I found out from our 20 week ultrasound that our baby boy will have club feet. We have done a lot of research and feel good about what can be done for this condition. I am wondering if there are any mothers out there that can give me some advice on what kind of baby gear to get. Have you found that they will fit in any kind of car seat with the castes? Did you buy any newborn pants or shorts? Any other tips?
Thanks so much. This is also my first child. Any other advice on caring for a baby with club foot would be very appreciated! ↓
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| Name: question | Date: May 30th, 2007 6:28 PM |
| any kind of carseat will work.My little foster girl has both severe club feet has been in casts since 5 weeks(she's almost 2 now)I always bought her pants because I liked the more normal look it gave her.In the summer I put whatever I felt like on her.I didn't do much for shoes,they're more of a pain than not.Don't worry about his condition,keep your head high,it isn't bad,he will be a cool kid.We found the less our little girl could do physically the brighter she is(she has lots of other physical issues) club feet,dislocated hips and knees, internally rotated shoulders,flexed knees,elbows fixed in extension, wrists in flexion,etc.She went to the doc today and has bothe feet and legs casted,one arm casted,and the other arm in a splint.You will do fine,esp if it is your fist,club feet will seem normal for you son. :) feel free to ask me any questions.... :) ↑ |
| Name: est | Date: Jun 20th, 2007 6:38 PM |
| my daughter was born with club foot (the left one) she was put in cast at 5 days old - they seemed nomal to her as she was so young - any car seat will do and i found trousers to be better than baby groes although she wore them at night. she has just got her shoes and bar and although slightly frustrated at first she seems fine. i have bought romper suits for this stage as the shoes are not allowed to be taken off and they have poppers down the legs which makes nappy chnges loads easier. just remember a child with clu foot is normal and they soon adapt to plaster cast and brace as they know no different - it soon becomes routine - good luck x ↑ |
| Name: feet | Date: Jul 12th, 2007 7:33 PM |
| Name: B. | Date: Jul 19th, 2007 12:53 AM |
| I bought my son regular pant and pjs. We would buy them bigger. At birth he was wearing a 3-6 months just so he had room for the cast. This more for me then him. People couldnt see his cast so I wasnt getting the 20 questions. Everything will be fine. My son was out of cast and the shoes with the bar in the middle by 4 months. Now he is 8 months old sits up and rolls around all over the place. I know how you feel he is also my first. I also read everything I Could get my hands on. Oh heres a tip ask if the doctor will use a regular cast instead of a plaster one it will be easier. The plaster ones were horrible to remove we had to soak my son in water for 30 minutes, They have a machine in the hospital that cut them off but its loud. The doc. said it was ok for me take off the night before so I would but the plaster was hard. Then during one our last visits he had a regular cast put on by a different doc. Those would just unravel when you wanted to take them off. I would put warm water in the tub and my husband would jump in and hold him he loved being able to stretch his legs out and move around. Hope this helps, ↑ |
| Name: Stacy | Date: Apr 1st, 2008 10:40 AM |
| My son was born with clubfoot of the left one, hes ten months old now, wen i was in doubt or needed advice i used this website www.clubfoot.co.uk its fantastic and theres lots of people in the same position as you ... try it out im sure u will like it xxxxx ↑ |
| Name: aby | Date: Apr 8th, 2008 6:12 PM |
| i wana know if the number 6 defense ? ↑ |
| Name: shygirlelizabeth | Date: Apr 23rd, 2008 1:58 AM |
Hi,
I found out from my 20 week ultrasound that my baby would have bilateral club foot too. The good news is that it is incredibly treatable. Our daughter is 3.5 months old and just today moved onto her braces from casts.
I don't think that there would be really a lot of problems with any carseat in particular, but I hated my Eddie Bauer infant seat because I felt like I couldn't get her in it... not sure if that's club foot related.
Newborn stuff might not be that much use for you, because the casts will likely put your baby up a size. When you're looking for things in small sizes, you can pretty much get whatever you want... when looking for things after they have braces, it is most convenient to have things that don't have feet and that have snaps up the inside (simplifies diaper changes with braces on).
They are very adaptable, because they are tiny little babies, but I have to say that you should be prepared... appointments are not going to always be easy. While your baby will never remember the discomfort that is involved in casting, it is real at the time. I find that it helps if I hold her during her appointments, she screams less.
