How to *safely* pad/protect a surgical incision in a carseat ?

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #1

My little guy is likely looking at having surgery in the new year (consult is mid-January - I'll know more after that). The surgical incisions will be in the groin, and I imagine his little boy bits will be quite tender for a while after.

I'm really only concerned with 1 trip - the ride home. If he does need the surgery, the hospital where it will be performed is over an hour away from our home.

How can I pad / protect his incision sites, keep him from too much discomfort, and still keep him safe ?

The surgery - if done - will likely be done before he is 6 months old as best I can tell now.

 

Splash

New member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #2

Oh no! What kind of surgery does he need! What's wrong? I haven't seen anything mentioned!

Since he is rear facing, I wouldn't worry about it too much. The diaper will probably pad it enough. I'd leave his harness just a smidge loose around the crotch/thighs so it's not pressing directly onto it.

Poor Wyatt!

 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #3

Splash said:

Oh no! What kind of surgery does he need! What's wrong? I haven't seen anything mentioned!

Since he is rear facing, I wouldn't worry about it too much. The diaper will probably pad it enough. I'd leave his harness just a smidge loose around the crotch/thighs so it's not pressing directly onto it.

Poor Bear!

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Just some minor redirection. And thankfully he's young enough now to not know/care that his mama is talking about his boy bits to anyone at all !

He's got what is termed an "ectopic testes" - darn thing took the wrong road on the way down (see - it really *IS* a male thing to not stop for directions ) and ended up beside the scrotum instead of inside it.

Because of the fact that the testicle is descended, and likely will not re-ascend and re-descend on it's own into the right location, we've been referred to a specialist who will determine if/when surgery is needed to put the testicle into the proper spot.

 

Last edited: Jan 9, 2008

Dillipop

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #4

I would just put on your cushiest, thickest, plushest cloth diaper and use as usual. The more padding between insision and seat, the better, kwim. Also, tighten the harness to acceptable levels, but not more. I always put my kids in so they can NOT move a muscle. Dh leaves it a "little" looser, but still can't pinch any slack. If you can fit your marathon in the car, it might give a little more crotch room? I know mine is further from the baby in the tummy area than in the shoulders. Or can you use Heather's intera to bring him home? Doesn't that have the adjustable crotch strap so it could be further from baby and you could place a rolled up receiving blanket between the buckle and baby, just like you can do with a newborn? Just some thoughts...

 

R

RubysGirl

New member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #5

Do you know anybody with a 3pt infantseat? They usually put the buckles way up front, so nothing would come in contact with his groin, I would think atleast.

 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #6

Dillipop said:

I would just put on your cushiest, thickest, plushest cloth diaper and use as usual.

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This is likely what we'll end up doing.

The more padding between insision and seat, the better, kwim. Also, tighten the harness to acceptable levels, but not more. I always put my kids in so they can NOT move a muscle. Dh leaves it a "little" looser, but still can't pinch any slack. If you can fit your marathon in the car, it might give a little more crotch room? I know mine is further from the baby in the tummy area than in the shoulders. Or can you use Bug's intera to bring him home? Doesn't that have the adjustable crotch strap so it could be further from baby and you could place a rolled up receiving blanket between the buckle and baby, just like you can do with a newborn? Just some thoughts...

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I'm not sure, but it's likely that we'll have all the kids with us - we have no family locally, and nobody is comfortable caring for my son (life-threatening allergies).

 

Last edited: Jan 9, 2008

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #7

RubysGirl said:

Do you know anybody with a 3pt infantseat? They usually put the buckles way up front, so nothing would come in contact with his groin, I would think atleast.

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I don't know.

Heck - if the surgery isn't before he's 4 months old or so, he won't be fitting into an infant seat most likely anyhow.

 

skipspin

New member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #8

I wouldn't sorry about a little extra room in that area of the seat, especailly RFing.

I'm pretty sure that my friend's son has a similar surgery, only he was older. He was on pain meds for a few days, but other than that had no problems. I think he had more problems with the red dye in the codine tylenol they gave him than the surgery!

