Hip displasia in newborn

[Monika87k]

Hi all.on 3rd of June our little man(week old) was diagnosed with hip displasia.he had his harness put on witch he need to wear 24/7. As a new mum I find the whole thing really heartbreaking,can't stop crying.feel like we have been robedo out of our first weeks as new parents(no baths.no skin to skin cuddles...etc).im just wondering how other parents deal with similar situation,how long did u baby was in the harness and how did u manage with breastfeeding while ur baby in harness as well as giving them a top to toe clean.i just feel like my lil man feels uncomftable in it and it just breaks my heart.forgot to say he was born by CS and was in frank breech position

I know exactly how you feel. Two of my daughters had hip dysplasia and were both in harnesses (my first in a Von Rosen splint - google that, hideous thing). I cried loads, even second time round it wasn't any easier. I hated it. Hated that feeding was awkward, hated that I couldn't cuddle them, hated that I couldn't dress them in all the pretty little clothes that people had given us. And felt a bit guilty for being so upset about something so easily treatable. When my youngest daughter had hers taken off the physio let me take it home to put in her memory box!! I bought it home and burnt it on the bar-b-que. Very therapeutic! Will PM you later when I have more time with more helpful advise but I wanted to let you know I totally understand.

my dd was in this for the very same reason. I too found it upsetting. cried when it went on her. then we attended the hospital for her bath and refitting. i sat in the waiting room and looked around me. there were children with bigger issues than mine there. ones where some time in a brace that didn't actually hurt them wasn't going to solve. I remember turning to my dh snd saying "I think I need to cop on and get this in perspective". He agreed.

The only time my dd was upset about the brace was the day it came off. she had become used to it and just seemed to miss it. that was for a day and she was fine.

Now, she is a happy, healthy 16 year old who has no hip problems. we are, and have always been very close. currently we are slogging our way through the couch to 5 k programme together. She couldn't havd dond that without the treatment.

so, my advice is to see this as a short treatment to sort what is luckily a very treatable fixable problem. count yourself lucky that it is. I'm not trying to be harsh but I am being honest.

Another who knows exactly how you feel. My DS was in a pavlik harness from around two months for 18 weeks (thus wasn't all 24/7 and includes the weaning period). At first it was hard as we couldn't bath him or give him any nappy off time, it was a really hot summer too, so his harness did get very smelly no matter how much cleaning I did. We struggled to find clothes for him to wear too as we couldn't put trousers on him.

But 12 months down the line his consultant says you would never know he'd ever had a problem and that is all down to the harness. He is standing, crawling and is trying to walk!

You will get used to it, you can still have cuddles with the harness and breast feed etc. Focus on why your LO has the harness and that it is for a reason. Our GP said she had parents who had refused the harness and their child now needed an operation - difficult to believe.

Stick with it, it does get easier!

My lg has this too - both hips affected. Hers was diagnosed late - 2 years old - so we missed the harness stage and unfortunately have had to have surgery. She is now in a Spica cast and likely to be for several months, which means learning to walk again, physio etc. I have cried and got angry (at the medical professionals for not listening to me when I said there was something wrong and me for letting them convince me I was imagining it).

Now the operations are over - her last one being nearly a week ago now - and we have various bits of equipment in place it has become our new normal. And it will for you too...I didn't believe it when people told me but it honestly does. I was worried I'd 'lose' my happy giggly girl but apart from being a wee bit more grumpy/ easily frustrated she has taken it in her stride and seeing her happy despite all this has helped me cope with it more. We're now just waiting to see if what has been done works, and hopefully she won't need any more surgery.

we'll never know if had it been caught earlier this have been avoided or if her DDH so severe that this would have been inevitable but I wish dd had had the option.

there are some good support groups on facebook that I have found to be a great source of support. If you need to rant or vent feel free to pm me - I know I have no experience of the harness but a Spica cast is restrictive too and I imagine the emotions/frustrations overlap.