[blparent] strollers

Tue Jan 10 19:08:44 UTC 2012

Well the first thing I'm going to do is take another look at my stroller, 
but it's just too hard to pull behind me, if I push it beside me, that works 
okay, but then you've got my dog, me, and the stroller, and on really wide 
sidewalks that works fine but on narrower sidewalks or ones that are really 
close to the street, not so well.  It's not that I'm not independent, it's 
that I haven't found anything but a backpack that works so far and like I 
said, as Dylan weighs about 30 pounds he's getting a little heavy.  Thought 
about a wagon but I'm not sure he'd stay in there for any length of time, 
depends on his mood.  Not sure where I got my backpack, do a Google search 
for baby backpack and it comes up with a lot of suggestions, if you need 
more help I'll try to see if I can look it up.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Lisamaria Martinez
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 11:58 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] strollers

Hi All,

I use two different strollers and I've used a variety of carriers.

When Erik was smaller, lighter and less fidgety I put him in the moby
wrap. I know many of you out there dislike it for its complexity but I
know there is at least one mamma out there who knows how awesome it is
to wrap your little one snug around you. And in reality, it isn't so
hard to put on. Obviously though it isn't for everyone.

I tried an Ergo but thought it didn't fit someone my height very well.
I couldn't get the back strap low enough to feel comfortable.

I fell in love with the Beco Butterfly and used it to commute back and
forth to daycare and work with Erik for 2 or 3 months. By the time he
got to be about 21 pounds I had to come up with another solution. I
get lots of headaches and the weight on my shoulders wasn't helping.

I've tried the Kelty once or twice, but not for any long periods of
times. Erik really liked being up high and seemed to be way less
fidgety in that backpack. Also, the straps seemed to put very little
weight on my shoulders.

If we have a second kid I'm going to try and get the Kelty and use it if I 
can.

As for strollers, which is the actual topic of this post, I've used
two and love both for different reasons. I am a cane user and I really
think that any blind parent can find a stroller/cane combo or
stroller/dog combo that works for them. It really comes down to how
comfortable you are traveling yourself.

I adore the City Mini Baby Jogger. I think jogging strollers are
easier to use because they turn so easily. They are also much easier
to control with one hand. I don't push from behind, but I do put the
sunshade cover down and place my hand on top of it and simply walk
right next to the stroller. That way, we're side by side. It is harder
to do this in a crowd or a narrow area so if the sunshade is down I
can walk ahead of the stroller and place my fingers, palm up, under
the lip of the sunshade and pull. The only thing is I get my heels
banged into frequently with the front wheel of the stroller.

I also use the McClairen Volo. I use this stroller everyday to take
the little dude to daycare. We go up and down elevators and escalators
with this stroller. It is like a fancier and better quality umbrella
stroller--very popular in Britain I hear. I do stand behind the
stroller and push. I use my cane over the stroller. I purchased a
longer cane so that I could find things before the stroller did. This
technique does require my cane in my hand as well as the stroller
handle. However, the handle curves upward and slightly in so I tend to
rest my wrist or lower forearm on top of the handle and use my cane.
When I need to push uphill I simply rest the very end of the cane
handle in my palm, or sometimes my fingers, and push with the cane and
stroller handle in my hand.

I know all of this sounds complicated but it is one of those things
you just have to get out there and get comfortable with on your own.
And who knows, you might come up with something totally different.

all I know is that there isn't one answer. And in fact, I really
encourage everyone to have two ways of schlepping your kid around.I
mean, if you carry your kid how do you deal with the kid at the
dentist? The OBGYN? And if you use a stroller, how do you pack the
stroller and the kid when you board a shuttle or a bus?

Just some thoughts to put out there.

LM

On 1/10/12, Veronica Smith <madison_tewe at spinn.net> wrote:
> Where did you get your backpack?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Peggy
> Sent: Monday, January 09, 2012 8:25 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blparent] strollers
>
> I use a guide dog not a cane put I would think both would be equally hard 
> to
>
> do, you're trying to keep yourself straight, the stroller straight, it was 
> a
>
> pain, so although my son's about 30 pounds now, I'll stick with the
> backpack.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Veronica Smith
> Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 9:17 PM
> To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [blparent] strollers
>
> That is funny, I suggested a backpack as well.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Peggy
> Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 7:22 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blparent] strollers
>
> A conventional stroller is almost impossible to use, they are harder to 
> use
> for sighted people as well.  I heard about getting a jogging stroller and
> found one for a reasonable price on Craig's list but even that isn't as 
> easy
> as people made it sound.  I tride pushing it, pulling it ... My advice for
> your friend ... get a backpack!!  Am very interested now to hear if any of
> you have used strollers and how.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Veronica Smith
> Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 10:01 PM
> To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Subject: [blparent] strollers
>
> A friend of mine who is blind and is or was a member here has recently 
> moved
> to NM and at the moment doesn't have internet.  She asked me to throw out 
> a
> question to you.
> Her baby, Sam, about 10 months now likes to go for rides in his stroller.
> Mom says how does a blind mom push or pull a conventional stroller?
> V
>
>
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