Written by Jen, PavlikParent founder
When Molly was diagnosed with DDH at 6 weeks, I was naturally upset. You’re in the thick of the newborn phase, functioning on very little sleep and just trying to keep them fed and happy. But you’re also in a newborn bubble — soaking up the cuddles and the contact naps and all the amazing things that come with those first few weeks.
Like many other parents whose kids have been diagnosed with DDH, I was a bit startled. I found it hard to find non-clinical information and quickly went down the what-if rabbit hole. What did help me was being connected to other parents who had faced the same challenges with their own children. Thankfully I was put in touch with two moms who helped answer some of the more nuanced questions I had, and I figured it could be helpful to lay those out here.
I still remember those phone calls — I was sitting on the floor next to my daughter’s crib, very unsure how to navigate it all. We have an older daughter, Charlie, so while I was overwhelmed by the diagnosis, I wasn’t navigating motherhood for the first time. I can imagine that “figuring it out” could feel more weighted for first-time parents.
The What-Ifs About a Pavlik Harness
What about the car seat? Can I use my infant car seat normally?
This depends on when your child was diagnosed. They may feel pretty squeezed into your infant car seat if they’re diagnosed on the later end of the 0–4 month scale. If they’re 0–8 weeks, you’ll probably be fine. If not, you may want to size up to a roomier car seat. We had the Nuna Pipa, and Molly was fine in it. The Graco Extend2Fit offers a little more space. We kept the rides short — if we were going on a long haul journey, I would stop every hour or so and do some stretches.
Can I take a Pavlik Harness off for baths?
Molly was in her harness 24/7 — we were very diligent about that. We decided to do baths every 2 or 3 days depending on our activity level; since we had an older daughter, when we were out and about we did them more frequently. We’d take the harness off before the bath and use that opportunity to spot clean it if we needed to. We used the infant bath and let her splash around for a few minutes. Once out, we’d let her stretch on the floor for a bit (but no longer than 10–15 minutes), then put the harness back on and finish the nighttime routine.
Do clothes go under or on top of the Pavlik Harness?
The answer here is technically both. We were told no clothing underneath the harness itself, on the legs especially. Our approach was to put her in a clean onesie every morning:
Wake up: Remove from crib and feed morning bottle.
Getting dressed: Remove sleepwear, remove harness, remove onesie. Put on a new onesie. Put the harness back on. Add an outer layer. Then she was dressed for the day.
I can’t stress enough how important the onesie was. It helped keep the shoulder straps from chafing her arms, neck, and everywhere else, and it helped keep her clean — in the event of a diaper situation, we were usually able to tackle it before it made it to the harness because there was another layer in between. It’s not a foolproof method, but it saved us a few times.
How do I change a diaper with the Pavlik Harness?
The best way to do this is with two people, which I know is a privilege — but if you have another person there to help, certainly use them. You cannot lift your baby up by their feet, so it can be a bit challenging. We never removed the harness to change a diaper (only in the event of a true spill-out). I’d place the new diaper underneath the old one so it was ready, and just move as fast as I could. Again, this is where the onesie is helpful!
Does the baby wear socks over the harness?
No. We tried that — I even ordered bigger socks for her to try, but unfortunately those little cloth feet attached to the harness will get dirty. I just succumbed to that. I also tried leg warmers, and I have to be honest, she just looked a bit silly, and I didn’t like the way it tugged on the leg straps. I’d skip socks and leg warmers. If you really need something to cover the feet, try sizing up in these, which come in a lot of different colors and sizes.
What daytime clothing fits on top of the Pavlik Harness?
This is the tricky one — not much works, and it’s a lot of trial and error. I know some people just do the onesie, but given she had to wear it 24/7 during the day and at night, I didn’t love the germ aspect of that. My favorite option was finding roomy enough jumpsuits to go over the harness:
- Put the baby in the onesie
- Then add the harness
- Then put the jumpsuit on top
I liked this option because it helped protect most of the harness and also helped me not see it all the time — I just wanted to pay attention to her adorable face, you know?
