Happy one month birthday, grumpy Santa baby!I can't believe it's been a whole month since little Juno made her arrival.
We've had a wonderful month getting to know our little Junebug, and even though I have some bad moments (and bad days), I think that I've done pretty well as a mom to three little girls!
Juno weighs about 8 pounds--2 pounds more than her birth weight! She's just about outgrown all of her cute newborn clothes. She has always been a good eater, and now she's so efficient that during the day it only takes her about 3-4 minutes per side to nurse! She sleeps 4-5 hour stretches at night, but wakes up at 2 and 6 for a feeding no matter how hard I try to change her feeding schedule.
Juno loves being held upright so she can see what is going on. She's usually a happy baby, but she has her fussy periods throughout the day, too. She loves being sung too and that is how I usually get her to sleep--singing and dancing around the room. Her big sisters still adore her and I have to protect her from their many exuberant hugs and kisses. She is a very patient girl!
To celebrate (not) Juno's one month birthday, I took her to Primary Children's to have an ultrasound on her hip. Her hip "clicked" during her newborn checkup when she was born, so the doctors wanted us to investigate. Unfortunately, the radiologist was able to determine that Juno does have hip dysplasia in her left hip.
What is hip dysplasia? I asked too.
The hip is a ball and socket joint, and in Juno's left hip, her socket is too shallow (more like a saucer than a bowl), making it hard for her hip to stay in place. Right now her hip is not dislocated, but it is loose and it can cause problems if not treated--rheumatoid arthritis as a teenager and even the possibility of a hip replacement as early as her 20s.
So early next week we get to go see a pediatric orthopedist and have Juno fitted for a Pavlik harness:
It looks like a torture device, doesn't it?
I'm not sure how long Juno will have to wear it, but a minimum of 23 hours a day for 6 weeks. It will very likely be much longer than that.
I've gone through a whole range of emotions today (which I won't get in to here) but right now I am focusing on the fact that we caught this early, it will be fixed in a matter of months with nothing more invasive than velcro and elastic, and if this is the worst medical problem we have to deal with, than we are very, very lucky.
8 comments:
LOVE the stocking picture!!
I think you have the right attitude about the hip dysplasia, I am glad they caught it early by doing a thorough newborn exam and that it should be an easy (although not fun) fix.
CUTE girl & DARLING name!
congrats kate :)
My niece had that too and, while the brace was a pain to deal with, it was great that they were able to fix something so easily so early! She's 2 1/2 now and has no problems :). Hopefully, it will only be the 6 weeks!
What a bummer, but like you said, at least if was found early and is treatable. THAT is a blessing!
She's a cutie...just like her sisters!
Aw, that is a bummer but you're right...it could be worse! When I saw the picture I almost freaked because a girl I know had a baby with a club foot and they had to have a thing like that, except it was metal, but only from the waist down...I just couldn't imagine your sweet baby in a full body thing like that made of metal, but I was so happy to see that it is velcro and stretches :) She DID said it goes by faster than you think it will at first, so good luck - you're a great mom!
Juno will look so much cuter than the baby in the diagram. She'll develop the gift of empathy at an early age!
:( I saw your dad at the ward Christmas party & he told me about this. Congratulations on the 1 month for Juno! :) But the hip displasia is so sad...the baby in the diagram looks happy wearing the brace...but for some reason I don't think that's really the case, atleast probably until she's used to it.
I am so happy that her hip dysplasia was caught early. I am 28 years old and had hip dysplasia in my left hip I was in a fibreglass body cast and it did not work. I had a total hip replacement at 19 and they pulled out my leg to make it longer and I have permanent nerve damage which is very painful. There are so many medical advances now and I know it has to be such a trying time to have her in the brace but it will be very worth it because it can be fixed and she can have a normal life. She is beautiful by the way, congratulations.
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