I have to work hard to calculate what day it is according to the calendar; all I know is that the divine Miss M is five days old. She is really sweet. Bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked. C is totally smitten with her. Nurses like a champ. She actually slept six hours last night and the night before, which means we make up for it during the day with frequent snacking, which is tiring for me. As her only food source I do wish that the Intelligent Designer had built some redundancy into the system, but hey! six hours at night! I’ll take it for however long she’s willing to give it.
When she was about an hour old, the midwife suggested that if I felt up to it and all was well with the babe, we could come home a day early. How did she know that I would like nothing better? It is a testament to how much less traumatic this birth was than the last one that I was ready and excited to leave early. I looked at my watch as we got into the car; we had been in the hospital for exactly 36 hours.
I think this must make me some kind of weirdo. When we were at the pediatrician’s office on Friday (more on that below), I was chatting with a woman waiting with her two boys; somehow it came up that we had left the hospital a day early. “Why?!?!?” she asked with a look of horror. Even Mamala asked if I was sure—wouldn’t I rather stay in the hospital and get some rest? I asked whether she was planning to empty out my garbage can at 11:00 p.m., check my blood pressure and temperature at midnight, make me sleep on a plastic mattress and R on a narrow chair-bed, or walk into my room unannounced, clutching birth-certificate paperwork. Since she was not, I assured her that I would get much more rest at home. And indeed I have.
About the pediatrician: three-day newborn visits are not typical. We were urged to make an appointment by the neonatologist in the hospital, who detected a “click” in her left hip. This could be due to relaxed joints from the birth process, or it could be a sign of hip dysplasia (sometimes called dislocatable hip), a completely correctable condition when caught this early. In fact, I had it myself, and it is somewhat hereditary, although I was a breech baby, which makes it more common.
Now, the bad news, which really isn’t that bad: Hip dysplasia is treated with a brace that holds the legs in the correct position for the hip to form properly, usually for 3 months or so. You’re welcome to google a picture of the brace, but I’ll not post a link here until she is officially diagnosed. It definitely qualifies as a contraption, and was enough to make this post-partum mommy cry at the thought of her little angel having to wear it.
The good news: When we visited her pediatrician she really had to grind away at manipulating the hip to get it to click (which made M furious and resulted in more post-partum mommy tears). R had watched them do it in the hospital and said it was much easier to elicit the click right after she was born. This may suggest that it’s already starting to resolve itself, indicating that it might be related to the birth rather than a permanent condition. In fact, our ped is betting that it’s NOT dysplasia (although we are having an ultrasound on Tuesday to be sure). She said normally the hip makes a definite CLUNK, and hers is more of a small click. (Don’t you love the technical terms?)
I will, of course, let you know what happens.
I opened my jewelry box this morning to put some things away and it felt very chaotic and silly in there, like what is all this stupid stuff?. My weird mind went right to that scene from Thelma and Louise where they’re deep into the desert and Louise (Susan Sarandon) slowly takes off her rings and bracelets and earrings and gives them all to that old guy at the gas station. And even without all those things, I think for the whole rest of the movie she looks absolutely gorgeous.
So, yeah. I haven’t put my contacts in, I am wearing my purple fleece robe and slippers and keeping things simple, because this isn’t the time for anything superfluous. I like it for that reason.
25 Responses to “dislocations”
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Asides
» A note to readers who are looking at the new blog: you’ll notice some “greatest hits” from reverendmother there, especially as I ramp up my writing in that space. Sorry for the déjà vu!
» There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places. -Wendell Berry
» “The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope.” -Barbara Kingsolver
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Well, you look just beautiful to me. Love the bathrobe!
Have you thought about taking her to a chiropractor to just get adjusted? That could make a world of difference.
I do wish that the Intelligent Designer had built some redundancy into the system
He did.
Unfortunately, you’re also in charge of the backup.
Aw Keith, don’t be such a boob.
*If* she ends up needing the brace, it’ll be harder on the mother than the child.
(Saw it myself back in 1972 - was harder on the uncle than the child, too, now that I remember)
Been thinking about you and M. and so glad she’s here and — really — all is well. Enjoy the purple fleece robe time.
Prayers and good thoughts for ped visits, purple fleece robes and continued long period of sleep.
Litigator wore foot braces for a few months. Much harder on mom than on baby. He was very adept at wiggling out of the foot braces before the middle of the night feeding. Putting them back on at 2 in the morning is not a pleasant memory. He survived it all with only minor negative feelings towards his mother.
Hoping the Divine Miss M just has click-y hips, not clunky ones (speaking as a 50-plus crone with clunky hips, they’re aggravating).
Enjoy wearing the robe, see the world through rose-colored glasses, and do what feels right for yourself, R, C, and M.
Love and happy new year!
Sounds like life is wonderful at Reverend Mother’s house. You have been in my thoughts all week. Hope all goes well Tuesday and that no intervention will be needed. And bless that Baby M - six hours at a stretch and less than a week old! She’s a wonder child!
Budding Psychologist Niece wore them. It was hell on SIL, but neice didn’t seem to mind.
So good to hear from you. Enjoy this hazy time! I was just talking about Mary this morning, appearing at the temple 40 days post-partum, and I was thinking of you and the Divine Miss M!
Heaps of blessings to you Miss M. Wonderful news about C - this is a time of blessings and yeah bath robes and simplicity
good to hear feom you
I’m so happy to hear there has been sleeping and loving. St. Casserole and I were just looking at the Birth Day pics and gasping with delight at the beauty of your family. Hugs, hugs, hugs.
Hurrah for babies that eat and sleep! It’s their only job, but so often it seems to take lots of negotiation to get one or both thing going. Enjoy these restful, hazy days.
Lovely to hear from you, specially in purple bathrobe and slippers…I have to say,it was infant no2 that put paid to contacts for me for a long long while…just too complicated when things need to be beautifully simple.
Just sit and feed M, and read stories to C and be pampered and loved by everyone…The hip thing will be OK…if she does have to have the splint, it’s manageable truly (I babyminded a friend of DD’s who had the same problem, and was incredibly nervous at first but wee Fiona coped like a trooper)but we’ll pray that it’s purely a minor click and no clunk at all.
Hugs xx
Reading your entry is such a nice way to start a Monday morning back in the office after a week of vacation… 7 uninterrupted days at home… you ease the pain… thank you for sharing your joy!
Peace,
apstraight
I had the hip dysplasia thing too.
Sounds like you’ve slipped into a good place with the new kid! Wonderful!
Oh, I can’t take it anymore. I’d love entrance to the photo page, to see this sweet newborn baby of yours.
So very glad that you’re resting and enjoying the first days of your girl’s life. And hoping that the hip issue isn’t too serious.
Oh congratulations on Miss M and on resting and sleeping and feeding. How lovely. There are pictures?
Happy birthday + 1 day Reverend Mother! Are you 27 yet?
Hey, I heard a rumor that you’ve had a birthday.
Hope it was a happy one!
Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, RM!!
Hapy belated birthday! What a wonderful early birthday present you got. How are you, and how is Miss M, and how are C & R?
Hipy Papy Bthuthdy!
Birthday?
Did I miss the party???