If you have any further questions go ahead and email [email protected]. ↑ |
| Name: gramma | Date: May 7th, 2008 5:28 AM |
| My son was born with club feet, 29 years ago. Casts were put on when he was a day old and changed every week for 4 months when he had surgery to correct. Final casts were taken off at 8 months. He walked on his first birthday. He played baseball, football, etc. He is now married and expecting their first baby. Ultrasound shows no club feet. (Nursing was not awkward, neither was using a carseat. I found that a front carrier was not comfortable, but a back carrier was) ↑ |
| Name: Amanda Leigh | Date: May 15th, 2008 7:45 AM |
I was born with clubbed feet. I had corrective surgery and was casted until well after I figured out how to walk. My parents were great for the first 5 years of my life never forgetting to stretch and mold my feet to ease my turn-in and stretch my atrophied calves (my achilles was cut and, pulled lower and reattached to my heel).
Here's some hope for you:
I became a gymnast at age 7. Began competing at age 9. I retired gymnastics at age 15 as a Level 9 (pre-elite) - just a few notches down from Olympic Quality gymnastics. I competed against "normal" girls. I won my fair share of competitions. Now I coach competitive gymnastics professionally, ride freestyle BMX and am an aspiring stunt woman.
I'm currently 6 months pregnant with my first child -- I have no worries at all that if she has this condition, she will be just fine. :) I wish you the best of luck with your baby boy! ↑ |
| Name: tammy | Date: Jun 12th, 2008 12:41 AM |
| my son was born with club feet. i found that the car seats that goes from 5lb to 80lb worked the best. they seem to be wider at the bottom. they also work well with the shoes that has the bar attached to them ↑ |
| Name: Victoria Withrow | Date: Aug 23rd, 2008 6:40 PM |
| Congratuations on your first baby! My son was born 14 years ago with severe bilaterial club feet. I am so happy to tell you he is doing amazing! He did undergo castings and surgeries for the first few years of his life, but today he has no limitations. He just made his high school football team, won MVP for his league basketball team and just loves life! He is a very typical teenager with tons of friends and busy. You would never guess today that he was born with such severe club feet. Any car seat will work for you. He may have a bit wider feet then the average so as he grows as your purchasing shoes you may want to find brands that sell wide. My biggest recommendation is after the castings (and any operations that may be needed) be sure to get into physical therapy. My son has gone to PT consistantly for several years now and it has been the best thing we could do not only for his flexabilty and muscle tone, but so he can learn what to do (stretches) to keep his ankles and legs pain free..hopefully for a lifetime. Your son will do great. Enjoy him!! ↑ |
| Name: amanda | Date: Nov 28th, 2008 9:37 PM |
my baby girl was born w club feet! she could wear 0-3 pants for awhile, but as she got bigger her weekly casts also got bigger!! so if you can, get clothes you can buy separate, i.e. a 0-3 top with 3-6 pants. also buy a 3-6 top, so later she can still wear the whole outfit even if she's grown out of the 0-3 top. i liked garanimals b/c they aren't that expensive and you can buy separate tops and bottoms. she was a little squished in her car seat but made it just fine. now i have to take off the denis-browne bar when she goes in her car seat, but it easily snaps on and off the special shoes.
tell people NOT to get you pj's with the feet!!!! she fit into them when she was still tiny with her casts, but soon i couldn't use them bc her casts were too wide due to her growing. also, the "gowns" are good for PJs since they don't have legs on them. or if you can't find any, just have him wear a long-sleeve onesie to bed...his legs won't get cold with the casting on them!! just get some super-stretch socks to go over the casts to keep his little toes warm. i found some super-fuzzy ones @ babies r us, i think they were called baby booties - very fuzzy and soft, almost silky, and super stretchie. hope that helps!!! ↑ |
| Name: Brittney | Date: Mar 3rd, 2009 5:45 PM |
| Hi whenever I was pregnant I had no idea that my son was going to have club feet until he came out. I was so tore up about it but it has been almost 3 months and he is done with his cast and starting on his braces it has went by so fast. As for clothes everything will fit I just bought him the size he was in I had no problem. you should just get a normal car seat. I thought it was going to be hard caring for my son but it has been a breeze nothing is different except for his feet and the doctors appointments. Your just lucky the doctors told you it was a huge shock, I didnt even know what club foot was. But good luck babies are so much fun dont stress yourself out about it everything will be ok. ↑ |
| Name: Christy | Date: Mar 9th, 2009 6:11 PM |
| I wasn't so lucky, I didn't find out until my daughter was born. I had to cut the feet out of all the sleepers. Comfort should be #1, sweat suits are great. When the casting is over you will want to get thin socks, as he/she will need to wear Dennis Brown Bar shoes first all the time then just when they are sleeping. My daughter also needed physically therapy and special orthodics to help her to walk (expensive), she is almost 2 and just started walking. Best wishes, hope this helps someone. ↑ |
| Name: erin | Date: Mar 16th, 2009 12:29 PM |
| does anyone have any ideas on how to keep the shoes on the braces from falling off all the time, or tightening them so much that they hurt him ↑ |
| Name: sduffel | Date: Mar 18th, 2009 2:35 PM |
I had no idea my son would be born with club feet and we were suprised when he was. He is now done with his casting and is in the braces. I would definately tell you to by lots of onsies and wide legged pants. The casts are thick and some pants are hard to get on them. I give you this advise, Just be patient It is overwhelming at first.
