Post Spica Update: Londyn is Mobile!

These past few weeks have felt like coming up for air. The weather has been warm and sunny, we have had my parents in town, Londyn has been learning new things everyday, and I’m so excited to report that she is now CRAWLING! She has been taking her sweet time getting to know her body and legs again, but just in the last week has gained enough gross motor skills to crawl. And she is making up for lost time, let me tell you. If she spots someone eating food, she will be there in two seconds flat. If she sees her brother doing a puzzle, she just has to get there to try to chew on his puzzle pieces.

The best thing has been showing our friends and family her new mobility! I met my girlfriend and her kids at the library the other day, who has been through all these months of DDH with us, and I had texted her beforehand mentioning that Londyn started crawling. We arrived at the library and my girlfriend got down on the ground with her daughter across the room from Londyn and said, “come here Londyn!!” Londyn smiled wide and made her way right over to them as we all tried not to bawl right there in the library. What a miracle. This sweet baby is such a champion. The barriers babies with hip dysplasia barge right through are amazing. 

In addition to crawling, a few of Londyn’s newest tricks include hugging (like actual, real, tight hugs!) while saying “huggg”, saying “cheese” while smiling for photos, attempting to pull up on the furniture, blowing kisses, signing a few words that I’ve been working on with her, and absorbing any book she can get her hands on. 

Another absolutely wonderful thing is her constipation issues are subsiding. Partly due to her increased mobility (hallelujah!) and partly to a new gentle laxative she’s been on, recommended by my fellow DDH mamas in my support group, and agreed upon by my pediatrician. I just love what one of the moms wrote to me, when I mentioned in a discussion that it’s frustrating that my pediatrician doesn’t seem very knowledgeable about DDH or especially about babies in spica casts for long periods. She said, “As hip moms we have to cast our net so wide to get information we need and then filter it with our mama intuition. Each case is so different it's like looking in a crystal ball! The things we are dealing with, with our babes is so different than moms with unaffected kids. Glad we have each other to seek and offer advice.” For the thousandth time, I thank God for this DDH Facebook group!

Our next hip appointment is in October, and I will admit it’s looming over us ever so slightly. The fear of the unknown, and the dread of bad news. But that is not going to stop us from soaking up this precious time with Londyn that we have right now. Why worry about tomorrow when today has plenty enough worries to keep us busy? Today my “worry” is what Halloween costume Londyn’s going to wear. =) Thanks for following our story!