What will it be like as a disabled mom-to-be?

Question

I am a wheelchiar user with neuro impariment (left side hemi, fairly useless legs though I can still work the brake/accelerator wiht my right foot). I can walk with braces and crutches but not very well, they hurt and they annoy me so I tend not to use them. I am an active, aglie chair user, and and amateur racer so I am quite fit, if a bit overweight. I have a very strong upper body and can bench 168.

My husband and I would like to have a baby and I find there isn't much information out there for mothers who are wheelchair users. If I ask medical professionals they tend to have really stupid attitudes, like, 'Why do you want a baby?' or complete surprise, disbelief. Actually alot of them are stunned when they find out I am married- disability awareness seems to be as bad if not worse among doctors in this country- but that's another rant.

What I want to know is how different will it be for me as a chair user to carry a baby? I have a 4" chair squeeze, will I have to change chairs? Will my sitting position cause problems with the preganancy? Will I be able to carry to term? Please don't say 'ask your doctor' because they just don't know.

Thanks

Answer 1

If you have a genetic disease that your could pass on to your offspring, or you don't think that you could carry a baby to term then I suggest adopting. You could still be a mom but you wouldn't have to be pregnant. Of course, if you think you could carry a baby to term and you want to then I think you should. Find a doctor who sees you as a person and talk to them.

Answer 2

doctors DO know, you just haven't found the right one yet.... have a look here...

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Be-Guide-Pr...

http://dawn.thot.net/wwd_parenting.html

http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/asia/r...

http://www.dppi.org.uk/journal/48/resear...

I didn't have time this morning to scan all these and others for you, so there may be some material that is NOT what you'd want to know or read in here, too... tho, I believe you should have ALL the info you can handle.....

best wishes to you!!.... you'll do fine!!!

edit... got these sites on Google... here.... there's more!...

http://www.google.com/search?q=pregnancy...

Answer 3

You will only find the answers to these question by having a baby, but do you really want to have one bad enough to put yourself, your husband and the child through it all? Being disabled ( I call it "differently abled", not disabled), your resourcefullness and patience will be severly tested. It will be well worth it if you have the strength, if you don't think you can, then enjoy babies from afar. A word about asking your Dr., talk to as many medical pple as you can, there are ways to do things most able bodied pple wouldnt think of. And if you can find a person in a wheelchair who has done it, they're probably your best source of info.  

Answer 4

Women in a wheelchair can have relatively normal pregnancies. You should be able to carry to term and you should be able to deliver normally. You might want to find a doctor who has worked with a woman in a wheelchair before so that you can have the support you need and they can answer the questions that many just do not know the answer to. I'm sorry that you had to encounter doctors with that attitude.  

Answer 5

I can't see any reason why you shouldn't have a baby and best of luck to you.  I'm sure there must be other people who are wheel chair bound who have had children successfully.  You may need to use a bassonnet for longer (ie no having to get too far down in the cot) but essentially if you can have your husbands support to do the bits you can't then go for it!

Try this website for more info on the pregnancy part - hope this helps

http://disabilitystudies.syr.edu/resourc...

Answer 6

You know, I have no idea, but I just wanted to offer you support.

I googled some stuff, and here's what I came up with.  A longer, more thorough search may provide better sources.