other options for trachties

for anybody reading this who has a trach and is looking for some nicer trach-ties (as well as other products), check out this website: www.neotechproducts.com. they can be a little pricey, but they do offer free samples (just do what i did and call the 800 number and ask for some free stuff.)
these are the coolest ones:

they're camo! can you believe it?!? and they also come in blue, pink, and red hawaiian. they are made of neoprene so you don't have to worry about getting them wet, and they can stay on for 3-5 days at a time. they are a little stretchy, but we didn't have any problems with them being TOO stretchy (and therefore allowing the trach to fall out) when rowan wore them. the only issue i have with them is that the velcro on the sides digs into his neck a little. when we use the regular ties that velcro on the sides AND the back, then the back of his neck gets really irritated. so i've just been switching back and forth.

the other ties i really like (although they don't look quite as cool) are these:

 

mostly because they are made out of REALLY soft material, and the fabric is so wide that it wraps around the velcro and protects his little chubby neck from all the pokes and jabs that the velcro on the other ties give him. they only recommend that these be used for a day and then thrown away, but i have gotten 3-4 uses out of them by washing them with soap and water and allowing them to dry. it's also nice that they are flesh-toned (for some of us anyway) and a little less conspicuous than most trachties.

i am also thinking about fashioning him some custom-made-from-mommy homemade trachties...wouldn't that be bad-ass? but i haven't gotten that far yet. we have very little nursing coverage this wonderful holiday weekend, so maybe i'll get some time in the middle of the night to come up with a design!