the first time in a year and missed her big bedtime bum :(

there are literally generations of people who's parents used cloth nappies before sposies came into play and there isn't generational issues with wide stance! i think it's a bit of a cop out to blame a nappy for something when, realistically, the sposies are the "new" thing.

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there are literally generations of people who's parents used cloth nappies before sposies came into play and there isn't generational issues with wide stance! i think it's a bit of a cop out to blame a nappy for something when, realistically, the sposies are the "new" thing

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:yeahthat: Well thats all I was going to say!! I have heard people say it over and over again, but have never personally read/seen any research to suggest that cloth nappies are bad for stance/walking.

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What do others think of this? Has anyone else had a bub who walked this way? I know Maz has had rave reviews from specialists about how GOOD clothies are for her DS so wondering how this could be?

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I think Maz' little one has CP, where scissor walking can be an issue (where the legs cross over in front of each other, so the nappy holding the legs wider would be a good thing.

Don't know if it could be an issue for your little one, but there are different clothies to try if you thought it might be and didn't want to use disposables.

its quite interesting to think that cloth nappies are blamed if a child walks funny. In my opinion, all kids walk abit funny for the first year really (from lookin at my 11 neices and newfews). 6 of them have been cloth bubs and 5 have been sposies bubs.

Obviously cloth didn't stop previous generations from walking so I think your chiro might be a bit wide of the mark but if you trust her judgement why not try some of the trimmer nappies and maybe try a nappy free period each day - you'll just have to be prepared to wash a few extra clothes.

Yes, I think all kids walk a bit funny to begin with too. She has only been walking for 3months so she IS still a beginner really.

And Yeppers to the generation thing too. I cant see how it would really effect her if MILLIONS of people over the years wore cloth nappies and it didnt effect their walking. Obviously if she has a condition that makes her more succeptable (sp?) then it could but not that I know of. She is rather small though so maybe they effect her more than someone else of the same age/development moreso as there is less room there to allow for the nappy.

I think the nappies I have are pretty trim in the crotch really, except for the night ones of course, so I wont be spending up buying a heap of other brands to try. I will give the sposies a go for maybe two weeks just to see but I know I will be torn as to what to do if I do notice a difference! I know the same woman thought she took longer to crawl because of the nappies; she commando crawled from 8months till 10.5months when she got up onto her hands and knees so not absurdly late.

I'm taking her to the doctor about her hands and feet tomorrow so I will ask then. I'm actually worried about her circulation or iron levels etc because they are so bad but that's another topic really!

Its ridiculous how many aspects of parenting there are to potentially feel guilty about. Every decision gets scrutinised by someone it seems :rolleyes:

i asked the Dr about DD1's slight knock knee (more like knocked thighs) and he showed me pictures of kids, they start bow legged, then go slightly knocked knee then the legs straighten up!!

I remember one of Mateauz's specialists said to Maz to keep him in cloth as they were helping. Can't quite remember what the situation was though.
Instead of buying sposies for a couple of weeks, how about trying trimmer cloth nappies, like AIO's for example. At least then you won't be wasting your money on sposies.

I was going to suggest trimmer crotch ones like ittis or swaddlebees. I dunno, maybe give the sposies a trial to see but how long would the trial last for?

I'm sure that Maz will pop in to add her 2c ;) but I think the way cloth helps Mateauz is it sits firm across his hips and helps support his weak side.

Sazz - All I have to offer is that the types of nappies you are using are definitely the bulkier variety. If you find the sposies help, I'd try a trimmer nappy like an IB as Raven has suggested.

DS is the same, I think it's just normal. I know the kids from my mother's group walk that way too and they're in sposies.
I don't think she was late to crawl either - maybe the chiro's not a real expert on children's development...?

Hun, babies born with congenital hip dislocation wear a brace when its bad enough to keep their legs out beside them.
When its not so severe something as simple as cloth nappies, or doubled cloth nappies can be enough to stabilise the hip joints enough to help them go back into place.
I think that's what Maz's DS may have had. (I repeat, think)

I find BBH are very wide in the crotch on DS, but they haven't affected his walking. My mum used terry flats on all of us...none of us walked funny, & terry's hold the legs further apart IME.

I will return :) on the phone and I need some headspace to reply

Need a cuppa first...wait

I think that your Chiro is clutching at straws!!!!!! Gives me the willies when people are quick to blame cloth becuase it is cloth and not a sposie!

Your baby has only been walking for 3 months....its completely normal for kids to walk bow legged for 6 - 8 months once they start...and to stumble in their walking for ages too...bugger me Nikolaus is 9 and still walk's like a drunk some days ROFL

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She also has adjusted her sacrum/pelvis as when DD was crawling she was very twisted and tight on one side

Did she think that her twisted pelvis could still be a concern? Has she actually xrayed it for you to see if it is correct???? Have you gotten onto a physio for it? There are many exercises YOU can do to help aswell hon :)

The girls have given you some great advice re cloth nappies. trimmer crutch nappies...IB's, Swaddles bees, cushie tooshies, Wild child and Auriels to mention a few.

:think: although after reading about your DD pelvis issues and the turning to the side I would suggest a side snapping nappy for the support factor. We have 'crossed over' to them in the last few months and have seen a remarkable difference. M has extreme leg bowing and after I questioned the physio and occupational therapist about it they said it stemmed from his hip/ pelvis area and that he could get support for it when he was older...blah to that...I want to help it along NOW so secretly got side snappers. 6 weeks later when the physio came back she asked what I had done because she couldnt get over the difference in this stance let alone his hip. I showed her the side snapper and she said that the support it was giving him eg tighter fit on the hip was excellent.

So side snapping nappies we now use are Auriels, Bubblebubs and swaddlebees. Ive just ordered a Genesa forge nappy in side snapping also. Yes they cost a little more and its take a while to get enough up for a routation BUT i get family tax benefit for M and if I can help his in this was now by buying these nappies it is worth every cent of not having him teased later in life for having a limp or having a brace on.

Good luck babe....if you need any help im only a PM away :)

Hi Maz

can you explain more on the side snapper? a little one i care for has CP.

cheers,

Kate

which models of the brands you listed are side snappers?

not a prob babe :)

I find that although front snappers are great....that they are thinner width wise around the hip and a lower 'cut' in the rise so that the top of the nappy isnt on top of the hip but more on the hip IFYKWIM. Im wondering if it is due to the wings having to be slimmer due to snapping at the front and the biggerr the child gets the thinner the snapping section of the wings get

side snappers I have found seem to be wider on the hip width allowing for a firmer hold on that place, and wiht the snaps being on the hip its a little more of a stronger hold as the front panel is the one that is the top snapping section...and they seem to be higher in the rise due to it.

Gosh I hope that makes sence

Thanks Maz, and all of you.

I have put her in sposies for two days now. Unfortunately I think I can see her walking "SLIGHTLY" better. Jury is still out but I will feel terrible if it seems her nappies have been doing it. Although when I think about it, it hasnt bothered her one iota anyhow!!! I did notice the sposie was leaking by this morning when her sandmans wouldnt normally be :( Might look for a few second hand to try before outlaying any big dollars.

You have all given me some great ideas with the brand names. I have really only got a couple different kinds and just stuck with them. I bought them before having her and had never seen any IRL as no friends use them so I was going in blind, so to speak!

Thanks gang. I will update in a few weeks or so...