~*Taryn's First Year of Life!*~

Taryn was born on April 16, 1999, by scheduled c-section
because she was breech and the doctor didn't want to try and 
turn her because I was borderline toxemic.  Surgery was scheduled 
for 11:00am, everything went smoothly, and she was born at 
12:53pm. During her first examination by the hospital's on call
pediatrician, it was discovered that something was wrong with
her left hip. He suggested we see her pediatrician as soon as possible.
So we saw him the following Friday and he referred us to a pediatric
orthopaedic surgeon. We saw him the following Wednesday and he 
did an ultrasound and discovered that both hips were out of socket, 
what is called Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip. We were told she 
would have to wear a Pavlik harness to correct the problem and if 
that didn't work she would have to be put to sleep to physically put 
them in place and wear a cast. Needless to say, we were hoping that 
the harness worked.  She wore the harness for 6 weeks. It only 
corrected one side, the right side was still out. So surgery was 
scheduled for around her 4 month birthday. She was put to sleep and 
the doctor put her hip in place and put a Hip Spica Cast on. (He also 
had to cut a muscle in her inner thigh because it was restricting her 
leg from opening fully) She had her cast changed once,(going under 
again) and it was removed 2 1\2 months later.

Both hips are in place now and looking good. At her last checkup, on
April 18, 2000, the right side is still a little under developed but
is growing, and if it isn't much better by age 3 she will have to have
another surgery (cut her open) and put the hip in with pins, and wear
the cast again. She goes back for another check up at age 2. 
She was also born with 'severe acid reflux' and took medication for
it until she was 6 months old. She started crawling at 8 1\2 months
(delayed due to the cast) and walking at 11 months. She had a little
trouble getting adjusted to a sleep schedule until I found a book when
she was 4 months old called, 'Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child,' 
by Marc Weissbluth, and she has been sleeping great since. She sleeps
about 11-12 hours a night and takes 2- one hour naps a day, if I'm
lucky! Since sleep training, she always wakes up with a smile! She is a 
very good and happy baby. She has had trouble with her ears. She has 
had 4 ear infections in her first year. 
She had a wonderful 1st birthday. She loved opening all the presents
and eating the cake. I couldn't ask for a more perfect child!!