Pavlik

*** This post will not interest my usual readers (ie my brother and six of my friends). However, since my daughter got her Pavlik harness, I've been searching the internet for information and I haven't come up with much. I hope this post will be found by another parent who is searching for information. It is an amalgam of google searches, information from my daughter's doctor and hints from a friend of a friend. ***

Sleep - not happening. I went from having a nine-week-old who sleep 8+ hours (a combination of luck and a strict sleep/nap routine) to having a 15-week-old who sleeps MAYBE 3 or 4 hours at a stretch. And to cap it off - I'm back at work (and caring for other people's children) so the lack of sleep is really hurting us. No solutions yet.

Skin - I think the best thing to do is put on a plain (no appliques) white onesie, then the harness and then a dress. We use onesies that are a little bigger than usual (I think 3-6 month) and they've been washed in Dreft (especially impt since the onesie is so tight against her fair skin all day). We use dresses in the 6 month size. Also when I take the harness off for the "one hour of freedom", I usually bath her and I always do a quick skin check. I look for areas of redness (future breakdown) around the neck, under the arms, on the back, hips and on the thighs. I also check her toes for good circulation and to make sure that they aren't squeezed into the the foot part (this was happening in the smaller Pavlik). If I see problems, I apply Aquaphor to the area and I try to eliminate future rubbing with Duoderm or stockingette. I have also heard of parents putting cornstarch in the booties to avoid the smell.

Cleaning - for a child who can't move, you would be surprised at how dirty and smelly the harness can get. Our daughter's August harness got particularly dirty because we were at the beach for almost two weeks (and I possibly spilled baby vitamin drops all over the back). For dirt, some parents recommend dyeing the harness so you can't see the stains. We didn't do this because I didn't really care about a little dirt. However, a spitty baby equals a stinky/smelly Pavlik. To get rid of the smell, I suggest scrubbing at the spots with a (CLEAN) hard toothbrush and some mild detergent (again, Dreft is probably a good idea). Then scrub again without the detergent (just water) or rinse with as little water as possible. If you need to dry the harness quickly, I suggest blasting it with a hairdryer. Otherwise, let it sit in the sun (this is a natural stain bleacher) for a few hours.

Also, I suggest taking off the booties when changing a dirty (DIRTY) diaper. I've changed a lot of diapers in the last twenty years and infants have an uncanny ability to get their feet smack in the middle of the diaper. Gross. Double gross when it involves your white cloth harness.

Ok, I'll write more in another post. Topics will include gear (slings, Bumbo, etc...), breastfeeding, snuggling, swaddling and the emotional aspect of your child being in a harness.