Taping the Prolabium

In my previous post I mentioned that Jim, my husband, came up with a way of taping Emily's prolabium that is much easier than what they showed us at NYU. We have been using this technique for months now (I'm back-dating this post) and I have decided to write a step-by-step guide on how to do this, complete with photo's, for other parents who would like to try the technique.

Summary of technique: Take two rubberbands (elastics) and attach them to each other using a slip knot. Then fold a piece of Steri-Strip over the knot. If you cut one Steri-Strip into four pieces, then you can make four prolabium tapes. You will not be folding the STeri-Strip in half, but just fold it over enough on the knot so it is secure and leave a bit of Steri-Strip sticking up (with the backing on). This sticky part is what gets stuck on the baby's prolabium. Here's an illustrated guide.

Create the slip-knot using two elastics...

I use a pair of scissors to hold the first rubber band..


Then I slip the second rubberband throughthe first and loop it into a knot.


Once the rubberbands are knotted together, you can pull them across the scissors and just fold the tape over the knot.


Here is the end result on Emily's prolabium. The part that's sticking to her skin is not folded and so the Steri-Strip is still sticky. I put glue on her Prolabium to keep the tape from coming off due to saliva.