Wednesday, April 16, 2008

I Got Your Back...



...'Cause that's how I roll.

So, in a nutshell (a nutshell about as big as your frackin' head, mind you) here's the deal with Zee Baby. And why I'm a little worried. Or maybe I'm just worried that I should be worried. I'm not exactly sure about anything but that there is worry involved. Somehow.

You may remember that Zee Baby was born by c-section because she was breech. And had been breech for a REALLY long time. I remember the doctors telling me from 26 weeks on, "Oh, the baby has plenty of time to turn," each time I had an ultrasound and she had her hiney aimed down the chute. They were singing a different song by 36 weeks and at 37 weeks we scheduled a c-section for 39 weeks, only she decided all on her own to be borned at 38 weeks. (For some reason I just started singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall in my head...)

She was kind of weirdly jacked up in there. Her left leg sort of scrunched up under and behind her tush and her right leg straight up in front of her face. I've drawn a picture of her in utero...



...which will probably leave you even more confused than my description alone did. So to give you, perhaps, a better idea, this is what she looked like just moments after emerging all Alien-Style from mah belly...



...Okay, first, AWWWWWW! Ahem. Now that that's out of the way.

In the nursery the nurses called her The Ballerina because whenever she was released from the vice-like grip of The Hospital Blanket Burrito Wrap, her little legs defaulted to that position. And, while changing her diaper, they'd opine about how she looked as though she were mid-leap in a performace, lacking only the ballet slippers.

Anywho, I wouldn't be so concerned about Zee's love for sitting and loathe for crawling but for that whole breech thing. And for the fact that she was in the same position for almost three months. And we've also noticed recently that...






She STILL seems to default to that position. And having noticed that while looking through pictures, I guess I'm just a little concerned that maybe, just maybe, being in that position for so long, in addition to looking REALLY fucking uncomfortable, might have actually messed with her little baby muscles some. You know? And maybe it's something we shouldn't ignore or brush off as 'in her own time' and all that.

Or maybe, just maybe, she's just happy to sit and throw her board books around already and she'll crawl when she damn well pleases! I mean, really, what's the damn use in crawling anyway? Who crawls? I know I haven't. Not since college anyway. And I'm sure even if she NEVER gets this crawling thing down, she'll get herself home from the bars somehow. Us Zube girls are efficient as hell like that.

In the end, I guess it's something I'd like to look into because I'd prefer to find out early that all's good and I'm worrying over nothing than to wish a few months or a year down the road that I'd looked into sooner.

So there's that...

(78 bottles of beer on the wall...)

9 Leg Humps:

karen said...

If you have a funny pang in your stomach about it, get an appointment with a pediatric orthopedist. A checkup can't hurt and you'll be able to eat nachos again without fear of seeing them twice. If someone else is worried for my kid, I usually ignore it. If I'm worried about my kid, I usually check it out. You may be a new-ish mom but motherly instinct has been around for thousands of years - don't think you don't have it!

Crazy Lady said...

I agree. If you are worried - get it checked out. I am a big fan of going with your gut when it comes to kids. I knew something was wrong with my 1st, and had 2 differnt doctors tell me he just had a fatty deposit. I continued on, and the 3rd finally diagnosed him with Neurfibromatosis, which causes TUMORS. Fatty deposits, ma ass!

Anyway! If you are worried about, get it checked out. At the risk if sounding like my grandmother. Better safe than sorry!

Ginamonster said...

At the very least, it may be a matter of some stretches which the orthopedic will teach you to help teach her legs to be like yours. We had to do stretches on my sister every time her diaper was changed because her legs were turned funny.

Some kids just don't crawl.

Anonymous said...

Oh my god! My kid was stuck breech EXACTLY like that for about that long. I have a fibroid and I think she couldn't turn around because of it. When she was born her poor little leg was stuck by her ear for DAYS. She's 2 1/2 now and walks just fine (even though she does have some weird looking toes). Maybe Zee is just comfy like that. Talk to the doctor, just so you'll feel better.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so Mike and I both read this and looked and I thought my husband came up with a brilliant idea - how about a baby massage by an actual masseuse? For that little leg, you know. Sort of massage/physical therapy (that sounds way worse than what it is).

I am by no means saying don't get it checked with your pediatrician, but, at the same time - what if she just has some tight muscles (3 months of THAT, I'd have tight muscles.)

And, Maggie NEVER went into the fetal position. Seriously. They joked about her "taking up every inch of space in there" I can tell you that neither the top nor bottom end of my uterus appreciated it.

She came out and not once did the kid curl her knees up like normal babies. She slept (and still does) straight as a board - toes pointed most of the time.

Those fetal people! I just don't get them!

Chickie said...

Go with your gut.

I love her little pink shoes in that last shot, btw!

justdawn said...

When in doubt, get it checked out;)

Truly, though...babies are pretty bendy. She was probably not uncomfy in that position even though I am pretty sure that if I even spent 3 minutes like that, I would never walk right again! heh

It could just be irony that she sits like that, now...or maybe it has something to do with muscle memory. Mention it to her ped...and relax;) She might never crawl, but she is pulling herself up to a standing position like a champ. I would not worry:)

annie said...

Did you say she doesn't crawl either? Did she sit up at the expected age? and was she really strong (just before the sitting up age) like when you pull her up to a sitting position by her arms?
Our baby had hypotonia (low muscle tone), not a big deal or anything, but his head always tilted to one side and he never crawled, he rolled (so cute!) and he didn't walk till 17 months, but now he's pretty much normal.
He just had to go to some exercise therapy, but most kids outgrow it anyway.

Anonymous said...

Get it checked out! I was born "frank" breech in 1964 and now I am having severe hip problems due to it. I will most likely need hip replacment.

 

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