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pavlik harness

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 ?

Daily Life

Isabelle is 6 months old!

Posted on November 8, 2017

Happy half-birthday Little Miss! I can’t believe it’s been 6 whole months since the day you completed our family (Yesterday… I was a day late ?.) It wasn’t as easy journey for Mom. 200+ days of hyperemesis, effacing 50% at just 22 weeks, and then starting to dilate at 33 weeks. And you, my stubborn child, were breech. We worried about you all the time. You are our rainbow baby, and it was a bumpy ride. And now that you are here, you are dealing with your hip dysplasia like a champ.

I think I cried more than you the day you got your harness on. You smile all the time. You came out sucking your thumb and we thought you were going to be so laid back, but lately I see some fire in you! You popped your first tooth, you sit, you pull to stand, and you travel the living room via rolls trying to avoid your tiny godzilla of a (yet incredibly loving) sister. You love meatballs and pulled pork so even though you’re a blondie, we know you are ours ?. We are so lucky to have you as a part of our family and it’s amazing watching your personality unfold. Happy 6 months baby girl!

Daily Life

Second Opinion for Isabelle’s Hips

Posted on November 1, 2017

Second opinion for Isabelle’s hips… I do feel some relief having seen another doctor, but also didn’t really get the news I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear that her xrays actually looked great and that we were done. But apparently at this point, all we can do is wait.

All we can do is wait.

Her xrays were, in fact, *mostly* good. Like 80% good. But there was a tiny bit of cause for concern. The dr said the last bit will likely correct itself, which is what we are hoping for. He said he couldn’t give exact numbers, but said that he would estimate 9/10 babies that he has seen that have had success with the Pavlik Harness go on to have healthy hips with no further intervention.

If we do need further intervention at around a year, it would be a body cast.

But if we do need further intervention at around a year, it would be a body cast. I know there is no sense worrying about it at this point because there is nothing we can do, but the thought of her in a body cast, especially at 12 months once she is walking and really exploring her world, breaks my heart. In the meantime, she is free to stand and crawl and do whatever and hopefully her hips will continue to develop normally. Please send positive vibes our way today. I’m having kind of a hard time. ?

Daily Life

Belles has had her harness 2 weeks today!

Posted on June 30, 2017

We are 2 weeks into the harness, which means 25% of the way done with full-time wear! Woo! It’s already going by fast. They adjusted the harness today and we will go back in 2 weeks for another adjustment and possibly have her fitted for the next size harness (which would also be nice because this one is getting pretty dirty). Then at 6 weeks, we will have one more adjustment and sometime between 6 and 8 weeks, they will schedule an ultrasound to confirm she will be ready to wean to part-time wear at 8 weeks.

We are 2 weeks into the harness, which means 25% of the way done with full-time wear!

I asked if there was a chance of her hip dysplasia returning following treatment and they said she would have the same odds of getting it again as any other kid who has never had it, which is great. I also asked about restrictions following treatment and they said other than no swaddling (as if an almost 5 month old baby wants their movement restricted like that anyways), she will have no restrictions. Only 6 more weeks until she gets some harness-free time!!

Daily Life

Katie’s REAL first day of day care and Isabelle is 1/8 done with full-time wear of her harness

Posted on June 21, 2017

Just got back from dropping Katie off at daycare… It was a lot harder actually leaving today than visiting Tuesday. I told myself I wasn’t going to cry, but of course I did. It’s funny because I never cried dropping her off at the nanny’s house or the babysitting service that’s also at school, but somehow this feels different.

I told myself I wasn’t going to cry, but of course I did.

I think it’s not so much the dropping her off that was hard as it was the implications of what daycare means. It means she’s going to become more independent, which is a good thing, but it’s hard not to think about her struggling along the way. When I packed her lunch and I packed her a string cheese, I wondered to myself if someone would help her open it. I’m sure they will, and I’m sure she could probably do it herself if she really wanted to, but I can’t help but think that she’ll get frustrated. I know frustrations are part of life but it’s tough to think about your kid struggling. Or rather, it’s tough to think about her being frustrated under someone else’s care. If we were at home and she was struggling with the something I could just say “Why don’t you try to figure it out” and give some guidance if she needed it and wouldn’t feel bad (which I’m sure is literally what her teachers will do too – they might even help more than I would. I’m more the tough love one and Jason is actually the softy.) I guess it’s hard for me to think that she’ll be frustrated and Mommy won’t be there.

I know frustrations are part of life but it’s tough to think about your kid struggling.

I also worry that the other kids won’t be nice to her or share with her. As soon as we got there, she wanted to play with another little girl, and she reached out for a toy and the little girl took it and said “no.” So Katie looked back at me and said “share?” Because I always tell her to share, and then I had to tell her the little girl didn’t feel like sharing right now (while in my head thinking you little bitch not sharing with my kid haha. Jk… kind of). K looked confused and a little hurt but I distracted her with another toy and that was that. Which was a super easy fix but in that brief second that she looked at me, I thought about how I can’t solve all of her problems and I can’t prevent her from ever feeling hurt. I know not everyone likes you and that’s part of life but again it hurts me to think of her hurting. I think what it boils down to is it’s hard for me to think of her going out into the world and becoming her own person, which I know is exactly the goal when you have a kid. I just can’t believe my little girl is growing up.

I can’t solve all of her problems and I can’t prevent her from ever feeling hurt.

Tomorrow we will be at least 1/8 of the way done with full-time wear of the harness (depending if she needs to do 6 or 8 weeks.) It’s already going by pretty fast. On one hand, I can’t wait for her to be able to spend some time out of it and kick her legs and take real baths, but also know it will bring the new challenge of putting it back on every day once she’s had a taste of freedom. But, only 11-13 more weeks until she’s done with everything. One day at a time.

Daily Life

A Pavlik harness and the long road ahead

Posted on June 16, 2017

Her last harness-free nap

We just left the orthopedic doctor. Isabelle has hip dysplasia in her right hip and will need to wear a Pavlik harness to correct it. She’ll start with 24 hours a day for the first 6-8 weeks, then 16 hours a day for 3 weeks, and then 8 hours a day for 3 weeks. We’ll go back every 2 weeks for adjustments to her harness and every 4 for ultrasounds to monitor her progress. The success rate for the harness is very high and the doctor said her hip dysplasia is mild to moderate so it’s unlikely she will need casting or surgery or any more serious interventions after she finishes her time in the harness, which is great. She will also be done with full time wear before she will be hitting milestones like crawling so it shouldn’t delay her development. I can’t help feeling bad seeing her uncomfortable though.

She’ll start with 24 hours a day for the first 6-8 weeks, then 16 hours a day for 3 weeks, and then 8 hours a day for 3 weeks.

First nap in the Pavlik harness. She doesn’t seem to mind it too much so far.

The appointment was kind of hectic. K was crying because she wasn’t getting enough attention, Isabelle was crying about her harness, I was crying because I felt bad for Isabelle. And then I had to listen to and remember all the care instructions over the sound of the girls crying and Katie pulling on my leg… Hopefully Isabelle will get used to her harness over the next few days and we’ll get used to bathing her and changing her diaper around it. And it should go by fast. Not the way I expected the appointment to go as our doctor thought we would be able to get away with double diapering, but we want what’s best for Isabelle and this is what the orthopedic doctor says is necessary.