[blparent] Stroller Fail!

Thu Mar 17 13:50:57 UTC 2016

I know ours were in the back carrier while out.  When putting it on, say, after trying on clothes, I would lift it to a dressing room bench or some place tall enough so I could get down and into the straps.  I don't remember this being an issue, and kept them on my back most of the time we were out.

At church, when getting ready to leave, the pack would be on a pew where I could get into the straps.  

Judy

-----Original Message-----
From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J. via BlParent
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 5:00 AM
To: Blind Parents Mailing List
Cc: Julie J.
Subject: Re: [blparent] Stroller Fail!

First a disclaimer...my son just moved into his first apartment this past weekend.  So what I know about baby equipment is probably outdated!

When he was really little I put him in a front carrier.  It was winter and this also worked to keep him warm.  I'd put my coat around both of us.

Then when he was perhaps 6 months or so I used a stroller.  I pulled it backwards, but tipped it so it was only on the back wheels.  The stroller I bought only had the front wheels that swiveled.  It was reasonably easy to keep it going in a straight line.  I also found that strollers with a single handle across worked better than the type with two individual handle grips.

I also used a back carrier.  It was comfortable and fairly easy for me to physically carry.  The difficulty was getting it on and off.  At home I'd set it on the dining room table and just stoop a bit to get it on, but rarely is there a table when you're out shopping.  Mostly I used the back carrier for leisure walking.

Oh, then when he was a toddler I used an old fashioned red wagon.  I still have it.  One of the few things I kept from back then.

Happy travels!
Julie
Courage to Dare: A Blind Woman's Quest to Train her Own Guide Dog is now available! Get the book here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXZSMOC
-----Original Message-----
From: Allison via BlParent
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 10:27 PM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Cc: Allison
Subject: [blparent] Stroller Fail!

Hi Everybody,

My daughter, Allyssa, is 9 weeks old now. I love my baby. It turns out that I also love getting out of my house sometimes. I had a lot of great plans for this when I was pregnant, plans about how I could successfully get out in the world with my child, and I can now safely say that almost none of them have worked out. LOL.

I tried a bunch of strollers at a local store before my daughter, Allyssa, was born. I bought a Graco Click Connect in the end because it seemed like the best balance of usability and affordability that I could find at the time. It has a stroller with a car seat that clicks right into and out of it. I tested it at the store with my cane and verified that I could in fact pull it behind me. I also tried it on the sidewalk in front of my house when I brought it home. Great, right? Yeah, only great because it did not yet have a baby in it. I tried it with said baby in it last weekend and it was less than successful. The stroller now wobbles and wavers when I try to pull it behind me. It is only slightly less awful when I pull it next to me, but when it's next to me, I worry that my cane arc isn't wide enough to safely cover me and baby both because the stroller takes up a lot of space.
Moreover, the stroller was nearly impossible to manage when encountering anything other than a 100% flat surface, and turning or changing directions was something like trying to heard cats. As a result, I've mostly been wearing Allyssa in a front carrier when I'm out. I like this option a lot because she's safe, my hands are free, and Allyssa likes it, but I'm worried that my body won't allow me to wear her as she grows heavier. Pretty much every carrier I've tried pulls on my neck or shoulders at least a little.
Sooner or later, I will probably want to travel with her in a stroller. And so far, the stroller has been a bit of a fail as it zigs and zags all over the place. I could buy a new one, but buying multiple strollers will get expensive quickly. Does anyone have any solutions for this stroller craziness? Does it get better somehow? Will I become that blind mom who never leaves the house alone with her kids? Please please tell me that is not my future. If I start to think that it is, I may be tempted to drown myself in my breast milk. So please share some words of wisdom!

Thanks,
Allison

_______________________________________________
BlParent mailing list
BlParent at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
BlParent:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.com

-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2265 / Virus Database: 4365/11318 - Release Date: 03/15/16 

_______________________________________________
BlParent mailing list
BlParent at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for BlParent:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/judy.jones%40icbvi.idaho.gov