Here are some criteria for jumpsuits:
- Must have snaps on the inside of the legs
- Fabrics with stretch (look for a percentage of spandex in the product details)
- No feet
- Tank, short sleeve, or long sleeve depending on the season you’re in
- Look for balloon-type bottoms (sometimes called pantaloons)
- Nothing too fitted around the waist — you need the space to accommodate the chest straps and the transition to the leg straps
Some of my favorites: Carter’s, Rylee & Cru, Next, Old Navy, and Nordstrom. I had a couple of gauze versions from Old Navy, but also had a couple of the others — they all work, just size up. Also don’t expect to be able to do the bottom buttons closest to the feet. Anything billowy, like the ones from Rylee & Cru, is perfect.
Some quick ship Amazon options here: Gerber Sleeveless Jumpsuit, Gerber Sleeveless Jumpsuit (alt color), and Modern Moments by Gerber Romper.
What kind of onesies should I use?
The Next onesies didn’t exist when Molly was in her harness, but they’re an excellent option now, and they come in short sleeve, long sleeve, plain, and printed. I’d buy a few sets — you’re going to need them. You can also use regular onesies, just size up! This is what we did since the Next ones didn’t exist yet. I liked Carter’s for this purpose because they were reasonably priced.
What pajamas can a baby wear with a Pavlik Harness?
Honestly, none. When Molly was diagnosed with hip dysplasia we had to get really creative with how to keep her comfortable at night. I wanted her arms covered, but I didn’t want to restrict the harness — all of the adorable footies we had were rendered useless. Here are some creative solutions for when you’re really in a bind:
- Leaving the bottoms of the footies unsnapped (annoying, but works)
- Infant convertible gowns — I like these from B’Steps, because they run large. Most convertible gowns are made for infants NB–3M, but B’Steps goes from 0–6M and comes in a few different colors. If your baby is very small, I’d opt for Kissy Kissy instead. Note that these still won’t snap all the way over the legs of the harness — you’ll need to leave them unsnapped. It’s just a lot roomier and less awkward than trying to do that with footie pajamas.
- Long sleeve onesie with a sleep sack
Speaking of sleep sacks, what sleep sack can I use for my baby?
For all the chatter of “safe infant sleep,” I was surprised at how little help came from the key players in the space. Molly was already 6 weeks and turning on her side, so the Hip Dysplasia Love to Dream option didn’t work for us at the time. I see now they offer one where the arms can unzip. There’s also the ergoPouch. My top choice would be this newer one from Halo.
For what it’s worth, knowing what I know now about hip-healthy babies, I’d opt for one of these from the get-go anyway — tight swaddling has been known to inhibit healthy hips. For more on that, visit hipdysplasia.org.
How else can I keep the Pavlik harness clean?
A dirty harness is inevitable. Between wearing it day and night, you’re bound to end up with milk, food, dirt, and who knows what else on it. It’s really important not to put your harness in the wash and dryer — if we needed to clean it, we’d gently rinse it in the sink with some detergent and spot clean as needed. Molly had her main harness, which was marked at the spots where the straps needed to be pulled to. Our orthopedist offered a backup harness at one of our follow-up appointments — ask them to mark that one as well. We used the backup when the main one really needed a good cleaning and needed to hang dry for a few minutes.
If your baby is prone to spit-up or more volatile projectile vomiting, I’d highly advise getting comfortable layering on the blankets and bibs. The last thing you want is for them to douse their harness in milk or formula. We loved aden + anais bibs — cute style here as well!
Can my baby play while in a Pavlik Harness?
Yes, of course! While it feels awkward at first, your baby — and you — will get used to the harness. It just becomes part of the norm for a little while. We still did playtime on our play mat. I’ve also recommended this activity table/chair — it’s an investment, but you can keep using it for a while even after the harness comes off, and it’s roomy enough to allow for the harness.
I know how overwhelming this can be. Looking back, the days felt long, but in hindsight it was a few short weeks of Molly’s first few months. The thing I was most sad about was the frictionless cuddles — I feel that sadness that can come with that. I’d be happy to help answer any random questions you have, or recommend other products you’re searching for a solution for. Just send me an email at jen@pavlikparent.com.
