Hi my DD has just been diagnosed as having hip dysplasia. She was breech and born by c-section, apparently all contributing factors.
We had a rocky start with BF which is now established (still presents the odd challenge) and last week she suffered a major choking incident, she vomited and couldn't catch her breath. She stopped breathing and I screamed for an ambulance as we were outside our house. I started resuscitation which was taken over by the ambulance. Needless to say it was traumatic.
Now we have the news that my DD has hip displaysia and has to wear a Pavlik Harness. I was so upset for her and the thought of the treatment but I know it's for the best. I feel lost though, like I am unsure of handling her as I don't want to hurt her. I'm unsure about what position to BF in and I am upset that I don't get to bath her for another 6 weeks at least.
Please, if there are other mothers out there who have been through or are going through the same, can you please advise. I know there are so many worse things but I love my LO so much and don't want her to go through so much xx
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Children's health
Hip Dysplasia just been diagnosed :-(
Butterflymm · 19/08/2010 18:41
Hi my ds got diagnosed at birth with hip dysplasia. He had to wear a splint for 6 months it was like a big square of plastic that went on like a nappy and secured with velcro.
It was a nightmare when he had it on as he was only allowed it off for a 5 min bath and nappy changing. We found the biggest problem for him was sleeping he coulodnt lay flat so ended up sleeping in his vibrating bouncy chair for the 6 months.
He had physio for a couple of weeks when it came off had an x-ray and was discharged.
He is now 4.10 and you wouldnt think he had such a problem as a baby he even does taekwondo now which involves loads of kicks and stretching.
Hope this helps you 
Hi Butterflymm, oh goodness I know exactly how you are feeling at the moment - well maybe not the breathing incident, that sounds seriously scary, but the pavlik harness feelings, oh yes. My DD wore a pavlik from the age of 3-6 months. When it first went on it was such a shock. You can read my slightly hysterical 
post here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/778393-Pavlik-harness-for-hip-displacia-need-advice-and-support?msgid=15902750
Anyway, the first thing is that even though it doesn't feel like it right now, this is a good thing. The harness sorts out 90% of hip problems. It worked for my DD (who is now 17 months) even though it went on relatively late.
The second thing is - it will be nowhere near as bad as you are imagining, I promise. (From your OP it seems it's not been fitted yet?) The first couple of days it was on my DD was a bit unsettled but this soon passed and before long we had forgotten what life was like without the harness. When she came out at 6 months she felt all strange and floppy. Your DD will be just as happy in the harness as she is without it, she doesn't know any different.
On the practicalities, I also struggled with bf (generally, that is, not as a result of the harness) and what saved my life was a "my brest friend" feeding cushion. Corny name, but brilliant product. You can lie your LO flat on the cushion and just turn their head towards you. It's a bit pricey but you can get them on ebay. On the baths, we were allowed to take DD to the hospital once a week for a bath - they also adjusted the harness then. But different hospitals have different policies on this, do ask when the harness is fitted. And (shhh, don't tell anyone) towards the end of the time the harness was on, we started to take it off and refit it ourselves to give DD a bath - we had seen it done by the 'professinals' so many times by then. Nappy changing was a bit tricky at first but we soon got used to that too. A good tip is to ask the hospital for a spare harness just in case of poo incidents. Clothes also present a minor challenge - you will need dresses and sleepsuits that are a size too big - DD won't be able to wear trousers. If you are worried the harness will affect your DD's sleeping, don't be. It made no difference whatsoever to my DD, in fact I think she slept worse once she came out of it and could move her legs around. Oh and don't be at all afraid of handling your DD. Nothing you do will affect her hip and I really do promise that you will get used to holding her with the harness on very quickly.
It's a lot to take in, I know. But you're not alone. There are quite a few of us on mumsnet who have been through this and come out the other side with lovely healthy hipped DDs. If you have any questions at all, just post. I look at the health board most evenings and I'll help in any way I can.
Hi again Butterflymm it sounds like you are coping very well. Hope you had a good night. I know what you mean about wanting to run away when they are about to fit the harness. As she was about to fit it, I asked the consultant in a moment of panic what would happen if we refused to let her do it? She just looked at me as if I'd gone mad and asked why on earth would I run the risk that my DD would require surgery when I could almost certainly avoid it by having the harness for 3 months. She was right, of course Anyway, I promise you, you will get used to it soon and your DD sounds like she's got used to it already. Another tip I thought of after I posted is that if it's hot, you might want to put pieces of soft lint in the bits of the harness that are quite tight to stop it rubbing against your DD's skin. The hospital had a supply of these that they gave us. Just a thought. Keep posting and let us know how you are getting on. Thinking of you.
I BF exclusively while DD was in hers. IIRC to start with I held her sort of normally (is there a "normal" breastfeeding hold?) - she was on her side and I held her by hooking my right arm inbetween her legs. After we got into the swing of things she often laid her on her back and just turned her head towards the nipple.
It did feel weird to start with, as everything else does when the harness first goes on, but it ended up just being "normal".
Am glad you had a lovely weekend and were able to spend some time coming to terms with it. And yes, missing bathtime for a while is a small price to pay for the hopeful outcome. Just to add to the positive stories - my DD (3.6) has learnt to ride a bike this weekend without stabilizers! Am pleased as punch 
Butterflymm - Have just seen your post. My daughter (first baby) had a (delayed) hip scan at 11 weeks, and was put into a pavlik immediately. Sadly a week later they scanned her again and found her hip was completely dislocated. I thought the pavlik was bad until I found out she had to have an operation and go into full plaster from her waist to her toes for 12 weeks (no baths at all obviously). Anyway, 2 operations and 2 casts later she was put into a brace 23 hrs a day for 6 weeks and then the brace at night for a further 6 weeks - she is on her last few days of that.
Anyway just wanted to say that it is horrid, and a big shock but much much better to get it sorted out now. And hopefully she won't need plaster etc and the pavlik will work.
My daughter is 9 months today, has been out of the brace in the daytime for 5 weeks and was nearly crawling within 1/2 weeks and is now properly crawling and has been for about 10 days, so within 3 1/2 weeks of being out of the brace in the daytime. I was really worried she would be really far behind but she is about the same as the other NCT group babies which is nice. She learnt to roll with the cast on from front to back and even back to front, despite the weight of it and dragged herself along.
Anyway just wanted to share our story and say I know what you must be going through...best of luck with it all
Butterfly, just wanted to add my best wishes to you and your family.
Our DD was diagnosed with dysplasia of her left hip at 10 months, and had to have a "closed reduction" op, followed by a spica cast from waist to knees for 4 months, followed by a brace for another 6 weeks, which she had to wear for 23 hours a day.
I understand exactly how you feel, it is so difficult to see your poor baby going through this. However, within just a few weeks of having the brace off, DD was walking and climbing totally normally for her age, and now at 4 1/2 years old you really would have no idea she ever had anything wrong with her - even the incision scar from the op is virtually invisible, unless you know exactly where to look.
In fact, just a few weeks ago I was chatting to a friend and saying how lucky we were that DD had been such a healthy baby, and we really had had no health worries with her. She looked at me, puzzled, and said, " but what about her hip?"! I had completely forgotten about it!
Good luck with the BF-ing, and just remember you have us here on MN if you need support (and STEPS charity is brill too for advice and support)
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PS Should have said that I was delighted to see it worked out well for you
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