I’m a 37 year old female new electric wheelchair user.
My question to you all is I really want to have a baby soon, but the thing holding me back is how can I pick the child up when it’s crawling on the floor?
Help please
Hi, my problems have always been very poor walking and balance. I’m not in a wheelchair, I get about the house by holding on to things, I did that too when my children were small, they are now 10 and 7. Please don’t worry about just picking up your baby from the floor when he or she is crawling. I agree that most “normal” people will just do this without thinking but there are ways around things. I could only pick my children up if I was seated at the time, then I was ok but they had to be within reach of my seat, of course. I wonder, can you physically lift, in that your arms are ok but you are worried about being in reach of your child or do you also have a problem with your arms? If this is your only worry about having a baby, I wouldn’t let this hold you back. What did I do, I’m trying to remember. Make sure there is no danger in your child’s way, then if they crawl off where you can’t get to them quickly or easily, they won’t come to any harm. My children could walk early (before 10 months), I was told that children who have parents with problems (not just walking, e.g. Deaf parents) the children usually become very good at that thing quickly, e.g. Because I had problems walking my children learned to walk quickly. Even if you can’t lift your child up, you could, from your wheelchair, nudge them in the right direction, could you encourage them to push themselves up so you only had to do a partial lift? Your child won’t come pre programmed expecting to be lifted, you will both find your own ways, you and your child will reach some middle ground, it might not be most people’s way, but it will be your way and it will work fine for both of you, you will have fun and you baby will know no differently. Cheryl:-)
Ah love. I can understand your concerns. But Cheryl has offered you some very good advice.
I didnt need a wheelchair full time, until my eldest grandchild was 6, but others came along and I did feel I missed out on things like playing on the floor with them. Having said that they all thought I was the coolest gran, as they all enjoyed sitting on my knee when I used my scooter or chair. I remember one year, with my little Oz sitting in the well of my school, us riding along singing Footballs Coming Ome etc. We had a great old time!
I am sure, when the time comes, youll have found ways to cope and have lots of help on hand too. I would think a playpen would be a safe place for your little un to be,until you`ve done your chores/moving about.
Enjoy him/her when he gets here!
luv Pollx
I don’t know how much movement you have but I can pick things off the floor (not tried it with a baby I have to say) if I lift off the one of the arms (as though for side transfer) and swing my legs round the side. I can then shuffle to the edge of the seat and brace my feet on the floor.
Reaching from the front is useless but I find this sideways method works for even quite heavy things.