I was upset. I felt like it was my fault her hips were in that condition. If I had just gotten another ultrasound, or laid in bed differently, or did specific exercises, or lowered my stress level more, maybe she wouldn't have that problem.
The harness was a pain in the ass. Odd for me to feel that way about a brace that ultimately corrected the problem without surgery, but really, it was a pain in the ass. Clothes didn't fit properly, the harness materials (mostly velcro) scraped against my skin while I nursed her, the velcro sometimes caught on certain fabrics, it seemed to be uncomfortable for her while she slept. I had all these cloth diapers I wanted to use, but the logistics with the harness seemed complicated. Disposable diapers were the best way to go--the least bulky. But the worst part was that I felt like it was a barrier between the two of us. We couldn't really cuddle effectively; the harness made her body stiff. Where was the soft, cuddly baby I was expecting?
I knew she only had to wear it temporarily, and I tried to focus on that goal. It was either the harness, or surgery when she was a year old. In all other aspects, she was perfectly healthy. So I coped with it as best as I could. We could only take it off for brief periods of time, for baths, and we didn't really bathe her every day, so she was in it quite a bit. Her orthopedist, Dr. Phillips was great (I think L had a crush on him with his British accent!), and very supportive. After 8 weeks, she was doing so well that we could start to wean her from the harness. Naps and nighttime only, and then at 14 weeks, I threw the harness away for good! What a relief for all of us.
I don't have a clear picture of the harness, or L in it, but here's a shot of her at five days old with her cousin, Zach:
You can see the harness over her shoulders.
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