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congenital hip dysplasia in babies

Daily Life

Hip Dysplasia Awareness month

Posted on June 29, 2018

Did you know that June is Hip Dysplasia Awareness month? And did you know that risk factors for having a baby with hip dysplasia are: 1st pregnancy, genetics, breech presentation, or having a girl? When I found out Isabelle was breech, all I knew is she would be a c-section. I worried about her safety and my recovery from the surgery. It was not until AFTER she was born that the doctors told me she was at risk for hip dysplasia and needed to do a hip ultrasound. (If you want to follow our whole hip dysplasia journey, check out the hashtag #freeiblegs on instagram.)

It was not until AFTER she was born that the doctors told me she was at risk for hip dysplasia and needed to do a hip ultrasound.

We got our ultrasound at 5 weeks, went to the orthopaedic doctor later that week, and imagine our surprise when we left with Isabelle in a pavlik harness (see below.) I felt awful for Isabelle. I think I was more upset than she was. It looked so restrictive. I was sad we couldn’t take it off for diaper changes or baths and she felt so much less snuggly. She actually adjusted to it really well though. She wore it full time for 6 weeks, then 16 hours/day for 3 weeks, then 8 hours/day for 3 weeks. It seemed like eternity at the time, but now it seems like it was just a blink.

I was sad we couldn’t take it off for diaper changes or baths and she felt so much less snuggly.

Once it was off, we had to wait to see if she would need further treatment. It felt horrible to not be able to do anything during that time. The next possible steps would have been a body cast or surgery. I tried to remind myself how well she adjusted to her harness, and that a body cast wouldn’t be the end of the world. I really didn’t want her to need surgery though. Luckily for us, after much waiting and several more xrays, she needed neither. Despite the time she spent in the harness, she still pulled to stand at 5.5 months, crawled at 8, and walked at 11.5.

The doctors say she still has mild hip dysplasia in her right hip but because we caught it early and treated it, she would live a normal life.

The doctors say she still has mild hip dysplasia in her right hip but because we caught it early and treated it, she would live a normal life. When it is not caught early, surgery may be the only option. I encourage all moms with breech pregnancies to ask their doctors about hip dysplasia. If mine hadn’t told me about it, we would never have known.

Daily Life

Isabelle is 9 months

Posted on February 8, 2018

Happy 9 months Little Lady!! I cannot believe there is so much chill and yet so much fire in your tiny little body! With Katie we knew what we were getting into… She has been a firecracker from day 1 and when she got colic at 5 weeks, we knew it was paving the way for a spirited toddler.

I swear being in that harness put a chip on her shoulder!

But Isabelle was more deceiving. She started sucking her thumb the day she was born and was such an easy newborn! She was so laid back about getting her pavlik harness put on, and then the day it came off (for the first time in 8 weeks), she surprised us by rolling over. And she hasn’t stopped moving since! Jason laughs when I say this, but I swear being in that harness put a chip on her shoulder!

Diaper changes are like wrestling an alligator

Every day since then, we see a little more fire in her – but only about certain things! It’s either one extreme or the other and there is no in between with her. She still loves sucking her thumb, if we put a blanket over her carseat at naptime she’ll fall asleep, she doesn’t get upset when K takes toys from her or is rough with her… but then diaper changes are like wrestling an alligator, she squawks and shout-babbles at you if you eat in front of her and don’t share (which is sad and hilarious), and she is so desperate to walk!

Before she was born, I remember people saying how siblings can be so different.

Some days are rough (teething has been brutal with her – much harder than it was with K – and she only has 3 teeth so far) but she is such a joy to spend time with and I love watching her grow and become her own person. It’s funny because before she was born, I remember people saying how siblings can be so different.

And it’s scary when you only have one because you love them so much and can’t imagine wanting your next child to be different! But while Isabelle is her own person, she also has a little bit of all of us in her (and actually a lot more Katie than I expected – but hopefully not more than I can handle. Send wine?) Anyways, happy 9 months Missy. I love who you are becoming

Daily Life

Isabelle Hip Dysplasia Updates

Posted on January 15, 2018

7 months after our first visit to the orthopaedic doctor, we finally got the (mostly) good news we had been waiting for. Isabelle had another xray this morning and it looks like her hips are close enough to normal that she won’t need any further treatment. They were looking for an angle of 25 degrees, 30 requires more treatment, and her right is at 27 degrees.

She still has mild hip dysplasia, and probably will her whole life, but her hips are both in the sockets so she is not eligible for a cast or brace. The only way to correct the angles would be an extensive surgery followed by a long recovery, and her doctor doesn’t think mild hip dysplasia would cause enough problems to warrant that.

She will still be able to run and play sports and go about her life normally. The possible long-term implications of mild hip dysplasia might be arthritis in that hip when she is 50 or 60, and IF that happens, they can correct it with surgery then. It did not make sense to do a surgery now on the possibility of “IF”. So, while it wasn’t perfect news, we are happy that her hips are in the sockets and she will live a normal life. We will go back in 4 months for another xray just to check that things are continuing to improve (or not get worse, which is unlikely.) Thanks everyone for all the positive vibes and support during all of this ?