Onto the next challenge!

So, today was cast day. Not a day I've been looking forward to, except for the fact that it gets the foot correction process underway and puts us one step closer to being done. Because that's the nice thing about clubfoot, as these things go--there is the strong possibility that one day, we will just be done with it. From what I have read, 95% of people who have the casting and bracing treatment need no further intervention later in life. Those are good odds!

M did not enjoy the casts being put on, but as soon as it was done and I could pick him u, he settled down. And it was done very quickly! Most of what I've seen online had suggested they would use plaster casts, which can take a while to put on and dry, but our doc uses semi-Rigid fibreglass. It's that stuff that looks like sticky, stiff gauze--you often see colourful casts made out of it. We weren't offered any fun colours today, but it did come with some good news--we can remove it ourselves the night before he gets the next cast, so he can have a bath in between treatments!

It was definitely a fussier and harder day than usual, but it featured a number of adorable baby smiles nonetheless. There seems to be a steep learning curve to life with the casts, though! So far I have figured out that the formerly wonderful swing is now lava, probably because of the angle of his legs in it. Fortunately we have a bouncy seat that cradles him a bit more comfortably, or I suspect no one here would be sleeping tonight!

One early experiment with babywearing suggests that the woven wrap in a kangaroo carry works well with the casts on. I also have a ring sling making its way to me, which I think will be comfy for him. (It's me I'm not sure about--I own one now and never find it comfortable, but I've been told a different shoulder design may work better for me. Fingers crossed!)

And now it's time for me to sleep while I can...my hopes for tonight are not high, especially since big brother just came down with a miserable cold and is already having a restless night.

Comments

Mandyz said…
Fingers crossed - where legs can't be.
It will work out well, I'm certain!
I remember my childhood friend had leg casts on, but that was when we were preschoolers. I think hers was related to her hips, as she also had a bar between them. All fine later in her youth. I also had to have casts as an infant and wear funny-looking shoes when I was little to fix my feet, which had a crescent-shaped arch. However, as I learned to walk with those shoes I consequently messed up my hips compensating for them. Then I was forced into ballet so that I would learn to turn my hips the correct way. I struggled with being pigeon toed in my younger years, but that's gone too.
All of which is to say - it's worth the effort now.
Hope you find a carrier that works well for you.
And get some rest.