 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

• Dec 21, 2006

• #9

Oh, poor little Wyatt!!!

I second the thought that a little extra "room" in the seat, since he is RF, probably won't hurt him. SInce you use cloth diapers, you will probably have enough padding there to keep his little groin fairly comfortable (well, as comfortable as possible! ).

I'll keep little Wyatt in my thoughts. Let us know when the surgery is. I will pray extra hard for him that day!

 

TXDani

Senior Community Member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #10

Aww poor little boy! I wouldn't worry too much about padding the incision. Griffin had surgery a few weeks ago when he was 6 weeks old on his abdomen. He had 3 incisions and they all happen to be in the area where his harness goes. One in the bellybutton, and one on each side of his tummy. His carseat harness never bothered him and I think the gauze/dressings they put over incisions will pad it enough to not bother him. Good luck and keep us updated on that cute little guy!

 

T

tchrgrrl

New member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #11

Oh his poor little boy parts! I hope that a good CD will do the trick!

 

smurf

New member

• Dec 21, 2006

• #12

I think that it'll end up being a fairly small incision (given the overall size of his manly parts) and I agree with the cushy diaper suggestion.

I guess you don't know which seat he'll be in by then... probably not the Snugride, seeing as he's a pretty solid little guy. Given the RF position, it's unlikely he'll be squished down there...

But still, he's so little to have surgery! Good luck! I know this isn't much confort but these operations are fairly routine, eg, not at all ususual.

 

D

debsten

New member

• Dec 22, 2006

• #13

Hi,

My son had exactly the same surgery done when he was 4 months old, same thing it took the wrong road down and after consulting with a specialist he said it was 99% that it wouldn't correct itself. Our specialist was wonderful (we were in south NJ let me know if you happen to be there and I will give you the name of the DR) and recommended having it done sooner as the recovery is much easier when they aren't moving around so much. Did not seem to bother him one bit, only thing he was concerned about was getting something to eat after as he had had to fast before hand.

I think it looked far worse than it actually was and I cringed everytime I had to change him, but he was not bothered one bit at all and apart from keeping it clean and from memory he couldn't have a bath for a few days you would never had known he had had anything done. they also found a Hernia which they repaired also which is apparently very common, the incision in his abdomen didn't bother him either.

He was in a Britax Companion at the time and even if I hadn't of had the belly pad I think like PP's have said the diaper is plenty of padding.

Good luck, it is a routine surgery but it broke my heart sending him off and was the longest 2 hours of my life (he was a chubby baby and they said it can take a while to find a vein which can lengthen the time you are waiting).

If you have any questions let me know and I will try to help.

Debbie

 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Dec 22, 2006

• #14

debsten said:

(we were in south NJ let me know if you happen to be there and I will give you the name of the DR)

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I appreciate it - but NJ is a long way away - we're not far outside of Toronto, ON !

 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

• Dec 22, 2006

• #15

LOL!

That would be quite a hike!

 

D

debsten

New member

• Dec 22, 2006

• #16

Definately a little too far thought I would put it in just in case, seems it is such a small world so you never know

Again good luck.

 

G

gwenvet

New member

• Dec 22, 2006

• #17

Both of my sons had to have corrective surgery in the same area for different, but minor, problems, one with two incisions the other with three. You definitely want a PEDIATRIC urologist doing the job and prefferably at a childrens hospital! Both were comfortable on the way home, but they both had caudal blocks (like a spinal), so they were still numb from the waist down. That and the pain meds that they got in recovery really seemed to help get them home. I would actually minimize the thickness of any diaper to decrease the pressure on his parts. For both of mine the urologist said that they could do the surgeries when they were 3 months old, but I preferred to postpone any anesthesia until they were over a year old. Heavier patients and more mature kidneys and liver always help with anesthesia. I don't know if that's an option for you, but would think that it might be. Good luck and let us know how he does!

 

Tara

New member

• Dec 23, 2006

• #18

Well, it seems others have offered some good tips, I have nothing to add to that. Just offering snuggles and thoughts for baby Wyatt, poor lil fella, having to endure such a thing.