Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Blind or ssi parents and mobility (self.Blind)
submitted by deafblindgirluk
Hi, my other half and I want to have kids in the near future. I'm a bit worried about how I will cope from a mobility point of view.
We currently live in a large, busy city and I am using a long cane, which I am very confident and proficient with. Neither of us are originally from here and so don't have family to help. I would have to get around with the baby by myself during the week when other half is at work.
How do other blind / ssi mums cope with this? How do you manage with cane / buggy / baby? Is it easier or harder with a guide dog? (I had one before and gut feeling is this would work better but it wouldn't suit current employment).
I'd like to hear your experiences and thoughts. Thanks.
We currently live in a large, busy city and I am using a long cane, which I am very confident and proficient with. Neither of us are originally from here and so don't have family to help. I would have to get around with the baby by myself during the week when other half is at work.
How do other blind / ssi mums cope with this? How do you manage with cane / buggy / baby? Is it easier or harder with a guide dog? (I had one before and gut feeling is this would work better but it wouldn't suit current employment).
I'd like to hear your experiences and thoughts. Thanks.
KillerLag 3 points 6y ago
I get asked this occassionally, as I am an O&M instructor. One major factor is how much residual vision you have. If you have no functional vision, then it is much harder to use a baby carriage. Because the baby carriage is in front of you, you can't detect things like drop off or other obstacles before it encounters them. The cane can't realistically reach far enough or wide enough.
Some of my coworkers has suggested pulling the baby carriage behind, but that has it's own set of problems, including it's very awkward. The easiest method for very small children is using a baby carrier that straps on to your front (the brands I've used personally have been Ergobaby (when smaller) and Tula (when not as small)). That isn't exactly a long-term solution, though, as eventually the child will reach a point where they are too large to be carried, but may still need a ride (not to mention the gear you will have to carry for the child as well).
I have heard of, but not seen in action, parents who basically pull a wagon with the child and gear in it. The child has to be old enough to sit up by themselves and usually strapped in to the seat. That still isn't a very satisfactory answer, as it has much of the same drawbacks are pulling a carriage behind you.
Some of my coworkers has suggested pulling the baby carriage behind, but that has it's own set of problems, including it's very awkward. The easiest method for very small children is using a baby carrier that straps on to your front (the brands I've used personally have been Ergobaby (when smaller) and Tula (when not as small)). That isn't exactly a long-term solution, though, as eventually the child will reach a point where they are too large to be carried, but may still need a ride (not to mention the gear you will have to carry for the child as well).
I have heard of, but not seen in action, parents who basically pull a wagon with the child and gear in it. The child has to be old enough to sit up by themselves and usually strapped in to the seat. That still isn't a very satisfactory answer, as it has much of the same drawbacks are pulling a carriage behind you.
-shacklebolt- 1 points 6y ago
Many blind parents I know make liberal use of baby carriers. With the right carrier, technique, and physical fitness you can carry a baby from infancy through toddlerhood.
Many who have strollers and use a cane will use a pull-behind method. There are strollers with reversible handles, some are much better than others at being stable and easy to handle when pulled backwards. I've heard of a couple examples of guide dog users successfully forward-pushing the stroller with their dog.
For older babies there's a "kidrunner" jogger being released that is a little cart pulled behind you (with the baby in a harness inside), strapped to your waist. It seems to be too big for any tight spaces, but would probably be great for outdoors trips.
There's an NFB [blind parents listserv]
(http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org) that can probably provide some fantastic resources for you. You can also check out the blind parent page on the [nfb site.]
(https://nfb.org/blindparents#Network)
Many who have strollers and use a cane will use a pull-behind method. There are strollers with reversible handles, some are much better than others at being stable and easy to handle when pulled backwards. I've heard of a couple examples of guide dog users successfully forward-pushing the stroller with their dog.
For older babies there's a "kidrunner" jogger being released that is a little cart pulled behind you (with the baby in a harness inside), strapped to your waist. It seems to be too big for any tight spaces, but would probably be great for outdoors trips.
There's an NFB [blind parents listserv]
(http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org) that can probably provide some fantastic resources for you. You can also check out the blind parent page on the [nfb site.]
(https://nfb.org/blindparents#Network)
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