I need some advise my self anout the shoes braces. Does anyone else have trouble keeping the heel down in the shoes? ↑ |
| Name: Shirley | Date: Mar 22nd, 2009 9:19 PM |
| I'm not a mother but I am a Tween living with this condition. I had to be in casts most of my young years and started walking late. My left leg was hyper-extended and my left foot was turned around backwards so don't be afraid if your child's legs look different. My doctors told my parents i would never walk but now i'm running and walking with all my friends. Getting through middle school will be the toughest time for your child though. Don't ever get discouraged when the doctors tell you stuff. Always try sometimes with this condition the best thing for you to do is not to listen to the doctors sure some of the stuff will be helpful but please do not do to many surgeries. Many of them will be painful for you to watch. I had to get three foot long needles stuck into my legs when i was a couple months old. Since then i have a had braces that work absolutely fine If you didn't know me you'd have no idea i wear braces or for the scientific name A.F.O.'s I had two when i was little then i had one then last year i was having some pain so i went back to two and now i'm back to one. I hope this helps you later in your motherhood. ↑ |
| Name: DJ | Date: Apr 9th, 2009 12:23 AM |
hi-My daughter was born with club feet and we didnt find out so it was a shock and something you may have found out by now was to buy 6-9 month clothes.Mine never wore her preemie,newborn,o-3 mon clothes.:(
She had huge casts and I had to soak them off weekly.Then at 6 months we done the heel cord lengthening surgery we were told would help.
She is now 7 and after 3 surgeries her feet are turning in.Come to find out now the only way to turn her feet out arer to do surgery on her hips./
Upward battle and we are fighting hard.
So stick it out-dont give up hope when doctors dont tell you what you want to hear.Congrats on having a baby and good luck.Feel free to [email protected] ↑ |
| Name: Chrystal Hardiman | Date: May 28th, 2009 2:02 AM |
| I have a very active 2 month old who just got her 1st casts on yesterday-both in long leg casts. Everyone comments on how alert and active she is. This has caused alot of difficulty now that she can't really move her legs.At her age she can only kick and move a little and now thats changed and she does not like it at all. Does anyone have any ideas or advice? I bought a few play gyms and even a light show soother but I hope she gets used to the casts and will play with the stuff soon. As for right now she just cries all the time. Also does anyone have any secrets or help hints for sleeping. Shes not sleeping and so then I'm not either of course. I hope for easier days soon. I really feel bad for her. ↑ |
| Name: Bree | Date: Aug 12th, 2009 4:13 AM |
| My son is now 5 months old and I found out that he had club feet 16 weeks into my pregnancy! A normal car seat is fine but, clothing wise I would buy one piece snap ons! Once they have to wear braces it is to difficult to take the braces on and off every time you need to change them! Also be patient! This is a long and frustrating process no one wants to see their beautiful baby in pain or to be uncomfortable! Go along your daily routine and your baby will be just fine! ↑ |
| Name: sarah | Date: Aug 15th, 2009 12:34 PM |
| If anyone could give me advice would be grateful. I had corrective surgery on my right foot when i was a baby for clubfoot. I am now 23 and although i can walk fine my right calf is considerably smaller than my left and i feel awkward wearing skirts etc. What do you think to having a calf implant in my leg and would i get the desired affect??your comments would help :) ↑ |
| Name: Jane | Date: Nov 5th, 2009 5:07 PM |
| I was born with a club foot 45 years ago. They have come a long way since i was a child. I didn't walk till i was almost 3, but i did it. I had a cast on for a long time then i has surgary when i was 12. It hasn't been bad. ↑ |
| Name: Ann | Date: Nov 11th, 2009 2:48 AM |
Google - Club Foot - the Ponseti Method.
It will answer all your questions. ↑ |
| Name: nancy | Date: Feb 11th, 2010 2:57 AM |
| can a clubfoot be up to 2 shoe sizes smaller than the regular foot? ↑ |
| Name: Rachel Swan | Date: Mar 20th, 2010 10:45 PM |
Hi Im 16 and I was born with Bilatreal club foot
Apparantly i had quite a severe case and i was put into a medical encyclopedia.
