Matthew and Ryan in the "limo" waiting for their ultrasoundsIt has been a busy week for us, with our physical therapy and ultrasound appointments, we have been on the go everyday. Both of the boys' hips look normal, so that is good news. They don't really like to do their neck stretches for physical therapy, but I am sure it doesn't feel good. I have to stretch their head to the side (trying to put their ear to their shoulder) and hold that for about 30 seconds, and then turn their heads to the side and hold for 30-60 seconds. We repeat this at almost every feeding. Another exercise we do is pulling up from the boppy pillows.
Matthew needs to work the muscles in the back of his neck, so I pull him up by his hands to a sitting position. Ryan likes to overextend his head when he is on his tummy, so we are working the muscles in the front of his neck, with me pulling him up from his shoulders to a sitting position. It's a lot of work for these little guys, but in a few weeks it will be worth it. The boppy pillows also allow the boys to lay on their backs, and keep their heads to the center. With their torticollis they have been sleeping mostly on the one side of their head... and as you can imagine it is getting a little flat on that side. So another goal of the physical therapy is to try and even out their heads a little, so we don't have to use helmets.
Peanut really loves the physical therapy, since it brings the boys and mom down on the floor with her to "play." She gets a little carried away at times, and drops her ball on the boys... but hopefully she will settle down in a day or so. I still don't think she knows what to think about the boys.
