17 replies to this topic

[raquel]

I want to know if there is anyone out there who has a baby or a young child who's hubby is in a wheelchair.

How do you cope on outings, kids tend to get really heavy if holding them all the time.

I know if i had kids i dont know how i would cope on trying to push the chair and carry a kid.

Its something that we are going to try relaly soon and i still cant come up with an idea i am comfortable with.

Any suggestions???

[nomis]

The obvious point is that there is a free lap available. But at C1/0 you've got considerations beyond my understanding and others here are better qualified with such ideas. So, I'll just throw out my para solution for what its' worth till someone comes along with something better...

I had a baby sling-thing that strapped around my neck and waist with my kid snuggled into my chest. I believe the kangaroos did it first. Those waist straps could attach to or go around the back of the chair for more secure support.

I imagine there are other ways of the baby making use of that lap. I bet aggzy will enjoy that, too - and a little bit of weight is great for keeping strong bones.

[Unbreakable]

I have a 2 year old son and when my wife and I go out (shopping, dinner, etc.) sometimes we take a stroller, but usually my lap acts as the stroller. It gives me a chance to spend "up close" time with my son, frees up my wife's hands and keeps her from having to carry him, gives me a good workout by adding another 25 pounds of weight to my chair, and keeps my boy from getting all tired and fussy from having to walk around the store/mall/wherever. Everyone wins.

[raquel]

Aggzy is on a ventilator....so the lap is a little out of the question.

[Unbreakable]

Perhaps you could take a stroller, then?

[Trinity]

I don't think Raquel has enough hands to push a chair and a stroller.

Maybe something like thiswhere the baby sits on your back would be more useful, or these look cute, if they don't interfere with your ability to push the chair.

Edited by trinity, 27 October 2008 - 09:43 AM.

[kdenon01]

Your fiance is not able to control his own chair? Or are you just talking about how it's be difficult to have to load up a stroller, and him..?

[Tash]

Hello Raquel,

I know exactly what you mean. For I have had this same problem. When my man was in the hospital it got the point where we were able to got out of that room and go for walks around the hospital. I have two small children. One now 10 months and the other 3 years old. We have come up with a solution to our problem through trial and error.

That is what I suggest to you Trial and error yet I wanted to tell you how we did it in hopes that it would give you come ideas to try or come up with on you own. Since my man was not able to actually hold the baby on his lap and he had an IV attached to him. I would use his transfer belt as a harness. I would put the baby on him like they were hugging and then fit the transfer belt around the both of them to secure the baby to him and the chair. No specific way just to support the both of them really good and safely was the goal. Then I would put a sheet over them to cover up my contraption. That worked for a while while the baby was still newborn.

Now that my man is out of the hospital and although we have not been able to get out yet I've been thinking of what we can do when we do get to that point. Now that the baby is older and much more friskier I will use that wonderful comfort baby sling. I will attach the baby to myself in the sling and my 3 year old thinks he is the boss anyway I tell him that he is the supervisor. I tell him to make sure that everyone is ok. He is old enough to look after the baby NOT that I wont be already on top of that but to give him some responibility and to be aprt of all this. I will tell him that he needs to caheck us all and if he sees that the baby is leaning or whatever to let me My 3 year old always asks daddy if he is hurt so I will continue that. daddy will then tell him either yes or no. My hope is to have everyone envloved in a FUN, RESPONSIBLE and SAFE way.

What do you think about that....I hope that helps if not gives you some ideas to try. If you think about and come up with something to add or take away please let me know I am truly intersted because we are getting closer to a time where we can get out and do more things together. I am a planner so I would like to have a process already together.

So tell me what you think. Good Luck!

[C Herod]

I would definetly suggest the carriers that you wear. Although I hated ours. Kinda hard to put a newborn in one of those. I think the best way is to just go for it, and you'll find the best way. My husband always holds our daughter, but he still has partial use of his arms and hands. When our daughter got bigger we would just losen his seatbelt and belt her in with him.

We have 2 older boys so we have them to help out with him as far as pushing if needed. Now he gets around pretty good on his own. You can do it though it won't be easy I'm not going to lie. At first, when we started going places i just wanted to scream. Once you find the better way to do things it won't be so bad.

