Pushchair for disabled parent - I can’t lift things!

[PinkPlantCase]

Posting here for traffic, I’m really worried about not being able to lift a pushchair/travel system once baby is here.

For context I think I’ll struggle to lift baby (we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it) so the idea of also lifting a pushchair in and out of the car or folding it up and moving it around on public transport seems even worse.

Anyone have any experience?

I also don’t think a sling will help, I will try one but I can’t really carry a backpack without hurting myself anyway.

I have damaged nerves in my upper body from a car accident, can walk and am generally mobile just not very good at lifting and carrying.

Thankyou for all the replies!

The problem is pain, but the more I do things that hurt the more likely I am to end up stuck in bed because everything will flare up.

Thanks for the suggestions of an OT, would I be able to access this through the midwives?

I live with DH and and have family near by. I can access a high street and GP within walking distance, I can also get the train to a city center or my parents house.

It would mostly be driving to go to my mums (if I wanted to be faster than the train) or for a walk somewhere that’s a bit more countrysidey. I do really like walking and it’s good for me to stay active. I guess if I was going to meet someone like my mum the buggy could live in the car and they could always lift it out.

I have a garage that’s level access, might need a new door to make it better though, I don’t use it very often. Also have a porch that’s almost level access.

Grip I generally good, I can be a bit cag handed but don’t drop stuff.

Thanks for the buggy and sling suggestions, will have a look.

Contact your local adult social care team - they have OTs who can assess you for equipment needed (we’ve used the children’s social care OT for our twins, and they have been incredible and helped us get specialist safe beds for them which were very expensive). A hoist for your car boot is a good idea and I’m sure there are other things which could help you at home.

You might also want to consider a needs assessment for yourself as they may be able to provide you with assistance of some kind if you do find you are struggling to lift your child.

There’s also a charity called Remap who make specialist equipment for disabled people if there’s nothing commercially available - if you can’t get anything then they might be able to help.

Get a britax dual fix car seat and an ickle bubba pushchair which folds down tiny and is light.
I would consider a caboo sling for newborn and a tula from 6 months. Whilst you may not want to use it too much it will be a million times better for you than just holding them (which they need)

Don't get a travel system, lifting car seats is a killer. Get a fixed one that swivels and lasts much longer

No good on rough ground, but the advantage of the babyzen yoyo is it's specially designed to go through narrow Paris metro gates and down the aisle on a small aeroplane without having to unload the baby. It might reduce the chances of you having to fold it up on public transport and taxis or to lift it out of the way in shops.

Perhaps a bit of a left field option but we had a fiat doblo and our pushchair lived in there, not folded. You can get a ramp to wheel it out too. It wasn't an adapted car btw - we bought the ramp for our elderly dog but it's good for the pushchair too! . We currently have a recaro easylife and it's super light and easy to fold and unfold with one hand- it lies flat too. I swapped my McLaren xt which I thought would be perfect as I actually found it heavy to lift. I find a baby in a car seat far too heavy to lift too so always leave the car seat in the car and take baby out. I also prefer a sling - ring sling, Mei tei and ergo for me. I could never get the hang of the stretchy wrap but my sil swears by hers. I had a baby who HATED the pushchair and car seat (and being put down) though! There might be something more specialist out there that suits your needs better. Best of luck.

Consider 2 pushchairs if you have the space. One that stays in the car, one that stays in the house.

Also consider your car. What kind of boot does it have? Speaking as someone who has had to lift ever increasing levels of wheelchairs. A car that has a "lip" where you have lift something up and over is harder than if you only have to lift to the height of the door frame and push it in. So this is bad, something like the top picture here is better. I actually had a boot shelf put in mine to give it a flat entry boot. So i lost a little boot height but i use the space underneath for storage.

Boot hoists are interesting. Last time I looked they cost about £1500 to have fitted. You have to make sure your car boot has a big enough opening (not all are) and expect to have to pay to have them transferred when you change car. A lot if people who have them for mobility purposes have them in cars paid for through the mobility scheme. They are not a cheap option.

You can get a ramp to wheel it out too. It wasn't an adapted car btw

I'd sooner looked at a boot ramp than a hoist

We have been looking at a similar issue, its a long way off for us but we have explored a few options as my partner is going to face similar problems.

He has arthrogryposis, his only effects his ankles, forearms and hands. He is unable to lift anything heavy, for him thats anything heavier than about 500g and he can’t grip anything small/narrow, he also can’t lift anything above elbow height unless its extremely light, like a toothbrush.

We’re luckily as I sometimes babysit a friends daughter, she turns two in a few months, but he has been able to have a go using a few of her things. So we know a few things he definitely can’t do, such as carseats or any form of harness you have to ‘clip’. Since surgery in August he can now open tabs on a nappy, so can now change those, lucky him!

For hims it mainly been him working out ways he can do things. So if he wanted to take her into another room before she was walking he would roll her on to a blanket that I have attached a grippy ball to, and he pulls the blanket along like a sleigh.

Definitely see an OT, there are also companies who make one off specialist equipment, but also try to find support groups with people with the same/similar condition, they may have more targetted ideas of how to overcome certain things.

