It was all a bit of a learning curve when our son first came home in his Pavlik Harness. We’d got used to ‘sitting’ him up in his bath seat over the Christmas period and were preparing to treat him to the Mamas and Papas Snug Seat with his Christmas vouchers. But quickly realised that not only would he not fit in either of these, most seats would potentially push his legs together defeating the purpose of the harness. Instead it was time to take the next step on our hip dysplasia journey and research hip healthy products.
Which wasn’t easy!
Below you’ll find the best products I found on the market in 2019, which some updates made in January 2024. Products change regularly and with hip health continuing to be spoken about more freely, I hope there will be many more hip healthy products available soon.
To read more about our journey to a hip dysplasia journey, start here-Our Hip Dysplasia journey- from double nappies to the Pavlik Harness – Flicks and Red Lips
Hip Dysplasia Seats
Thanks to the online hip dysplasia communities I had joined, I found two items that would fir the brief of a hip healthy seat- the Fisher Price Sit Me Up and a Bumbo seat.
Fisher Price Sit Me Up
In 2019 this folding seat was available in the garishly bright giraffe or frog design, the former with a tray feature and the latter with toy rings. Thankfully in 2024 you have a much more aestically pleasing option, which you can find here- Fisher Price Sit Me Up.
The leg area of this seat is open and spacious meaning legs aren’t constricted in any way. Many people have also cut the crotch harness and added Velcro to make this wider and more comfortable. I’ll be honest, the ‘hole’ you pop the baby through into the seat was still rather tight and our son wouldn’t fit through when he was in his harness. However, it’s been a lifeline since he’s been Pavlik free, as he still wouldn’t be safe in many other baby seats. We even used this seat for early weaning as high chairs can always restrict leg position.
Bumbo
The Bumbo seat was our life saver for the Pavlik days. It just needs a little bit of a makeover first…
You can purchase new Bumbo seats here- Bumbo
I picked my Bumbo up for a few pounds on Facebook Marketplace and suggest you do the same. You really don’t want to start hacking into something that’s cost you £50+.
The Bumbo is made of foam so is easily cut to shape! I used an old bread knife to cut into the sides of the Bumbo to give lots more room for the legs, ensuring there was no foam to apply pressure onto the outer part of the thigh.
Finish by sealing the open foam with some attractive gaffer tape. It’s not the most attractive of items, but it works!
I’m still using the adaptive Bumbo now and will continue to do so, a normal Bumbo will restrict his legs and push them out of their natural ‘ frog like’ position.
If you really want to splash the cash (we’re talking nearly £200 here) you could also invest in an Upseat. It’s ergonomic and maintains the correct seating position, to aid your little ones posture.
You can purchase an Upseat here- Upseat.
Is a baby swing seat suitable for hip dysplasia?
Whilst pregnant we splashed out on a Joie swing seat and luckily (because of the hefty price tag) he’s been able to use it throughout his treatment. The seat is nice and wide, fitting the Pavlik perfectly, whilst the overhead arch has kept him entertained!
You can purchase a Joie swing seat here- Joie Serina
Hip dysplasia healthy seats
I Hope you’ve found this post helpful and it’s answered any questions you may have had about hip healthy seats. I hope there are others available, but these have been the ones most valuable to us.
For further information on suitable products, please take a look at the Hip Healthy product list from International Hip Dysplasia Institute, which you can view here- Hip-Healthy Products – International Hip Dysplasia Institute
Sian x
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