When I first thought of putting a website together my first thought was how can I update as many people as possible with so little time in each day, blogging seemed perfect. Then, once we started down the Hip Dysplasia road, we noticed that there wasn't a lot of relevant information pertaining to tips or equipment that worked here in Canada. There was lots of info on people going through this in the UK and a few in the States. So, should you know of a family that is just starting on this journey please do pass this web page a long to them and let them know that we would love to chat with them and possibly help answer any questions they might have about this whole process! We would have loved to have been able to chat with someone prior to surgery about what we were getting into, just to make sure we were organized enough to bring Lauren home from the hospital.
Here is a picture of the dream table we ordered from an amazing lady named Stephanie in the States. After going through this twice with 2 of her 7 kids she created a table that worked for her child to eat, play or just hang out in. Spica casts don't allow you to just place your child anywhere due to the position of the legs (unless they are laying down), so having somewhere they can sit up right and play, eat or watch a tv show at is amazing! This table is worth it's weight in gold! The table was $200.00 plus shipping.
Here is her website: http://www.freewebs.com/arymanth/
She can sit up and watch a cartoon in the am!
Thank you so much Grandma and Granddad for this awesome table!!!
Garry and I hunted high and low to find the perfect stroller. We were told that the cheap ones were the best; however with Lauren in the position she is, it made it really difficult to find one that worked. We ended up, 20 strollers later, finding this one. The fit couldn't be better and it comes with a rain cover that covers her legs, she can lay down and sleep in it and it is easy to push!! This stroller, although not the cheapest, is amazing. It is the Maxi-Cosi, Pearle. This one retails for $179.00 at Toy's R Us:
Whenever Lauren is grumpy and just needs a change of scenery we head outside. It was important that we have a fun toy that Lauren can ride on when not in the stroller. This little bike was a gift from Grandma and Granddad at Christmas. And with a quick seat belt modification along with a non stick mat placed onto the seat Lauren is ready to roll. This push bike retails for $99.00 at Toy's R Us.
For travel we tried to use our Britax, but unfortunately it just wasn't a great fit with the position Lauren's legs are held in. So, we were able to borrow this one from a friend. This should fit your child unless they are casted in a laying down position. This is the Sunshine Kids car seat and it retails for approx $300 at West Coast Kids.
Having the proper information ahead of time would make it a lot easier to benefit from searching for equipment on sites such as Craigslist or Kijiji. Hope this helps!
I have a few more tips I will try and include in the days to come, but for tonight sleep is prevailing! :)
Awesome post Sarah...and so glad you guys found a stroller that works for Lauren...not to mention one that you can easily use afterwards! Congrats too on the first week down!
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