the daoust tribe

there is no doubt that joseph hasn't been through a great deal. from serial casting to being in boots and bar 23 hours a day, he's had to endure more than most babies in the first several months of his life. and though he hasn't shown much distress or comfort, it hasn't been the easiest ride. i am, however, really thankful at how much of a dream joseph has been in this journey. i read a lot of posts in the clubfoot community and clubfoot mama's groups on facebook where mama's are crying out for help because their baby can't find comfort or their baby has pressure sores or baby's foot wasn't fully corrected and on and on... thinking back, i rarely posted about an issue and though i am not trying to gloat, i am so thankful that it was a rarity for me. especially with what i am already going through.

i think there is always this constant level of worry with clubfoot parents. will my baby's foot be corrected? how will he adjust to serial casting? how will he take the tenotomy? they have to cut my baby's tendon?? will he do okay in the boots and bar, or will he scream bloody murder for the next three months? which bar will we get? is it the best kind? which shoes work best? should we have gotten adm's? how will he tolerate being in boots and bar for the first several years? will he relapse as an adult? did we choose the right doctor? why isn't he following the ponseti method?

the list goes on.

i have worried about almost all of these things and will continue to worry about them forever. i also wonder if our next baby will have clubfoot and feel slightly worried about that, too. though clubfoot can be fully corrected and treated perfectly, you really just never know. and you have to sit and wonder if you did everything you could to make sure they got the best treatment possible. that's why i feel so privileged to be a part of some clubfoot groups on facebook; i wouldn't survive without the outpouring love and support! of course, our family is very supportive, but to have people assure you and offer advice when they've been through it is always helpful. you always strive to do right by your children and having a support network can give you that added assurance whenever you need it.

besides the amazing support network that i have, there are a couple small things that help me get through the day, and that's showcasing my pride as a clubfoot mama with a couple staple jewelry pieces. i received them from the clubfoot store and have worn them practically every day since.

several months ago i decided i was taking my body back and switching to menstrual cups and reusable mama cloth. i've been on this journey for five cycles now and i have to say that it has been a breeze and not as terrifying as i had anticipated when i started. i've had zero leaks, haven't dropped my cup in the toilet, and i haven't been in a position where i didn't have something with me when i started my period.

before my journey began, it was suggested that i get the size 2 (or size b) cup, as i am over thirty and have had children. so when i ordered my cups (mooncup, blossom, and a diva), i ordered that size. the cups have felt comfortable enough, but i do feel like they might be just a tad too long for me, so i decided to invest in a smaller cup size to try out. in my search, i discovered v-cups.

v-cups offers both of their sizes in one package, which is nice because you're not paying a whole lot more for the extra cup. their combo package includes two cups; size small-medium and medium-large; or size a and b. you also get an instructional insert and a breathable bag to store your cup in between use.

when we first began this clubfoot journey we were overwhelmed and in the dark. it was really a day by day journey until we began treatment for joseph's right clubfoot. the day he had his evaluation-and ended up getting his first of five casts-i posted an image on instagram that got me connected with a great community of clubfoot parents and an array of resources and products. from bar covers to sleep sacks to apparel, there was plenty for us to choose from to represent our little clubfoot cutie.

one of those resources is the clubfoot store. there you will find just about anything you need to make dressing your cutie easier in bnb, information and helpful tips for bathing during casting, and even some fun stuff for mom's and dad's. recently we were selected to be brand reps for them and have since been able to try out some of their product.

there is no denying that your child is a superhero, whether or not they have a medical condition. so it was easy for me to choose what he would represent first: a superhero onesie.

 this adorable onesie has batman, spider-man, iron man and a cute pair of boots and bar, representing my clubfoot superhero. we're kind of nerds/geeks over here, so this onesie has become a staple in joseph's wardrobe. my husband kind of wishes he had one, too, it's that cool.

if you read my last post on joseph's clubfoot journey, you'd know that we were planning to see a new doctor for a second opinion on his treatment. a few weeks ago, we made the trip to l.a. to see dr. zionts to get that second opinion and left with a weight off of our shoulders and relief. our concerns on what his (at the time) current doctor suggested for treatment (graduate him to night time wear only, after five weeks of bnb and to discontinue use at one year) were validated and a new game plan was set in place. we were to continue in 23 hour wear until the three month mark, then graduate down to 16 hour wear and check back in three months. needless to say, we switched doctors.

