In case you might have forgotten, let me remind you that our sweet Pumpkin was a breach baby.
As soon as the doctor sliced his way down to her, he said, “Oh wow. She’s really breach.” I can only assume that meant she was bum down with feet near her mouth. For the first several days of her life, if we unswaddled her, her legs would spring up to towards her head.
Sweet little Breachy.
We noticed right away that she would only turn her head to the right. Likely, that’s how her head was turned in the womb so it sort of seemed stuck that way. She could turn her head to the left but she never did it on her own. We discussed this with our pediatrician and he advised us to start putting her on her left side to sleep. We should also do as much tummy time as baby could stand.
Which is approximately 42 seconds.
Over the next five months, we watched her head closely. Of course, she managed to develop a pretty spectacular flat spot on her head. Her flat spot got much better when we started putting her on her side but never really went away.
I googled and discovered that these flat spots were not really a major concern. Until they are. Meaning the doctors would say, don’t worry, don’t worry, don’t worry…okay now worry. We knew then that we were likely making a beeline for the helmet.
At her six months appointment, that time came.
Breach. It rocks.
Now, should we decide to do nothing about her head shape, there would be no complications. It doesn’t affect her brain growth or development in any way. In fact, the pediatrician said, “If it were I boy, I wouldn’t even worry about it. But a little girl needs a pretty head shape. We can’t have her ponytail being all lopsided”.
Well. No. That would be a little odd.
I’ll give you a moment to think about that.
So off we went to the “Fix my head” place. In Dallas. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate Dallas?
They measured and took pictures in a zillion different directions. Then the clinician came in to show us the pictures.
Hello.
Her ears aren’t level. Her right cheek sticks out further than her left. She sits lopsided. And we realized she has more hair than we thought because they had to wet it and comb it down. I didn’t care for that.
Yes, the helmet is needed.
Not sure how long it will take to get her fitted for this helmet. Once we have it, she’ll have to wear it 23 hours a day for likely 10 – 12 weeks. We’re anxious to go ahead and get the process started. Not sure how she’ll react but the more aware she is, the more difficult it might become.
At least, that’s my completely unscientific theory of the situation anyway.
So in case you’re wondering what a helmet looks like, here you go.
As soon as the doctor sliced his way down to her, he said, “Oh wow. She’s really breach.” I can only assume that meant she was bum down with feet near her mouth. For the first several days of her life, if we unswaddled her, her legs would spring up to towards her head.
Sweet little Breachy.
We noticed right away that she would only turn her head to the right. Likely, that’s how her head was turned in the womb so it sort of seemed stuck that way. She could turn her head to the left but she never did it on her own. We discussed this with our pediatrician and he advised us to start putting her on her left side to sleep. We should also do as much tummy time as baby could stand.
Which is approximately 42 seconds.
Over the next five months, we watched her head closely. Of course, she managed to develop a pretty spectacular flat spot on her head. Her flat spot got much better when we started putting her on her side but never really went away.
I googled and discovered that these flat spots were not really a major concern. Until they are. Meaning the doctors would say, don’t worry, don’t worry, don’t worry…okay now worry. We knew then that we were likely making a beeline for the helmet.
At her six months appointment, that time came.
Breach. It rocks.
Now, should we decide to do nothing about her head shape, there would be no complications. It doesn’t affect her brain growth or development in any way. In fact, the pediatrician said, “If it were I boy, I wouldn’t even worry about it. But a little girl needs a pretty head shape. We can’t have her ponytail being all lopsided”.
Well. No. That would be a little odd.
I’ll give you a moment to think about that.
So off we went to the “Fix my head” place. In Dallas. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate Dallas?
They measured and took pictures in a zillion different directions. Then the clinician came in to show us the pictures.
Hello.
Her ears aren’t level. Her right cheek sticks out further than her left. She sits lopsided. And we realized she has more hair than we thought because they had to wet it and comb it down. I didn’t care for that.
Yes, the helmet is needed.
Not sure how long it will take to get her fitted for this helmet. Once we have it, she’ll have to wear it 23 hours a day for likely 10 – 12 weeks. We’re anxious to go ahead and get the process started. Not sure how she’ll react but the more aware she is, the more difficult it might become.
At least, that’s my completely unscientific theory of the situation anyway.
So in case you’re wondering what a helmet looks like, here you go.
Of course, ours would be minus the gigantic head phones. Who still uses those? Doesn’t everyone have those little ear bud things?
Anyway, Aubrey Kate will be the cutest kid ever to wear a helmet. And once we’re through, her ponytail will sit exactly were it’s supposed to on her perfectly round head.
AK will wear that helmet like a little rockstar...until the day she can rock that perfect ponytail :)
ReplyDeleteMy pastor's son wears a helmet, too :) He's a cutie pie and AK will look adorable! Knowing her Mommy, she will have the best looking helmet in town!
ReplyDelete