BFing a baby in a Pavlik sling

[Swaliswan]

DD2 is 5 weeks old and yesterday she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and put into a Pavlik sling straight away. BFing her is now very interesting! Does anyone have any experience of this and can give me some tips or tell me what it is going to be like over the next few weeks and months? I desperately want to BF her but it is going to be a bit of a challenge!

breastfeeding in a semi reclining position in bed with your baby up and down your chest rather than across it?

Sorry to hear about your DD's diagnosis.

My DS was also diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 4 weeks. He had to wear a device called a Frejke pillow splint to hold his hips in an abduction position for about 4 months.

I think BFing with the Frejke splint is probably a bit easier than with the Pavlik sling because it doesn't have the "top bit". I just used to hold my DS across me pretty much as normal, supporting him under his body with one arm, and his legs would be sticking out at right angles away from his body. It obviously isn't as comfortable as BFing a baby that isn't in a sling, but by trial and error we managed to find positions that felt comfortable to both of us.

I was really glad that my DS wasn't diagnosed until 4 weeks by which time we had got BFing fairly well established. By that point, I had a good milk supply and DS was an expert feeder already, so it was just a case of finding comfortable positions. Hopefully this will be the same in your case.

Glad they've diagnosed it so early - my DD was diagnosed at 8 weeks, wore a harness for 8 months, is now 2.4 and has recently been signed off for good.

She was BF til 8 months. I found it completely fine to BF with the Pavlik. It might have helped that she was really small (5lb 12 at birth and still in 6-9 month clothes at her first birthday). I certainly found it easier to feed her than I did DD2 (bigger, stronger and far wrigglier). At the time I decided it was because her legs were held apart so as she got bigger I popped my arm through her legs and just held onto her body (that sounds a bit weird I think - does it make sense? ). I certainly found DD2 having legs in the way was trickier!

And you'll probably both get very used to it quickly and it becomes the norm. I still have people say to me "I don't know how you coped" about the time she was in the Pavlik. To me it was just normal in the end. Has been most peculiar having a very mobile DD2!

I was curious and googled pavlik sling - and found this for you

LLL forums - Breastfeeding a baby with a Pavlik Harness

Having just looked at cherrychoc's link I have remembered stuff I'd forgotten. It did take a while to get used to it but I don't remember my nipples being sore - having said that, she shredded them to start with so I think they'd toughened up... For a long time though I was still able to hold her on her side and feed her (maybe because she was tiny? but certainly the Pavliks was flexible enough to do it). When she got older and could breast feed anywhere and everywhere (I remember somebody saying you'll reach a stage where you feel like you could pick them out of the car seat while you're driving on the motorway, they'd latch on and feed no probs! Not advised though ) she lay on her back and turned her head. She always slept on her back with her head on the side from a tiny baby.

Thanks for all of your help. I guess that it is pretty much trial and error. I'm not sure that I'm going to manage discrete feeding in public and now feel quite anxious about feeding in public as both BFing and the harness can make people stare. I managed to express some milk this afternoon and feed it to DD through a breastflow bottle though so maybe that's an option.

Well remember there are quite often feeding rooms (with privacy curtains or cubicles) in public places you can go to if you want to, if you're feeling a bit self-conscious about feeding in public.

Dear All

I am delighted to find babies with early diagnosis and treatment! It proves that early detection and conservative treatment is possible.

I am mum to Siomha born 26/1/2007 - At 14 months (yes MONTHS) she was diagnosed with a dislocated hip (Developmental Dysplasia of the hip) and her hip socket had not formed at the dislocation had been from birth. She was operated on in Great Ormond Street for 7 hours last September. Her surgeon created a new socket from her pelvis.

Please sign a non political petition which is encouraging the Department of Health to meet with late diagnosed parents so ensure what happened to Siomha is rare.

petitions.number10.gov.uk/NewbornHips

We have been up to the Houses of Parliaments with a Early Day Motion (which 107 MPs have signed)

edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=37901&SESSION=899

and have pushing and pushing for media coverage. This condition is not necessarily hereditary and can come about through breech positioning.

I am absolutely delighted that your daughters hip was detected and as importantly TREATED early - as this is key.

Please, please sign. It takes about a minute

Many thanks Oonagh

siomha-has-ddh.blogspot.com/

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7893294.stm

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/some rset/8047730.stm

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7926696.stm