So if you have read my other blogs about Connor, you already know he was born with a left Talipes clubbed foot.
At our 17 week ultrasound we were told he might possibly have a clubbed foot. That, or his foot was pushed up against the side of my uterine wall funny. Then at my 30 week ultrasound(yes I had a few more than normal) my doc confirmed a clubbed foot. She said it was something we didn’t need to worry about. I had never heard of it and wasn’t sure what to expect. No one gave us any information on it. We were told, however, that there was an orthopedic in Prince George that we would be seeing. When he was born I was surprised at how his foot looked, but I wasn’t panicked or anything.
When we arrived at the NICU in Vancouver we met with people from the clubbed foot clinic. They were the ones who told us about the 6 weeks casting and then the possibility of boots and bars. The put the first cast on at a week old I believe. It was a hard week. I really wanted to snuggle my baby, and he did not love it. He was more fussy then usual…….(since I knew him so well after a week….lol) but I knew enough that he didn’t love it.
After a week, the first cast came off and the second one came on. That week is foot started to swell. So the orthopedic took it off. And he didn’t have another one till we were home for a couple weeks. He got sponge baths during those weeks.
They showed us how to unwrap his cast at home so we could give him complete baths the morning before the new cast got put on. After 2 more casts (got a new one each week), we did the tendon release on the back of his heal.
So, first, they took off his cast. Then they put some numbing cream on his heal. Then they got Brent to hold an ice pack on the back of his heal as well. He then got sugar water… suppose to help I guess. After they froze it with anesthetic. Then a few minutes later they poked a VERY sharp needle into the back of his heal, straightened his foot completely and quickly recasted while it was straight. I get very queasy with needles so I couldn’t hold him. Brent had to. I was off to the side trying to get a picture… because, even though it was hard to watch this get done, I still wanted pictures to remember it and possibly show him one day. He screamed. I cried. But he was good once we got him back in the car, Instantly fell asleep once the car was moving. That cast was on for 3 weeks. A person gets creative with clothing. It wa getting cold outside and couldn’t be in t-shirt onesies anymore..
Then in September, the cast came off and the boots and bars came on. I was dreading this day. I thought I wouldn;t be able to swaddle him or cuddle him properly. Boy was I wrong. It was fine.
He was in them 23/7. That one hour off was very precious to me. He got his bath and extra cuddles.
We are now in them for just naps and nights. and Eventually we will switch to just during the night. Unfortunately, he has to be in them till he is 3. But hey, I got this!! His joy and overall happiness makes the extra work so much easier. I have read stories of babies hating them and needing surgery instead. I am very thankful he is taking this all so well.
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ps. he’s getting new boots soon!! The ones he has now are almost.. no no they are to small! I am actually looking forward to the new ones. (clubfoot mom excitement!)
Signing off – Jolene
