Disability and Pregnancy, Part 4—Week 17

July 16, 2008 Anonymous said:

Beaing a mom of two sons and a grandma, I always used a Snuggly and a motorized scooter or wheelchair. My husband helped at night and my mother helped daily. A bed as my changing table. A stoller was never used. I carried my boys in the snuggly.

Children know what they can't and cand do if taught at a early age.

                                    Good luck and don't worry so much,

                                                        Pearl

 

July 18, 2008 Whitney said:

I agree with Pearl.  A towel on the bed makes a great changing table.  Using a bassinette for the first few months is a great alternative to using the crib right off the bat.  First because if you plan on nursing, you're not going to want to transfer from the bed to the chair as often as you're going to need to if the baby is in their crib.  Having the bassinette right up against the bed is a much better option.  And it puts the baby at more your level so that you can support their head better when you lift them out.

I HATED Baby Bjorn type carriers with a passion.  They never fit right because they are designed to hang off of you when your standing and they rub your inner arms, change your center of balance and always gave me a mid and lower backache.  And like you said they give the baby's head no support.  Slings have similar problems because they are designed to hang off of you when you're standing.  Plus being a new mom I was always afraid that my newborn was going to suffocate in all that fabric, especially since your baby never stays in one position because you're always moving them around with the motion of your chair pushing.  

I loved the Moby Wrap (www.mobywrap.com).  Completely hands free, holds the baby right up against you especially when they are teeny-tiny and supports their head as well when you tuck them in. You don't have to deal with their head bouncing around when you push your chair.  It also helps with center of balance issues because they are right up against you, and I never had a back ache.  The only slight negatives is that is a bit of challenge to learn to wrap it correctly the first few times.  And there is a lot of fabric involved so during these hot Utah summers it like wearing an extra layer or two.   If you want to try out one, let me know and we'll do lunch.

I hope you guys have a blast in Canada!  And believe me, you'll be glad you did the babymoon!!

Whitney

 

July 19, 2008 elainehous said:

For a changing table in my house my mom used a 6ft-long folding height adjustable table, like the ones you see in church halls or whatever. They can be found at Lowes and Sams for example. Then she put one of those contoured foam changing pad things on it with a strap so it makes it a little harder for my siblings to worm away. I saw them online at Target fr about $25 ,Though she had it at a higher height setting as she is AB you could have it at table a more normal table height so it works from your chair. That same table has seen many reincarnations from a dinner table for little kids, to my desk growing up, to being a changing table,  back to a desk for one of my sisters now. So it also can be useful later not just now.

 

July 24, 2008 Anonymous said:

Muffy:  I've been reading your posts because I'm in the middle of fertility treatments (miscarried in June) and may be in your spot one day.  Regarding changing tables...my able-bodied sis.-in-law uses an antique dresser with a changing pad topper that you can get anywhere, so why not get a longer table or desk that you can roll under and put a topper on it?  You can use drawers to store diaper/changing stuff.  I was thinking of this also & saw neat tables in Pottery Barn that'd work.  

And, if I have a baby I'll get a baby "bed" that goes flush against my bed so I can just scoot the baby over onto the bed with me when I need to feed, even change.  These are for able-bodied too but would work great for someone who cannot get out of bed quickly-easily enough.

I get this great catalog with thousands of products/ideas that I thought would work for me.  Email me & I'll gladly send you a copy or give you the email address--I'd post it here but I need to go look for it.

Julie in Columbus, Ohio

 

July 25, 2008 PSYCHTALK said:

When I was pregnant along time ago ;when it wasn't popular for a disable woman to even have sex, I was fortunate to have help the first three months.  But after three months I was on my own.  I used a manuel wheelchair; used my right hand; which was stronger to push and left leg; which was stronger to peddle around the house.  I would hold the baby with my left arm tightly around her.  I would place her in the kitchen sink for her bath and lay her on the bed to dress her; even though I had a changing table it was too high so I used it for her diapers etc. After a while she was able to help me by crawling to me; making it unecessary for me to do much lifting.  It  was amazing how quickly she adapted to my limitations.  She didn't even know I had limitations. After she began walking she knew exactly when to move out of my way.

  It would have been much easier if I'd had a power chair as I did with my grandchildren but it  still was not that difficult for me as long as I was in the house.  She also got a kick out of riding in my lap when she learned how to hold on to the arm rests. Later, she rode on the back.

 

August 11, 2008 Anonymous said:

I used to carry my baby brother in a duffel bag padded with a flattish pillow.  I would put the strap around my back/hips and let the bag either hang in front of my knees or sit on my lap, depending on my activities.

I've always thought that one of those fold-down-from-the-wall baby changing stations like in public restrooms would be the ideal wheelchair user changing table.

 

August 13, 2008 muffy said:

thanks for all the great comments and advice.  There are lots of terrific ideas here, I can't wait to try them out.  

Thanks so much for reading and sharing your experiences, please keep the comments and ideas coming! My latest column asks the question about how you load the baby and car seat into the car by yourself?  Any thoughts and ideas here would be greatly appreciated.  I don't want to be stuck at home all the time or only able to go out w/ someone else to help, but have no idea how I'll lift that heavy carrier and get it into the car  safely.

Julie-  Best of luck to you,  keep the faith and I know it will happen for you.  I'd love to know that catalogue, if you find it, please send the info along.  I agree, I think a co-sleeper will be a necessity for the first few months.  

Muffy