Babywearing with talipes(club foot) - is it possible?

[Feefster]

Hoping to get the benefit of your collective wisdom here! My sister's DS (now just over 3 months) was born with talipes (clubfoot) and currently has to wear boots with a metal bar attached between his legs 23 hours a day (see a pic of the kind of thing I mean here www.talipesireland.com/bar1.jpg) (Sorry I can't work out how to put the link in, just the url).

Before he had the boots and bar fitted I had lent my sling and baby carrier and he loved being in them (he's a colicky wee chap and it really helped) but now he has the bar, she can't figure out a way to wear him (with the bar his legs can't go round her with the baby carrier, or curl up with the sling), which is a real shame, and means its hard for her to get anything done as much of her time is spent sitting cuddling him to make him more comfy. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to wear the sling, or whether any other type of carrier would allow him to be held the way he needs while freeing up her arms?

how old is he? If he can sit up unaided, or at least support his neck and head unaided, she can experiment with a meitai.

there are slingmeets in the UK if here is where you are, where you can try one out and get one to one help and advice from babywearing mothers.

alternatively, contact here i think she hires slings and is v. knowledgeable about babywearing.

Hiya, my DS had talipes of the left foot when he was born. Luckily for us he only had to wear his boots and brace at night (though the cot still bears the scars!).

I don't really have any advice, as he was "free" through the day I was able to use a hugabub.

A couple of things though. Get her to cut the toes out of an old sock and slide it over the bar (her furniture, any wooden floors etc) will thank her for it.

Also tell her the outcome will be EXCELLENT. I don't know if this is the case for her but I was torn up with guilt for having hurt my baby, even though I knew there was nothing I could have done to prevent it.

DS is now 4 and his foot looks a little wonky but works just fine, he runs and climbs and jumps - as far as I can see the ONLY negative is that his left foot is one size smaller than his right but as I have differently sized feet and didn't have talipes it might not even be related to that.

If she wants to chat to someone who has been there done that please message me and I will pass on my contact details.

How about in the sling facing outwqrds? If his head control is good enough that might help. Would have to get a sling that doesn't require legs "threading" through leg holes.

Agree that the functional outcome is likely to be very good, and would reassure your sisyerrethat.

Thanks, all three of you. Knew that I'd get great advice from Mumsnetters! His head control is not great yet, TBH (he's only 3 months) but in the meantime I will pass all this on, and see if she can ask the lady who hires them out for her suggestions. I had thought a wrap like a meitai might be more flexible than the baby carrier or 'lie-back' style of sling, but all the pictures I've seen show baby's legs either side of mum, whether back or front carried.

Morloth, thanks for offering to chat - I will pass that offer on too and see if she would like to get in touch. It's lovely to hear that your DS has had such a good outcome from it.

I can't help with sling solutions but has your sis tried the Steps forum? My dd had hip dysplasia and it was a good source of info for that, but they deal with all sorts of lower limb issues and have a number of active message boards.

try here