Micralite pushchairs are great! We have an older model, but I think some of the newer ones are suitable from birth. So easy to steer and really light!
I pushed a friends 'normal' pushchair the other day, I could hardly move it, it felt so heavy and hard to steer compared to ours.

I’m going to go against the grain and suggest that a heavier buggy with bigger wheels like a Mountain Buggy Mini or Out N About Nipper might actually be better. The improved suspension and decreased rolling resistance when compared to a lightweight pushchair would actually make it easier to push, feeling more sturdy, and would make it easier to get up and down curbs and manage uneven ground for example. You could look at something like a boot ramp so you don’t have to physically lift the pushchair out. The best thing to do is probably go and test a variety of different styles if you can. If I were you, I’d try to take something heavy (ideally 8kg or so) to see how the pushchair actually feels with a passenger.

Have a look at the Doona car seat and stroller. It's a car seat that transforms into a stroller. So it'll reduce the amount of things you need to lift - I.e. pushchair out of boot, and baby into pushchair. It's just one lift.

Just seen the babyzen suggestions. I have a yoyo and love it but it is for City life really, very small wheels. Perfect for shopping centre or smooth pavements but hard to push over grass. You want bigger proper tyres if you want country walks.

I had a silver cross pop I think its called with my older son and that is quite light and says from birth.

@ForestNymph

I had a silver cross pop I think its called with my older son and that is quite light and says from birth.

It's pretty heavy as umbrella folding ones go. Anything that lies totally flat is technically suitable from birth, but whether you'd feel happy actually putting a newborn in it is another matter.

www.disability-grants.org/grants-for-disabled-parents.html
OP look at getting an assessment they could help you with all kinds of equipment

I think we’re leaning towards getting a sturdier one that might be easier to handle when pushing around town and maybe having a much cheaper super light umbrella one that could potentially lie flat that I could use if I absolutely to drive somewhere and lift the pushchair on my own.

I’m trying to figure out where we could test a few out. I’m not due until early summer so we have time to get it sorted and hopefully for covid to calm down a bit! John Lewis is the only place I really know that has baby stuff in store. Also don’t know many people with babies.

I’ve been thinning more about the wrap type sings and how they’re really similar to how you carry a baby when pregnant. I’m just not sure if I’d be able to put it on by myself. Atleast that’s something we could practice before babies here.

It’s been really helpful to see the brands that people have recommend though. Lots of food for thought

Just to update this thread if anyone else comes looking, we’ve gone for the Micralite Fastfold

www.johnlewis.com/micralite-fastfold-stroller-black-grey/p4927352

It’s lighter than most, can be used from birth with a car seat adapter and is very easy to push/manoeuvre. I haven’t tried lifting it into the car yet but getting it in and out of the house is okay. The big wheels also make it very easy to bump up steps so I don’t have to actually lift.

The adjustable handle is also very good as it make it very easy to put the handle at a height that suits whatever pain I’m having and it’s easy for my husband to change it to suit him if we swap over.

Thanks for starting this thread, and updating it, OP. I am disabled and expecting twins in early summer. I have no idea how I am going to cope, but this thread have given me some useful ideas.

@tofuschnitzel congratulations on your twins! Have you said anything to your midwife/GP yet?

I plucked up the courage to make an occupational therapy referral through my local council. I picked up a bag of porridge the other day thinking I was being very strong and then realised the porridge bag was half the weight of newborn the problem is non of the referral questions are relevant. My life is set up so that I can do everything I need to do. I just need them to suggest solutions to the lifting baby problem.

Thanks from me too OP. I am due end of March, it was early April but for good reason they aren’t going to let me go to term. So I don’t think I will be able to go and try anything in store, can’t see them reopening in time but maybe I am wrong. I have chronic pain and autoimmune issues affecting my legs and upper body and I also have steps to access my front door (of building) and then more steps to flat. So these recommendations are going to be really useful for me to look into.

I have just clicked the link to the one you have got, 7 people viewing right now...wonder how many from this thread ...

Just wondering too...does your hospital antenatal department have physios...they might be know some tips that are more relevant to the specifics of dealing with newborns.

@Inkpaperstars haha if only I got commission 😂 I did think it was a really good deal though. I’m not due until June and wasn’t really planning on getting a pushchair yet but I thought the deal was too good to miss out on, I also had a load of JL vouchers which made it cheaper for us.

I did consider getting in touch with a physio and just seeing if we can work on making me stronger. It’ll still hurt but maybe better than doing nothing, if I can build up gradually. I’ve avoided physio the last few years because it just reminds me of all the extra places I have pain that I don’t notice unless they’re poked.

I’m also not sure I can be bothered with having another physio think they can magically cure chronic pain.

My DH has a very flexible wfh contract that will see us through the first few months of baby’s life so worst comes to worst atleast he’ll be around if I can’t lift.

Yes, I do understand about the physio. I just wondered if they might know any tips re equipment etc.

You did get a good deal, hope the pushchair works out well for you! It’s such a complex topic...I never imagined! At least by knowing we need the lighter and easier options it narrows it down.