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DIY arm restraints - The "Snug Hug"

Seriously, who wants to thing about wrapping your kid in arm restraints?  For what ever reason.  But the fact is, for her own safety and my own piece of mind, at least once a day Miss Maaike is strapped down so I can take care of her trach needs.  Welcome "snug hug."

I graduated college in linguistics so I am a firm believer in "a rose by any other name" would not smell so sweet.  I think that what we call and the way describe things makes a big difference in the way we perceive things. Every parent of a special needs child knows this love hate relationship.  You need the "label" or diagnosis to get help for your child, but you don't want those who help you to see your child as the diagnosis and not look pass the label.  In the same, but obviously lesser light, I don't want to think about binding my child down in arm restraints day after day to manage her care, but I can accept the thought of hugging her snuggly with beautiful fabric to give her the love and care that I need to.

This is a quick and easy project, suitable for beginner sewers. The Snug Hug could also be used to swaddle newborns underneath beautiful blankets or anything else you might dream up.  Let's get started.

The Snug Hug

Materials
1/2 yard of medium to heavy weight fabric
21 inches of sew-able Velcro
thread
scissors

Step 1
Measure the circumference of your child where you want the Snug Hug to fit.  Make sure your are measuring them as they would fit in it with their arms down at their side.  Add 8 inches to that measurement, this allows for future growth.

Step 2
Cut your fabric, folded lengthwise in half, with the measurement from Step 1 by 8 inches down (folded) or 16 inches open. Maaike's fabric was 32 inches by 8 inches (folded)

Step 3
With right sides together sew your long rectangle  around the 3 open sides with a half inch seem allowance, leaving a 3 inch opening at one end. Clip off the seam allowance at the corners.

Step 4
Pulling your fabric through the 3 inch opening, turn you fabric right side out and iron it.

Step 5
Top stitch the 4 sides of your fabric at 1/4 inch seam allowance, this will close up your 3 inch opening.

Step 6
 Cut a 6 inch strip of the fuzzy side of the velcro and sew it to one end of your fabric so that it lays vertically on your rectangle.  I used the "blind hem stitch" but you could use a straight stitch or zigzag or almost any stitch.

Step 7
Flip your fabric over so that you cannot see the velcro you just sewed and lay two 10 inch strips of the tacky side of the velcro on the opposite side and end as the fuzzy velcro.  These two strips will lay horizontally on the rectangle.  Now sew them in place

Step 8
Roll up your Snug Hug how you wish to store it to test where you will place your last 2 inches of tacky-sided velcro to maintain closure and sew it in place.

Ready for hugging.

A few more wraps

I just can't help myself.  She looks so precious in them.  They only take about 30 minutes to make. They are perfect for her trach and so easy to get on and off.  I just picked up fabric to make two more.  Thank you Amy!

 The below photos show the slight change I made to Amy's instructions.  Instead of having a second tie inside the kimono I add a snap closure.

 Either way it works.  I just like having a little less bulk under the arms and it is always fun to bring out the hammer when you are sewing.

Trach ties

Today I am launching a new blog.  New is really a relative term here.  The blog is Trach ties, a blog totally devoted to life with a trach, but as of yet there is no new content.  If you read this blog or my family blog you will have already read everything on it.  For now it is a massive copy and paste job, but eventually I will write original content specifically for it.  It wont be an every day thing, but hopefully an every week kind of a thing.  As I have had the opportunity to connect with a few other trach moms and mothers with kids of special needs  I have wanted a place to direct them.  I love our family blog, but then you have to shift through the rest of our family stuff.  I love Presserfoot, but this is a sewing blog.  I have resisted putting this blog together for a long time because I simply don't have the time, but the other day I realized that between our family and Presserfoot I did have a lot of content and all I needed to do was bring it together.  I was thrilled when I saw that "trach ties" was available on blogger.  After all, I was a linguistics major and I love a little play on words. If you look closely at our family silhouette you will see that baby Maaike has her trach and trach ties.  And as for the metaphorical trach ties, second only to the joy of having Miss Maaike in our family, the bonds that we have formed with other families with special needs children has been the greatest and most unexpected blessing of this experience.  If you or anyone you know is looking for that kind of a connection I hope you will join us for the ride!

Sewing for special needs & spot lights

Before I could take Maaike home from the hospital I had to take a five day training course and then proficiently preform all of Maaike's care for 24 hours without nurses assistance. Each class was 4 hours long, 2 hours in the classroom and 2 hours at Maaike's bedside putting my new knowledge into practice. Day one was practically dedicated to the lifestyle changes we would need to make. I was questioned as follows:

"Does anyone in the house smoke?"

"No."

"Do you have any pets?"

"No."

"Are you a stay at home mom?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any family support in the area?"

"Yes."

"Well, you were meant to be a trach mom."

I wasn't so sure about that, but I was willing to humor her. On day four it was brought to my attend that some adjustments would need to be made in her wardrobe. It is suggested that trach kids wear V-neck tops to allow for airflow around the trach and decrease the likelihood of trach occlusion. Well, it just so happens I sew. On day five I was trained to give CPR with a trach and how to rescue breath via ambu bag. Though practicing on my own child was horrifying I found that my glory days as a lifeguard came back to aid me. At this point I was starting to believe I was meant for this.
I scour the local consignment shops for V-neck baby attire. Sometimes I hit big and sometimes I walkout empty handed, but that's okay, because I sew. When Katie contacted me about sharing our story on film I had no idea what I would wear, but there was no question that Maaike would be wearing something I made. One of my favorite patterns for Miss Maaike is this kimono pattern by Amy at Habitual. It's easy, it's quick, and it's oh so cute. I like to make it out of a knit material because it's softer and instead of having the inside tie together with a bow, like the outside, I like to use a simple snap to reduce the bulk a little. It's the perfect pattern for a last minute baby shower gift or a trach baby just home from the hospital gift. The first one I made took about an hour, but now I can whip one out in about 20 minutes. They are great for pairing with bright leggings, like Maaike's from Target.Miss Maaike is 10 months old today! I can't believe how fast she is growing! 10 months down and 2 to go until we party hardy!

What special needs sewing projects have you done? I'd love to share them with our reads.

Things I never thought I'd sew

I have so much to catch you up on. I have actually been sewing! Crazy I know. While my husband was back in China Kelli flew out to keep me company! It was awesome...minus Kelli throwing up on arrival and then getting the flu, but we both made three skirts while she was here. I shall post on them later when I have the time to go through the photos.

Today's post however is on yesterday's sewing project...arm restraints. Yes. I can't believe it either. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be sewing custom arm restraints for my daughter. But here we are.

Every day I have to change out her trach ties (aka the straps that go around her neck to hold the tracheostomy in). I usually swaddle Maaike in a receiving blanket to get the job done, but she has now figured out how to wriggle her arms out. Last week as I was cleaning the wound area she got one of her arms out, reached up, and decannulated herself (aka pulled the tracheostomy out of her throat!)! I stayed calm and cool in the moment, but after I got it back in her neck I let myself have a freak out. As trach kids get older it becomes more common, often as an attention ploy, but 7 months is a little young for that. So, for now, arm restraints it is. But, at least I made it pretty!