Tips & tricks for successful bracing
Here’s a list of helpful, tried and true, tips and tricks used by expereinced clubfoot parents.
As always, please consult with your child’s physician before using any of the products recommended here.
Casting Phase:
to keep baby distracted, you can bring a pacifier and/or a bottle to soothe baby and keep him/her calm
buy baby leg warmers to cover the casts. The casts are very rough and the leggings will protect your baby from being scratched when moving. The casts also tend to make a mess when they brush against furniture and clothing! You can buy baby leg warmers here.
If the cast is irritating the skin on your baby’s upper thighs, you can put cotton balls between the cast and the leg to keep it from rubbing.
Baby wearing is absolutely possible with a clubfoot baby - even during casting! Check out the Facebook page for baby wearing clubfoot babies here.
nursing a clubfoot baby is also not a problem! many moms prefer the cradle and football holds during casting.
expect baby to have gas! Unfortunately, your baby won’t be able to move their legs much (which naturally helps break up gas bubbles). You can help baby by “running” their legs and also with good quality gas and/or probiotics drops. Please consult your physician prior to introducing your baby to any medications.
if you notice your child’s cast has “slipped”, even if only a little bit: call the doctor immediately.
Always support their cast(s) when holding your baby, don’t let the cast “hang”.
Tenotomy:
consult with your child’s doctor prior to the surgery to ask about medication for pain and what signs to look for that would alert you to a potential issue.
Generally speaking, light bleeding is normal and it’s okay for some blood to soak through the cast. If the blood spot is larger than a quarter, call your doctor.
if baby spikes a fever, call your doctor.
Keep baby’s feet elevated for the first couple days, when possible.
Generally speaking, most babies are uncomfortable for only the first 24-48 hours and will return to their normal demeanor thereafter.
Boot & Bar:
It’s important to get the right size boots for your child. Boots that are too large or too small could cause sores, discomfort and/or create issues with keeping the feet properly inside the boots.
The Mitchell Boots have holes in the back so you can ensure your baby’s heel is down and within the window.
It may take a few weeks for your baby’s heel to “drop” and fit all the way back and flat in the boots. Try not to stress or be alarmed by this.
If the foot slips out of the brace, put the brace back on.
The middle strap is the most important. You want the middle strap to be snug, but not so much so that it is uncomfortable. Straps that are too tight can cause sores on the tops of their feet. straps that are too loose, and allow for too much movement, can also cause sores. The idea is simply to prevent their feet from moving in the boots. A good rule of thumb is to pull the strap snug and then fasten using the next tighter hole.
It often takes 10-14 of very consistent bracing for children to adjust to bracing. There will likely be a lot of tears in that time… the best thing you can do is be consistent and offer lots of snuggles. giving “breaks” outside of the one-hour a day, will only cause the adjustment period to be extended. they’ll never remember this phase therefore it’s much harder on you than them.
during free time, change baby’s socks and inspect the feet for redness. ensure the feet are dry before putting socks back on and return to bracing.
the black robin socks, that are recommended for boots and bar, are quite snug by design. many parents find it to be more comfortable for their child when the top of the sock is cuffed over the boot.
For redness on the tops of the feet, many parents find molefoam to be helpful. You can apply this directly to the inside of the tongue. of the boots (never apply anything directly on your baby). Molefoam has an adhesive on one side. You can buy molefoam at your local drug store or on amazon - click here.
For redness on the back of the heel, you can apply a small strip of molefoam to the back of the boot where the foot is rubbing.
The length of the bar will need to be adjusted periodically. A good rule of thumb is to measure the distance from shoulder to shoulder and the bar length should be that wide (from heel to heel). for optimal comfort, The bar should never be less than shoulder-width wide but it’s okay for the bar to be slightly wider than shoulder width.