Tips for parents who are wheelchair users

If you have mobility issues, everyday tasks can be more difficult to achieve. If you are parenting from a wheelchair, you have more than just yourself to think about as you will need to take care of your children and will also need to help them.

It can be very stressful and this guide shares tips to make parenting an easier task when you’re in a wheelchair. So, if you suffer from mobility issues and need aids such as stairlifts then read on for more tips.

Top tips for parenting from a wheelchair

• Research adapted products you can buy
• Consider joining a local parenting group
• Ensure you have the correct mobility equipment
• Find a space for your baby to play
• Tips for choosing a school

Research adapted products you can buy

Whilst you might be aware that there are plenty of mobility aids you can buy to help you move around your own home, you might not be aware of products that can help disabled parents.

There are plenty of products available for wheelchair users that have been made for parenting. It is therefore worth spending the time to research adapted products to see which ones could help you.

If you or your partner is pregnant or you have a new-born baby and are looking for adapted products, then you can buy side-opening cribs, strollers that can be hooked onto wheelchairs, swivel-base car seats, two-sided nursing pillows and chest harness baby carriers to name just a few.

Tania, the founder of the When Tania Talks blog, said: “Back carrying as a wheelchair user needs careful thought, but can be done safely in certain situations. I’d strongly recommend seeking guidance from a babywearing consultant if this is something you’re considering. There are a number of trained consultants who are themselves wheelchair users (or have been in the past), so they know first-hand the challenges.”

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Consider joining a local parenting group

Every parent needs support if they have recently had a baby and if you feel you need help and support, you can join a local parenting group or even an online forum.

Local groups or online forums can help you through the parenting journey and are great for additional tips, solutions, and support from others who parent their children from a wheelchair.

Many other people within these groups will have faced the challenges you are currently experiencing and can offer helpful advice.

Groups such as this exist across the country and one of the most popular organisations to join is the Disabled Parents Network. They are an organisation that supports disabled people who are or aspire to be parents, their friends and family, and those working with them.

The Disabled Parents Network talk a bit about what they do: “Our Support Service has provided many disabled parents, prospective parents, and families with access information, advice and support enabling them to access services, equipment and their community.”

You can even consider hiring a nanny or part-time caregiver to help look after your children if it suits your budget.

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Ensure you have the correct mobility equipment

Whilst it is important that you have adapted products to help you look after your child, it is just as important that you have mobility equipment that helps you.

You need to ensure you have mobility aids like straight stairlifts that you can use to travel between floors as well as ensuring you don’t have a wheelchair that you aren’t comfortable using. It can be frustrating and uncomfortable for you if you don’t have the appropriate mobility equipment in your home, so you need to ensure you have the mobility aids you need in order to get around.

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Find a space for your baby to play

If your baby is learning to crawl, it is worth finding a space in your home where they can safely practice which you can reach from your wheelchair should you need to pick them up.

This could be a bed as not only is it a soft surface which they can land on should they trip or fall while crawling, but it elevates them to your level so that you can easily supervise and assist. To be additionally safe, you can think about adding a child-safe railing around the sides of the bed so that your baby does not slip or fall.

Alternatively, if you want to take your children to a play area then you should do a bit of research to see how accessible your local ones are. You can even ask friends and family to come with you if you’d prefer.

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Tips for choosing a school

If your child is of the age that they are starting school, then there are a few things you may consider or need to check during the process.

Whilst most schools are predominantly wheelchair-friendly, it is certainly worth checking that the school your child is attending is accessible. By checking the schools’ accessibility, you don’t have to worry when you pick up your child or are attending parents’ night that you won’t be able to get in or around the school.

Some parents may have concerns that their children will get treated differently because they are wheelchair users, but it is important to discuss these concerns.

If your child’s class are running a show and tell session, it might also be a good idea to talk to your child’s classmates during this about your mobility issues. You can organise this with the teacher and can answer any questions that the students may have as not only will this spread awareness, but it can help to dimmish some stigma that some wheelchair users can experience. You can speak to the students about why you are in a wheelchair, for example, if you have a spinal cord injury you can tell them a little bit about what happened or share information about the condition you suffer from.

There are a set of challenges for wheelchair users who are parents, but this guide has shared some tips to help make parenting a slightly easier task. With a bit of planning and the correct equipment in place, parenting from a wheelchair doesn’t have to be stressful.

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