Clubfoot Clothing What To Purchase For Your Baby Born With Clubfoot

Receiving the news via ultrasound, or even more abruptly at birth, that your baby will have clubfoot can be a overwhelming. Thoughts of surgeries and multiple trips to the doctor start to stir in your brain. Overcome with worry and stress, the last thing on your mind is clothing for your new baby. Why would this be yet another thing to worry about?

The cure widely recognized and used is the Ponseti method, developed by Dr. Ignacio Ponseti to treat clubfoot in a non-invasive manner through a series of casts and bracing. For parents of children completing this cure program finding clothing items that fit on legs in casts or pajamas that work with a nighttime foot brace becomes a concern. Traditional "sleep 'n play" type pajamas with the cute "footies" are off limits with the orthotic device. Thankfully, through trial and error, the parents of clubfoot children have found what works and what does not.

So, what type of clothing really works for clubfoot kids in cure?

Casting Phase

Snap-up or zip-up sleep & plays with or without feet (the key is that you'll need to have the ability to switch a diaper in a timely fashion and effortlessly)
Loose-fitting pants or shorts
Dresses or skirts for ladies
Sleep gowns
Sleep sacks/Swaddlers
Legwarmers or tall socks (Casts are ugly, OK? And, many parents just cant handle the constant stares and questions at the grocery store about what injury their child received. These are a cute way to cover up the cast and in addition support with chaffing)

23/7 Brace Wear Phase

Snap-up or zip-up sleep & plays WITHOUT FEET in them (Sorry, the cute little footed sleepers are not compatible with brace put on. The shoe wont fit right over the footed part and even if it does, your childs foot will likely get too hot/sweaty and in addition they can create creases in the material, which actually hurts your child as it presses into their skin)
Snap-up crotch pants are nice to have, but not a must. They just make diaper changes plenty quicker, as you wont need to remove the bar. If you have the quick release bar (most do) its just as quick, but it sure is fun having a handle on your baby! =)
Dresses or skirts for ladies
Sleep gowns
Sleep sacks (swaddling may be very difficult at this stage, but it can be done)
Good socks.I mean REALLY good socks. Do NOT skimp on this!! Your child will be wearing shoes for 23 hours all day, every day for a few months. Unless you want to deal with blisters on top of an already uncomfortable baby, youll spend every cent you have on good socks! There are some tried & true brands and styles the clubfoot community has found, and you can find these here.

Nighttime Only or Naps & Nighttime Brace Wear Phase

Snap-up or zip-up sleepers WITHOUT FEET to put on when brace is to be warn.
Sleep gowns
Good socks Again, you want are shooting for comfort here to avoid blisters, but also they have to be thin and breathable.
Most normal pajamas The sleep & plays generally only go up to size 12 months, sometimes a bit bigger if youre lucky, but at this point, your child can put on any type of pajamas except these with feet in them. Youll just have to bear in mind what order to dress them in for bed =) e.g. change diaper, pants on, then brace.

You can find these items and other tips for clothing your baby through the cure process at the Clubfoot Closet.

Categories: healthy