[blparent] use of equipment and devices for blind parrents

Sat Aug 30 16:34:22 UTC 2014

Hi.  I had a Snugglee and also a Baby Bjorn backpack, but honestly, I didn't 
find either one very useful.  I suppose it just depends on your lifestyle 
and how everything plays out for you.  My baby was born at the beginning of 
March, and I had moved to a new neighborhood during my pregnancy when winter 
was upon me, so I hadn't learned to go very many places on my own yet.  I 
found the Snugglee awkward to get into and out of, and my baby didn't seem 
to be comfortable in the Baby Bjorn.  Thankfully, I had bought both of them 
used and didn't spend a lot of money.  My advice would be to go to a store 
where you can try different items on before you buy so you can figure out 
what works for you and what is cumbersome from the start.

By the time my child and I hit the road together in earnest, she was 
toddling, so I made good use of a child harness.  It consisted of a stuffed 
animal backpack that she wore and a soft leash that I held in my hand.  I 
found the leash to be too short, so sometimes I lengthened it by addingone 
of those retractible dog leashes just for length by clipping it to the soft 
leash and then holding the handle of the retractible leash in my hand so I 
had control of how far my child went.  I know it might sound bad, using a 
dog leash, but she liked the freedom, and I only used it in environments 
where people were understanding, like at a church gathering where I knew 
everyone.  On the street, it was always the child harness alone.

Now my daughter is six, and we love going on outings together.  The early 
structure has paid off.  She is a great traveling companion.  I wish you the 
best in finding what works for your baby.  To tell the truth, my advice 
would be not to overdo it on specialized gadgets for the blind.  More often 
than not, you'll find that an ordinary household item will do the trick. 
Other than a talking thermometer, which I've only had to use a handful of 
times, I'm not sure I've gone out and bought anything blind-specific.  I did 
get a set of nested measuring spoons so I'd have a teaspoon, a half 
teaspoon, and so forth, but I think I just bought them at Target.

Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may 
kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at 
evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
-----Original Message----- 
From: Jesper Holten via blparent
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2014 4:07 AM
To: Judy Jones ; Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] use of equipment and devices for blind parrents

Hello Judy

and stargazer!
thank you so much for your experience. We will defenately use our
common sense bringing up our child but it is also good to hear other
blind parrents ways of doing things, so thank you very much for your
inputs.
Best regards, Jesper.

On 8/30/14, Judy Jones via blparent <blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> The unwind behavior pattern sounds so familiar, so true.  Parents know 
> their
>
> children best, in spite of what friends or family think.
>
> Our daughters were both so different.  The eldest was the giggly baby you
> could take anywhere, slept through the night after the first couple weeks, 
> a
>
> very easy baby.
>
> On the other hand, daughter 2 was just as lovable, but never slept through
> the night for the longest.  As a newborn, she would get over-stimulated in
> busy environments such as stores, noise of any kind, or groups of people,
> and start screaming.  I would have to go to a quiet place to calm her 
> down,
>
> then she would be fine.  We called her our "high needs" baby.  Today she 
> is
>
> a lovely independent 24-year-old, so being there for her when she was
> little, no matter how inconvenient, paid off.  I remember hearing that the
> more you cuddle and meet a baby's needs as they grow into toddlerhood, the
> more independent and self-directed they will be as children and adults,
> because they learn you are always there for them no matter when they cry, 
> if
>
> they cry, whatever the need is, you pop up.  It's a lot of wear and tear 
> on
>
> the parent, but definitely worth it when you see your adult children.
>
> Judy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Star Gazer via blparent
> Sent: Friday, August 29, 2014 2:37 PM
> To: 'Jesper Holten' ; 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Cc: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [blparent] use of equipment and devices for blind parrents
>
> Steve gave you excellent advice.
> What sorts of physical changes are you thinking about? It's hard to answer
> this question without knowing what you're thinking about.
> Gather data from different sources, but also remember to use your own head
> and heart and judgement. I thought of using slings with both my girls. 
> When
> they were born, I just couldn't. The inner voice we all have just told me
> no. So I didn't use them. If you and your wife are ok with slings, then 
> use
> them.
> You have common sense, intelligence and life experience. That doesn't go
> away when you have a baby. You also have love, so you may do things that
> make sense for your family. My older daughter needs to unwind when we come
> home. The time of day doesn't matter, it could be 5 p.m. or it could be
> much
> later. The wind-down process is the same, she needs to walk around, talk,
> sometimes draw, and it's clear if you know her, she's getting ready for
> sleep. It probablhy would look like a kid stalling about bedtime to 
> anybody
> but us, and I'm sure it sounds like that to some of you reading.
> You'll get it all figured out I'm sure.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jesper
> Holten via blparent
> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 4:22 AM
> To: blparent at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [blparent] use of equipment and devices for blind parrents
>
> Dear all.
> I and my wife are expecting our baby in December and have started 
> preparing
> for the addition to our Family. We are both completely blind and we would
> like to get input on what some of you have been buying, when it comes to
> equipment and devices games, changes to the house etc?
> 1. We will be living in a house with a ground floor and a first floor
> containing bedrooms and the master bathroom. And we plan to install a gate
> at the staircase later when the Little one starts to move around on his
> own.
> Changing dibers will most likely happen in the bathroom but what kind of
> setup have you been using?
> 2. We are planning to use a baby carrier for longer transports maybe a
> backpack. We are also consdering a baby sling but would like input on what
> type. THere has been some concerns about the use of baby slings especially
> for newborns, and we would like som input on this as well.
> 3. If you have ideas on any physical changes we should consider making or
> ways to prepare for the baby all suggestions are welcome.
>
> 4. We will get consultancy from a professional at the Institute for the
> Blind here in Denmark Here in Denmark there are a few totally blind 
> couples
> but we imagine that there are a larger Group in the US where both parrents
> are blind.
> Thank you in advance,
> Best regards, Jesper
>
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