and with that, today is the day joseph gets to graduate to 16 hour wear! we are so relieved. luckily, joseph has been so resilient with every step and we are very lucky parents to have such a go-with-the-flow baby. i couldn't imagine making it this far with screaming and crying happening every day and night, and for that i am so thankful.

what i am most looking forward to with less time in the bnb are snuggles that involve free feet that can wrap around me. i'm also looking forward to the conveniences that come without bnb wear like any kind of clothes i want to put him in, any baby carrier i want to wear him in, not hearing the bar slam against the wood floors most of the day, and being able to kiss his feet way more often than i get to now. i am also looking forward to continuing with treatment that sits right with us and feels right.

16 hour wear, here we come! to follow along on our journey, you can find my first post here. And if you want to see the cutest little doll made by a very sweet volunteer through feel better friends, you can find that here.




 photo credit: fusillo foto

a few (okay, several) quick tips:

• when you first get your cup, follow the manufacturers recommendation on how to sanitize. all three of my cups said to boil in water - making sure to not touch the sides and bottom of pan - for 5-10 minutes. i used a mesh strainer and put mine in that, then submerged it in the water.
• after you sanitize, scrub clean with toothbrush and a fragrance/dye free soap. you can purchase some of the washes that cup manufacturers make, but i just use Dr. Bronner's pure-castille soap. inexpensive and works great.
• wash your hands! before, during, and after. 
• this could just be me, because i only wear thongs and never really used pads, but... be mindful of which style underwear you use and purchase reusable pads that fit well with your unders. i purchased regular reusable pads when i should have purchased reusable pads for a thong. ugh, totally was not thinking. 
• you'll need to have at least three small reusable wet bags. one for your clean reusable pads, one for your soiled ones, and one to take on the go with you to store either your cup, pads, or both. i suggest three even if you don't use the pads. 
• you don't have to sanitize after each use, and can just wash the cup(s), but once your cup gets a little discolored and maybe smells a little funky, sanitize it. a quick boil for five minutes should do it. there is a deep clean solution you can find here.
• make sure you store your cup in the breathable bag it came with in between uses. if your cup did not come with one, you can easily make one, or purchase a small muslin drawstring bag. it is important to keep your cup stored properly to ensure the longevity of the cup, as well as keeping it clean in between uses. as always, give it a quick wash before use to be safe. 
• be patient and relax. i know it looks intimidating because of it's size, but with these folds, you will be able to get your cup in there no problem. squatting or sitting on the toilet are ideal positions. i like to change mine out in the shower in the morning and at night. i feel the cleanest in there and am able to wash my cup at the same time. i can get a good squat, too, without one of my children barging into the bathroom wondering what in the world i am doing. otherwise, the toilet will do.
• after you insert, rub your finger around the rim of the cup to ensure the cup has popped out of its fold. if need be, give it a little push up, then a little tug and it should pop out just fine. making sure that it's popped out will prevent leaks.
• speaking of leaks, do not go more than 12 hours wearing it or it will overflow. when you're first trying it out, check it every 3-4 hours. these cups hold menses differently than pads and tampons, so depending on your flow, you may need to dump it more or less often. give yourself three cycles to get it comfy and right. 
• if it's not comfy, it may be too high or too low. you also should push the cup straight back toward your bum and not upward. do not let it rest directly on your cervix. 
• there is a little stem on the cup that you may need to trim. my cervix sits low, so i had to trim mine all the way down, but if you have a high cervix, you may only need to trim a little or none at all. 
• you might need to purchase a few different cups to see which would fit you best. most cups come in two sizes: size 1 for under 30 years of age with never giving birth and size 2 for over 30 years of age and having had babies. however; your canal is different than everyone else and you might not fit one or the other. my divacup, though comfortable and a good fit, could have been a size 1 instead of size 2. 

earlier i shared the beginning of joseph's clubfoot journey. it was a post of hope and progress. now i feel like we are taking one step back.

