[blparent] New parent questions

Thu Oct 28 15:30:31 UTC 2010

Hi, O.K. I have a few recommendations. For the car seat I'd get a Graco snug
ride 32. Then When your child is 32 lbs you can get a high back buster seat
which is light to carry around. For the stroller I'd get a Graco snap and go
because it the car seat sits on the top and securely fits. The snap and go
is not a stroller without the car seat, but is light and folds small. So you
don't have the problem of I've got to my location and what do I do with the
car seat. It just becomes the seat of the stroller. I only know of only one
stroller one can easily pull and it is several hundred and doesn't pull all
that great from what I hear. I use a combination of the snap and go system
I've described and a Bjorn or Urgo for several years with the children I
care for. I'm also on several lists and others tend to say the same thing.
The urgo is definitely more comfortable as the baby gets bigger. The only
problem with it is the baby can't face outward if you want it to, as they
can with the Bjorn.

You named all the book resources I know of other than the Braille Book store
and I can't remember their official website. They have some good toys and
books. I make most of my books with the American thermoform braille label
sheets and brailing cutting and sticking with sighted help. I also buy books
on ebay that others have already adapted.

Hope that helps and congratulations on the new little baby!

Bran

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you
learn, the more places you'll go." -- Dr. Seuss 
Brandy Wojcik
Discovery Toys Educational Consultant and Team Leader
www.playtoachieve.com
Phone: 512) 689-5045
Ask me about:
*How you can do what I do and earn money sharing educational toys with the
ones you love,
*How to earn free Discovery Toys products while having fun with friends,
Order a gift basket for any age

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Hartle, Mary Jo
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 8:21 AM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Cc: Louise Walch; Cheralyn Braithwaite Creer; Cheralyn Creer; Hartle, Jesse
Subject: [blparent] New parent questions

Hi everyone,
    My husband and I are new to this listserv, but thought it might be a
great resource for us as parents-to-be.  some of you may know us, Jesse and
Mary Jo (Thorpe) Hartle.  We have been members of the NFB for several years,
but this is a whole new role for us as blind people.
Fortunately, because of the philosophy we've learned in the organization,
and great role models like some of you on this list, we know we can be great
parents even though we're blind.  But...there are a few questions that are
starting to pop into our minds as we prepare for the arrival of LBH (Little
Baby Hartle).  Any advice on the following you can give us would be greatly
appreciated.  

1. We've been looking at strollers and car seats and carriers (oh my) and
wondering which on the market are the best for a blind parent.  We know we
want a stroller that we can pull behind us easily and which will allow the
baby to face us rather than face out.  We also are looking for something
that can double as a carrier and car seat combo which is easy to get on and
off buses and trains and such.  Any of you have recommendations for us?
Brands?  Etc.? Another item we think would be very helpful to us are those
snuggly things so we can carry the baby in front of us or on our back while
using a cane.  Any recommendations of good brands or styles for this?  

2.  We are considering getting a set of baby monitors.  We've not looked too
closely at these yet, but I'm anticipating there might be some accessibility
issues as it sounds like many of them have some kind of visual display on
them now for you to set the controls, etc.  any suggestions on a good brand
for these that are accessible, or can be easily modified? 

3.  Are there any other great Braille-print book outlets besides Seedlings,
NBP, APH, Share Braille.org, and the Braille Institute we should know about?
Any Other ways to get free or really inexpensive print-Braille storybooks?
WE know too how to make our own, and are very familiar with most of the
mainstream Braille book sources, but want to see if any of you have other
less known ideas.  

4. Are there any accessible bottle thermometers out there, or do any of you
have other techniques for gauging the temperature of a bottle?  I know this
isn't quite a blindness issue, but if we use a thermometer, it becomes one.
:)Any thoughts?

5.  Any good books, websites, or other resources in general that you as
blind people have found helpful to you as a parent which we should know
about?  

Thanks so much and we look forward to any suggestions you can send our way
and to future postings on this list. 

Sincerely,
Mary Jo T. Hartle

Mary Jo Thorpe-Hartle, MEd, NOMC

Director of Education 

Jernigan Institute
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 East Wells Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone: (410)659-9314 ext. 2407
Email: mhartle at nfb.org
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Visit www.nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org/>   

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