Aids / helpful baby equipment for disabled parents??

[beabea81]

My lo is 9 months old & a big girl, she's 80cm tall & about 25lbs & I can barely lift & carry her now :(

I wondered if anyone uses or knows of any useful aids or equipment? I have a drop side cot which helps with the bending a bit. I'm also going to get a hippychick hip seat - I can't use a standard carrier as my back & pelvis are so unstable for weight bearing & doctor has advised against it.

I am having major problems with the car seat now too, the bending & twisting whilst supporting my lo in & out has got impossible now & I can barely take her out now. I wanted to get the maxicosi axiss car seat that swivels, as that will help me, but i know it is not good to forward face until babies are at least 1, so feel i musn't do that til she's at least a few months older...

Does anyone have any advice? I have M.E, fibromyalgia, SPD & severe sacroiliitis.

Hi Beabea81,
I have no advice but thought I'd say hello anyway! My baby is due this week (eeeeek nervous!!!!!) and I'm going to have similar problems to you. I have a progressive muscle wasting disease so have diffiuclties with weakness, bending, lifting etc. I think I will probably just about manage whilst the baby is very small but will struggle at that inbetween stage where they are heavy, but can't yet walk/climb. Hopefully some other people will offer some words of wisdom. Nice to meet you :)

thanks hon, & wishing you lots of luck! it is the hardest but most wonderful thing i have ever done being a mummy, i am in the most pain i've ever been but bizarrely also feel the happiest because of my lo! xx

I have a ton of information first don't panic!
I have a year old son who is big for his age length wise.
I and husband are very disabled having had youth arthritis so all are joints are deformed, plastic painful bla bla. Loads of ideas.

Check my blog as too many ideas for here. I am mumsnet blogger under DisABLEd Parents.

Few for now

1.Call OT Adult social services at your local council say you are self referring. When OT comes ask for a slat bath board. Buy a wheeled changing station. Put plastic baby bath on slat board so can bathe baby at easy height. Changing station placed v near bath so when struggling to get wet baby out you don't have far to put him down to dry.

1. Car seats rubbish except for this fab one, Maxi Cosi Axiss for nine month and up babies. Seat turns 360 degrees to face the car door, easy to turn, easy to put baby in and out, harness fairly easy with poor hand movement.

1. Get a stroller see my blog for an easy light weight one but am going to hit the shops to see what else is out there now for my blog purpose.

1. Get a Babylo walker fab fab fab! A walker that actually puts child in standing position so they get used to putting weight through feet supported,walking etc.

1. Playing on a big bed is as good as the floor really.

1. Don't bother going out with baby until 9 months there are no easy car seats for disabled parents on the Market, I have tried them all at the baby show!!! Pointless struggle anyway, baby gets little out of it, wait till baby nine months get the Axiss and get enjoying going out.

Look at my blog either via mumsnet DisABLEd Parents or google my blog, am on my phone doing this and I haven't learnt how to copy and paste links yet.

x

Oooo Ooo not forgetting google REMAP, super hero old boy volunteer engineers who take shop brought cots or any shop brought item and convert it to meet your needs for free! My Mothercare Cot is fantastic, brought for fifty quid and has been heightened and all sorts! Google them and give them a call if the OT dept is a let down, OT dept here is really poor!

The Aprica is a 360' and lie flat birth to 4yo/18kg car seat

bump to all disabled mums out there

Am I missing out on a load of good disabled-mum ideas?

Sorry bumping again
I forgot to tick watch this thread

The Cybex sirona car seat rear faces from newborn -4years. It also spins outwards to put them in easily

my britax affintiy has been hamered.. its been fab - yes its a heavier one, but it acts as a crutch part time.

look into ring slings.. better than a hippy chick seat, as gives hands free when used correctly. find a local sling library for support.

car seat, i bought the britax babysafe shr2 as for the first stage, it sits in either a isofix or belted car , and it one handed in and out of buggy fram, and if forward or reverse options with pram :)

just bought the rear facing be safe one. that is belted base. reclines.. i wanted a swivel, but you cant get them if you dont have isofix. i went to the wallingford car centre place as they are fab for extended rear facing ERF seats

get wall mounted baby gates... the babydan guard me has an auto retract option - great for non standard door spaces. and no bars so wheelchair friendly - nothing to get stuck into.

hope this few tips help

oh and if you have a child under 5 - home start may be able to help - you can self refer

I just discovered a kettle tipper.....

You will get there, a day at a time. Baby will adjust to your abilities and it will be much easier when they are older. Lots of love and luck

my husband has arthritis and will not. be able to kneel to bath our baby in the bath nor get onto the floor will OT help does it depend on what you earn? any ideas for bathing changing and cots?

Hello Everyone,
There is a company called ReallyUsefulStuff, which sells helpful equipment or people with all kinds of difficulties.

Twitter: twitter.com/rustuff
Website/Shop: shop.reallyusefulstuff.co/
Blog: myreallyusefulstuff.co/
All products on the website is VAT exempt

Bump
Anyone got suggestions for group 2 car seat? LO is now 3 1/2 yrs & 34lbs 115cm. Have been using maxicosi axsiss. Fab for me but now need to move on. Anyone solved this one??
Many thanks xx

Bump for other suggestions.
mdeoude I'd recommend the tummy tub! can stand it in the sink for more safety and perfect height.

Hi I am going to be a grandmother and I am new to this site. Need a bit of help and advice as its a long time since I had children. My daughter works as a nanny in a persons home with a disabled child she does not get sick pay or holiday pay. She is worried about leave when she has the baby can any one give her some advice please. Also her dad will help with the childcare but he only has one hand, changing nappies is going to be a problem any one know of something that will help.