Tuesday

Clubfoot Baby Essentials BNB Stage



If you are reading this chances are you have entered the "Boots and Bar" stage of your journey. Congratulations!!! You and your baby have come so far. I made a list of the Clubfoot baby essentials a while back ago here and I still swear by those items, but as Josiah outgrew the casting stage and we reached the Boots and Bar stage, his needs changed a bit. The items I will be talking about are strictly items I have used and have worked for us, none of these links are affiliate links. Consult your doctor before use.



1. Socks: Circo Bobby SocksOld Navy Sports SocksBlack Robin Socks
During the Boots and Bar stage (aka bnb) the type of sock used is very important for comfort of the child and air flow to the feet. Socks are always a must, never use boots without socks. The socks listed above are the types of socks we have used and have worked out for us. There was a time in the beginning of the stage where Josiah was getting blisters. The doctor said to find a thicker sock so we used the Old Navy sports socks and they worked really well for us. Those are probably my favorite of all the socks we have used. Always make sure the sock is longer than the boot, that way the straps are not painful for your baby.



2. Bar Cover: Peek-a-Boo CoversBabyBumbleBeeShopA Pool Noodle
You'll want to have something to put around the bar for protection of you and the baby. I didn't have anything at first and ended up with bruised knees almost daily. Josiah also banged his own head with the bar a few times. We finally wrapped a pool noodle and some decorative duck tape to keep it from falling off. It was cheap and something we had on hand, but I like the cute covers better.



3. Sleepers: Halo Sleep SackCarters SleepsuitsJumpsuits
I always found it easier to put Josiah in a sleep sack for bed. His bar fit inside, it was nice and snugly in there and all I had to do in the middle of the night was unzip to change the diaper. However, those only go up to 9 months. My next solution was jumpsuits. I love Carters everything, but sometimes the jumpsuits were hard to find. You can always use the footed pjs as long as they are the snap kind. All you have to do is put the boots and bar on first and then button the footies over the boot and around the bar. Josiah always wore a size up. The zipper kind work as well but you have to make a cut at the back of the footie part and insert the bar after you have already zipped up. (I found the zipper kind too complicated for me.)




4. Oils and Creams: Coconut OilAquaphor BabyBaby Powder
Most doctors direct you not to apply any lotion, to clubfoot babies, past their knees. Many moms opt for coconut oil which this day in age is pretty well know for it's effects. I like it for when I massage and do his stretches, we actually use the Costco brand. It comes in a pack of 2, we use one for the kids and one for cooking. Josiah had a time where he got sores and blisters around his ankles. It got pretty bad and unfortunately infected. We had to keep the boots off until it cleared. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic ointment that did not work. We tried everything, but the minute we put the boots back on the blisters would come back. One day I decided to try Aquaphor, and low and behold, that was the cure. From then on I applied it every single time before boot wear and we never saw a blister again. Baby powder is used by most moms to avoid friction from the boot rubbing, and of course sweaty feet.

5. Pressure Saddles: Pressure SaddlesRound Cosmetic Wedge
To avoid blisters you may ask your doctor for pressure saddles, they should keep them on hand. We did not have these and I later found out that it could have helped to avoid our infection episode. If you happen to have a round cosmetic wedge those work great as well. Tuck it under the flap like you would the pressure saddle and voila!

6. Moleskin
This is something else your doctor should carry, but if they don't it's something you can buy at the store. Moleskin also helps avoid blisters and chafing from the boot. We wrapped this around white insert inside the boot to help with the pressure and friction. The white insert is what was causing Josiah irritation.

This bottom picture shows the white insert inside the boot.


7.Tylenol
The first few days are really rough, both for baby and for you. Most likely the baby has just had casts removed and then bnb were put on. Their little legs and feet have been through a lot. Most doctors will recommend giving Tylenol with no problem. We only gave it to Josiah the first few days and felt it helped a little for his transition.

8. Baby Carriers: Beco GeminiSolly Wrap
Josiah wanted to be held all the time when he first transitioned. Being as I had 2 other kids to tend to I needed my hands. I found it easy to wear him and he fell asleep almost the minute I put him in one of these. I use either one for trips to the store or for long walks. I love both the Gemini and the Solly, however I do tend to use the Gemini more. I know it's a lot of money, but it can be used from birth until they are 35 lbs. My son Eli is 3 and he still fits in it comfortably.



9. Swing and Bouncer: Fisher Price SwingFisher Price Bouncer
I recommend having either a swing or bouncer, if not both for your baby. Some days Josiah found it comforting to sit in the vibrations of his bouncer and some days he hated it. Same with the swing. When looking for these items make sure they have a big enough seat. You don't want to invest in a swing that the child will outgrow in a month once they get the boots or for the boots to be hanging off the seat. Unfortunately Fisher Price discontinued both of the ones we use, but the above ones are very similar.



10. Crib Bumper: Crib Bumper, Pool Noodles
I know crib bumpers are not usually recommended any more for baby cribs. I would say for a clubfoot baby it's an exception. I can't tell you how many times Josiah's boot has gotten stuck through the crib rails and it's tough getting it out. We used them for all 3 of my boys and they were fine. I wake up with him still 2-3 times a night so I do check on him often. Other mothers have done the pool noodle method, where you take a pool noodle and wrap it around each individual rail and fasten with zip ties. I have not done this, but I have seen pictures and it looks great. Josiah would probably eat the material (he chews on everything), so I have chosen not to do this.

As I mentioned above, the bnb stage is very tough in the beginning. Both Josiah and I did not have a goodnight sleep for about 2 weeks and we both shed a lot of tears. This list of things made life easier for us along the way and I hope they do so for you as well. If you have any further questions you may comment below or email me- writingmotherfashionista@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading!




5 comments

  1. Dominique, I am so grateful for the love and good intentions behind this post - I would have cherished a list like this when we were entering the boots and bar stage! We've had success with many of these and I've intended to do a similar post. We have a favorite pair of socks from Old Navy but they discontinued them (I bought up all the packages when I saw them in clearance) but they are very similar to the Circo pair you listed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Erin! I really did put a lot of love and thought into this post, which is why it took so long from the last essentials. I really want to make life easier for other parents and those Clubfoot cuties!!! Thanks for reading! xo

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