I also had dislocated hips and had to wear a wee corset thing and i had 3 oppperations on each foot. I have two large scars on each foot but im used to it.I had to wear casts and have a metal bar inbeetween them holding them together.When i turned two my dog was ran over and had casts on its hind legs and tried to get them off by crawing up and down the stairs so i copied it ... the dog was unsuceessful but i wasnt and my mum had to constantly take me to the hospital to get my legs recasted.They said that the doubted that i would ever walk but now i can walk fine . For the Past two years my LEGS HAVE BEENN IN AND OUT OF CASTS and they wanna opperate again because club feet always grow back in .. however im terrified of the hospital and am trying to put it off ..l. im so terrified.. All that I ask is that whoever has babies with clubfeet .. that they dont try and hide them .. my mother and father constantly had me wrapped in shawls and they dont have one photo of my feet. They never kept my special shoes or the bar ..those are things i would have liked to have had. I feel like they were ashamed of me and i wouldnt want anyone else feeling that way . My mum got depressed after she had me and i blame myself because she never wanted to take me home. And i blame her ... Then i hate myself for blaming her
so please never make your baby feel that you are ashamed of them . ↑ |
| Name: monique frank | Date: Apr 22nd, 2010 6:44 PM |
| my baby boy is 3 months old he has bilateral feet his feet are presently in casts. the right foot casts is always dropping off, but there is considerable improvement in the left foot. my only problem is that in my country there is only one orthopedic, and it is every two weeks i have to take my baby to change the casts but sometimes the doctor don't be there and his casts are sometimes on for a whole month on a straight causing swelling and sores. ↑ |
| Name: daddy | Date: May 31st, 2010 2:40 AM |
| My 5 year old boy had a club foot when he was born. He was my first born, so it was all a little hard on me, Then I had my second and he was just as hard with no club foot.(lol) All I would say is to buy bagging pants so the cast wont be seen in publice (people will give you dirty looks thinking you mit of dropped him).Just be strong and don't let it bug you. by the time he was 3 he was riding a bike with 2 wheelie, and runnig just as fast as the others ↑ |
| Name: Crystal | Date: Jun 21st, 2010 9:22 PM |
| My baby is 3 mo. now, He has a clubbed right foot, and he did good with the casts but I had trouble keeping the shoes on him. He is suppose to wear them now but they kept falling off and they were modified 3 or 4 times and they stopped falling off but it gave him very deep wounds on the heel that is not clubbed. The doc said that he had never had a babies foot do that like his did. So he recasted his clubfoot so the meat deep wound could heal till he finds a better shoe and or brace for him. I have noticed that the clubbed foot, the leg is fatter has an extra crease on his leg. Is that normal?? ↑ |
| Name: marie | Date: Jun 26th, 2010 3:43 PM |
| im 19 years old and have a left clubfoot. can i ever wear high heels? like any regualr gurl? ↑ |
| Name: Christos | Date: Aug 10th, 2010 10:22 AM |
Hi,
I am a father of a 5 month old boy born with club foot.
Ponseti treatment have been chosen and after several casting and tenotomy he is wearing his Mitchell Afo brace and sandals from c-prodirect.co.uk .The sandals can easily be unclipped from the bar, so can be put on as a ‘normal’ pair of sandals, then attach the bar after wards so don't worry about the car seat. Full instructions are sent with the sandals and bar.
The standard bracing protocol is as follows :
23 hrs per day, 7 days a week for 3 months (as soon as the plaster casting is finished)
20 hrs per day for 1 months
18 hours per day for another month
16 hours per day for another month
12-14 hours per day (night times) until age 5.
Most children need 7 pairs of sandals up until the age of 5. The first pair usually last 3-6 months, larger pairs last for approx 9 months but it really depends on the child and how quickly their feet grow.
His feed seems perfect and soon his going to start crawling :) and my orthopedic insure me that is not going to be a barrier for him.
Hope this helps. ↑ |
| Name: Sara | Date: Aug 12th, 2010 9:40 PM |
| Hello, I am a teen parent. I didnt find out that my baby had clubfoot until he was born. I had no idea what it was. I had a 3d ultrasound and they never mentioned it to me. My baby got his casts wen he was 2weeks old and had them until he was 5 1/2 months old. He had what was called SEVERE clubfoot. right after i would put on his brace all day. Once he started wanting to stand i started putting on the brace less and less. By the time he was 8 months i stopped completly putting on his brace. he started crawling and standing and walking around the tables, but the i put him to stand he's still really weak. lately ive been trying to put on his brace but he yells and screams. It was worst then when he first got his braces. I kno it was wrong to take away the braces. He is supposed to wear his braces until he is 4 years old only at night.. I was wondering if there was any one out there that stopped putting on the braces and still got good results. My baby is now 13 months and still isnt walking.. How old was your baby when he/she started walking? Thank you. ↑ |
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