[aggzy]

hi everyone

great ideas tash
i don't think raq checks her postz so i'll tell her to

i had the idea of connecting the pram (stroller) to the front of my chair somehow then when raq pushes me the pram gets pushed to

might be too hard in tight spaces eg: shops and stuff
but if we are just going for a walk i think it would be perfect

what does everyone think?

[Trinity]

I think thats a great idea, one thing to bear in mind is the extra length, may make corners and crossing roads tricky. But, borrow a pram, strap in a doll and practice! Ok, if anyone stops to coo at 'baby' you may get some strange looks, but it could sort out some of the practical aspects and find out what works best.

[raquel]

kdenon01, on Oct 27 2008, 11:55 PM, said:

Your fiance is not able to control his own chair? Or are you just talking about how it's be difficult to have to load up a stroller, and him..?

No he cant control it himself, he has no movement at all. Which makes it a little hard...

www.higherthansuperman.com

[Unbreakable]

Quote

i had the idea of connecting the pram (stroller) to the front of my chair somehow then when raq pushes me the pram gets pushed to

might be too hard in tight spaces eg: shops and stuff
but if we are just going for a walk i think it would be perfect

what does everyone think?

I don't know about a power chair, but I can tell you that it doesn't work too well with a stroller and a manual chair. The foot plates and back wheels of the stroller rub or the casters and back wheels will lock together...it's a big pain. And this is with me holding the push bar of the stoller to guide it, and my wife pushing me.

That's why we came up with using me as a stroller. I am still more in favor of that method for you as well. What about setting the baby on your lap, seat belting 'em to your lap, and away you go? That way the baby is secure and gets to cuddle with you a bit, and raquel is then free to operate the chair/ventilator controls? Think about it, maybe it can work.

[raquel]

Unbreakable, on Oct 28 2008, 01:15 PM, said:

Quote

i had the idea of connecting the pram (stroller) to the front of my chair somehow then when raq pushes me the pram gets pushed to

might be too hard in tight spaces eg: shops and stuff
but if we are just going for a walk i think it would be perfect

what does everyone think?

I don't know about a power chair, but I can tell you that it doesn't work too well with a stroller and a manual chair. The foot plates and back wheels of the stroller rub or the casters and back wheels will lock together...it's a big pain. And this is with me holding the push bar of the stoller to guide it, and my wife pushing me.

That's why we came up with using me as a stroller. I am still more in favor of that method for you as well. What about setting the baby on your lap, seat belting 'em to your lap, and away you go? That way the baby is secure and gets to cuddle with you a bit, and raquel is then free to operate the chair/ventilator controls? Think about it, maybe it can work.

it would work if aggzy wasnt on a vent.
can not risk babies pulling on his tubing, which happens.
we have neices and a nephew and its the first the they aim for whenever they are near him.

im still stuck...

[kdenon01]

It would be cool if there was a way you could strap one of those carriers right to the back of his chair somehow...so the baby would be facing you while you are pushing your fiance..?

[raquel]

kdenon01, on Oct 28 2008, 11:57 PM, said:

It would be cool if there was a way you could strap one of those carriers right to the back of his chair somehow...so the baby would be facing you while you are pushing your fiance..?

Hey!!!!
thats a really good idea, but it would stop me being able to access the ventilator if something went wrong!!!!



arghhhh

[evilmac64]

hook a wagon with the turning wheels up front. Then the child will think hes driving dad around. it should cut down on turning radius .
Don't know worth a try. Good luck what ever you come up with.

[luckiestman]

Hi,

My wife is C5/C6, and our baby has just turned 2yo. My wife has a tray table fitted to her wheelchair. Bub sits on that. Before he could sit she used a breast feeding pillow to support him or a sling to support him. I have seen power wheelchairs with little platforms on the back on which an older child can stand.
There is also a wonderful organisation in Australia called TAD, Technical Aid for the Disabled, which is basically retired engineers, welders, fabricators and the like who will manufacture you a solution for the cost of materials only. (Ph. Qld 1300 663 243) Tad have a design for a stroller that bolts onto the front of a chair.