Friday, 17 June 2011

Hips to hospital

LATER this afternoon, on her grandma's 62nd birthday, baby Lilia Rose has a hospital appointment: an ultrasound of her hips to check for hip dysplasia.


Shortly after her birth, the doctors told us this type of ultrasound is standard procedure for babies who have been born in a breech position or for babies, like Lilia, who spent considerable time in a breech position during late pregnancy. 


Baby Lilia did a spin on the day of delivery with surgeons advising it was possible she turned while they gave me the second spinal injection, my cheeky little monkey. 


Either that or they didn't want to be sued for not performing an ultrasound of my belly to check her position prior to my c-section. 


'There's no way she would turn now, there just won't be any room,' one of the hospital obstetricians said on the morning of my operation and Lilia's birth. Nice one, doc.


Had they done an ultrasound and in the unlikely chance she had turned that morning, I may have been able to have a natural birth (and put my six-page birth plan to good use). But I'm happy baby Lilia came into this world safely, happily and without any trauma. 


I have tried to stay away from the internet to source more information about hip dysplasia and other than knowing it's more common in girls than boys, and my fleeting worries about the mis-matching creases on her legs, I'm feeling positive she won't need  treatment, which can include wearing a special harness, splints or having an operation.


But one thing I'm learning albeit slowly, particularly since our last time at the hospital when our then five-week-old baby Lilia had gastro, is to try not to worry about things that we don't know exist yet. This reminds me of something my older sister said to me once: 'try not to worry about things you can't control.' Good advice, sis. 

1 comment:

  1. So how did little Lila go at the hospital? I think sometimes it's harder on the parents than the little one. Must be youthful exuberance.

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