My 5 month old baby girl was fitted with a brace for her hip as it is not fully developed and she has to wear it 23hr + a day for 6-8 weeks. She got fitted with it 3 days ago and has been crying non stop, she wont sleep, or i will finally get her to sleep and 5 mins later she will wake up crying, she is exhausted and so am I. She is normally a very happy little girl and doesnt cry all that much. Im scared its hurting her?? What can i do to try and make it more comfortable for her??? Please help me and my little girl!
Thank you for everyones advice! I got in contact with my doctor who advised me to get her used to it for the first week and by the end of the week she should be sleeping in it as well. Yesterday was my first good day with her since the brace and last night after her bath i put the brace on and put her to bed and she went down without a peep like she normally does! :) I think she just needed a few days to get used to having it on and it does not seem to really bother her all that much anymore. The only thing that has got me passed the last few days is knowing that this is going to benefit her in the long run but now that she is smiling again im at ease! :) :) THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR ADVICE AND KIND WORDS!!! Its great to know that other mums have been and are going through the same thing!
If you're not giving her Tylenol or ibuprofen, try that.
I would call the doctor to ask for suggestions. Or it may be possible that he can adjust the brace.
If you are afraid it is hurting her, after she has had it on for a few hours, take the brace off and inspect her skin. If you see any red areas that does not go away after 15 minutes or so, then that is a pressure point that could cause pain and you need the orthotist/prosthetist that fitted her for the brace to come back and adjust. Otherwise if there is no redness that does not go away, it will be just a matter of getting used to the feel of it.
I am sorry you have to go through this, but keep the thoughts of how this will benefit her in the end to keep you going! Good luck.
I really dont know what I can say to help, but as a child I had to wear braces on my legs. I am so thankful to my parents now for being strong enough to endure the hell it must have been to force me in them every day. I am sure this is h*** o* the both of you but please do it. I wish you guys the best I hope it gets better for you both soon. ~ J.
my son was much older when he was put in a brace for his hip.....so all I can say is:
be strong, Mom. This medical intervention is needed & necessary. My best friend used to tell me, "God only gives you what He knows you can endure". I don't know about that! I remember crying with my son....as I did the physical therapy with him.....so he didn't have to do it alone/hurt by himself.
Feel free to contact me if you need kind words & extra suppport.....
Awe poor baby! I think, that she will eventually get used to it. I know a mom who had to do this too and her child got used to it after a week or so. I know there are several different types of braces, some may be more comfortable than others. I would call your Dr and see if they have some advice for you.
My friends boy had a helmet he had to wear after having surgery to re open his soft spot. They eased him into the routine they were directed to have him wear so long then so much time offf and slowly increase the on time and decrease the off time.
You can always call the doctor about your concern and see if they ave any advice.
It could be causing her pain.
My daughter had to wear one as an infant and we had her wear it religously! Both of her hips were in need of help- the only time she had it off is when she took a bath. They originally told us that she would have to wear it for a year, but she got it off in about 5 months. We were so excited to get it off, but we knew it was the best thing for her. You would never know that she was born with hip dysplasia! She is very active. I liked the response from one other person that said "This medical intervention is needed & necessary". Stay strong it is for the best!!
You are so lucky with the technology they have today to help babies with hip problems! I was born 43 years ago with what was then called congenital hip dysplasia. Both of my hips had no hip sockets, therefore, the sockets had to be "made." Thank goodness, I was born a year after doctors/scientists had discovered how to do that; otherwise I would be wheelchair bound.
My issue wasn't caught until I was 6 months old. I had to go into the hospital for traction at Children's Hospital in Mpls, MN, and have very strong, heavy weights applied to both of my legs, in order to bring my tibia (the large upper leg bone) done into the proper position of where it should have been near the hip. After that, I was put into a body cast (there's a specific name for it, but I don't know it) that I had to wear until I was almost 2 years old, with many new casts applied along the way as I grew (which were a lot! My dad hated when they brought out the chainsaws to cut the casts off my body...) After that, I had to wear a brace 24/7 (well, I think it could come off for a bath) to hold my legs apart the appropriate distance so the hip sockets could solidify.
Finally, we were done with the braces and I was able to learn to crawl, walk, and potty train.
And then, at the age of two and a half, excruciating pain--I'd grown too fast, and my hip sockets hadn't kept up. So back into the body cast I went (I didn't need traction). Talk about absolutely hating it! I'm going by what my parents have told me, because I was too small to remember. They said I screamed almost nonstop for an entire week. Frustration to the nth degree--unable to crawl, walk, or go on the potty (I absolutely did NOT want to go in diapers). They finally went to the doctor and got a tranquilizer for me--both my mom and dad worked and were going on a week with virtually no sleep. Thankfully, though, that cycle was quite short--about 6 months--and then I was out of the casts for good. Another 6 months or so with the brace again, and my hips are just like everyone elses.
I was one of the lucky ones in that I lived near Mpls, MN, where a young doctor had just learned how to help infants who'd been born without hip sockets. I know someone who was born down South, where they didn't use the "new" procedure. That baby endured lots of surgeries and today, as an adult, must use crutches to get around.
What wonderful news that your baby has been born when the technique to help her has been so vastly improved! As much as I know it's very nerve-wrecking and even frustrating (it's doubly frustrating for your daughter, who has no other way to tell you how she feels other than screaming and crying), in the end, your daughter will be able to walk. What a truly wonderful thing.
Blessed are you and your daughter.