if you read the post, you'd know that we didn't get to find out in utero if he was clubfoot or not-we found out after he was born. but not right when he was born... it was actually twelve weeks later-after fighting for referrals and second guessing every suggestion thrown our way-and even then we weren't sure what to do with this diagnosis joseph was given. but treatment was to be followed with the ponseti method of 5-6 casts, a tenotomy, then bnb (boots and bar) 23/7 for three months, then gradually going down in hours until graduating to nighttime and nap wear up to five years. which is the treatment we thought we were going to follow, but are now being advised differently.

when he was born, everyone said his foot was like that because he was smooshed inside me (i felt his right foot all up in my rib the last three or so months of my pregnancy) and to wait it out, and if it didn't correct itself by the time he was one, to then get it checked out. we felt like that wasn't good enough, wasn't right, so we fought for referrals before seeing dr. maguire. not knowing what to expect at the first visit, we show up, he says 'oh, it's clubfoot', casts our baby, tosses a piece of paper at us with the ponseti method website and says to look that up and sent us on our way (not dramatizing here). he ended up having five casts and was told no tenotomy because his foot had full flex. joseph was then placed in bnb and we were told to have them on 20/7, even though ponseti is 23/7, for 2-3 months and come back in five weeks for a checkup.

at the five week checkup, however, joseph was graduated to nighttime wear only. this was very frustrating for us because we don't know whether or not the diagnosis is even correct, since so many people have mentioned that it was most likely positional clubfoot, not true clubfoot, and phsyical therapy is how it should be treated after casts, not bnb. it's also very frustrating that a doctor would recommend the ponseti method and then not even follow it.


we're questioning this recommendation and his entire diagnosis now and wondering... is this recommendation being made because it's positional clubfoot and he didn't actually relay that to us? it is because joseph's foot wasn't as severe so he's adjusting the treatment? do we not actually understand or remember the initial diagnosis and just assumed it was 'true' clubfoot all along?

we have so many questions that need to be answered and we are hoping we can find them when we seek a second opinion. a lot of what has been written here was posted in the clubfoot community of california and clubfoot momma's groups on facebook and we received some good advice: stick with our gut and keep him in 23/7 wear until we get a second-or third-opinion and go from there. we have made contact with another doctor here in california and are hoping to get in with them soon. if we still feel the need to seek other advice, we plan to take a trip to st. louis to see the dr. dobbs himself.

our main goal here is to have a happy and healthy baby with a foot that has been treated, and corrected, properly. we really want the best for joseph and it's so hard to feel at ease when so many different things are being said to do that totally goes against what was expected in the first place. and even then we're not sure if that's exactly what joseph needs. but, with that said, we are so grateful for all the parents that have lifted us up during this time with words of encouragement, as well as sharing stories of similar situations of their own. the end result in most cases have been fully corrected feet, so it gives us hope that there is a light at the end of this long tunnel and we can keep moving forward.

before i went on this diet, sweets were my fave to have after the kids went to bed, but since i've been advised to not have corn, soy, gluten, refined sugars, coffee and dairy, finding something to curb my sweet tooth is quite difficult. so i decided to do some digging and found some recipes that (mostly) follow my diet, but still taste delicious. i tweaked them a bit to cut out some things i can't have, or things that didn't appeal to me, and now have a whole dessert section of my recipe box dedicated to yummy sweets that make me happy.

banana nut bread has always been one of my favorite comfort desserts, so when we were having dinner at my in-laws, i wanted to make some. but every recipe i knew of called for gluten, sugar and dairy. i made a trip to trader joe's to grab a couple substitutes that i hadn't filled my pantry with yet and went home to start baking.


this recipe is gluten-free and sugar free and if you're able to have eggs in a dairy free diet, then this recipe is for you!

gluten-free banana nut muffins
twelve servings
for printable recipe, click here

• 5 ripe bananas; mashed
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp coconut oil; melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• pecan halves for topping; chopped

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray muffin tin with coconut oil generously. in large bowl, combine bananas, eggs, almond butter, coconut oil and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth.
2. add in dry ingredients and blend together until mixed. spoon into muffin tin evenly about ⅔ full. top with pecans
3. bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
4. cool for 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and place on rack to cool completely, or enjoy warm. store in an airtight container or bag.