Bye, Bye Brace

Today is a very happy day in the Howes household. We got some great news. Emilia no longer has to wear her brace - Halleluiah! I have been looking forward to this day for a while now, but somehow it seems bittersweet.

Emilia has Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), and was diagnosed as a newborn. This means that her hips are not aligned correctly. She has worn some type of harness or brace on her hips, since we brought her home from the hospital.

 
Those first days of her wearing the full body harness, made everyday things like changing a diaper and riding in a car seat, just a little more challenging. She wore the first brace or Pavlic Harness, 24 hours a day for the first two months of her life.



She has been wearing the Hip Abduction Brace only during sleep hours, since she was two months old. We worried that she would be uncomfortable or unhappy with them, but it was just the opposite, she was content.



We have been so thankful that she didn’t need surgery. And now even more thankful that she no longer needs to wear a brace. We will be going back for follow up visits with her doctor at Shriner’s Hospital for Children.



We are blessed to have a healthy, smart, energetic, sweet daughter who’s almost two. Yes, it’s hard to believe. She is growing so fast.