Bathing Beauty

Pretty girl getting ready for her bath. 

Before having a baby with club foot, I never could have imagined all the things that parents of "normal" babies take for granted. One of those things is giving your baby a bath. When my first born (Rowen, now almost 3 years old) was fussy as a baby and all his needs were met, sometimes I'd give him a warm bath to help soothe him. The lavender scented baby wash and warm water had a calming effect that would usually settle him down. 

With Charlotte, it's not quite so easy. I can't just let her soak in the bath because her cast can't get wet. Fortunately, she's been a fairly content baby and I have only desired to be able to give her a soothing bath a couple of times. Still, she gets sweaty and spits up sometimes so occasional baths are necessary. I wanted to write this post to explain briefly how I go about bathing her and keeping her cast dry. 

My infant bath tub has a mesh hammock-like insert that's used for newborn babies. This little device has been a lifesaver when it comes to giving Charlotte a bath. I usually just fill a small bowl with warm water and sponge it over her body while she lays (fully supported) in the hammock. Her cast sometimes dangles over the side of the hammock and other times he holds it up. Either way, the water washes off of her and into the bottom of the tub, but her cast is elevated enough that it doesn't get wet. She actually loves bath time and it's a great way to help her relax before bed. And who doesn't love the smell of a clean baby?!

The hammock helps support her body while still keeping her cast away from the water. 

If you're the parent of a child with club foot and have other tips and tricks for making everyday tasks easier please comment below or email me at ydid4.7@gmail.com. Or if you have questions about certain tasks, ask away! Charlotte and I are still pretty new to this journey, but I'm happy to share the things I'm learning along the way. I hope this blog is helpful and informative to my readers.