Basic Home Accommodations for You and Your Baby When You Have a Disability

Written by Emily Graham | Mighty Moms

From a new sleep schedule to learning to budget for three, becoming a parent comes with all sorts of new challenges. However, one of the most difficult is ensuring that your home is perfectly safe for your baby. To prepare both your life and your home for your little bundle of joy, there are certain steps you should follow, particularly if you have a disability. Here are some key tips from CLEbaby to help you stay on track as you prepare for the arrival of your little one, as well as several resources you can look into for advice if you need an additional helping hand.

If you’re preparing for or have recently welcomed your bundle of joy, the doulas at CLEbaby can help your family thrive. We offer birth doula support, postpartum doula support and overnight care, childbirth education classes, and sleep training services. If you’re looking for support for your growing family, contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Accessibility Accommodations for Your Home

The first thing you need to do before welcoming a new life into your home is to make sure that you are able to properly navigate your own home. If you or your partner have a disability of your own, it is important that you are able to get around your house without issues. Most importantly, you need easy access to where your baby sleeps. Due to the irregular sleep patterns of babies, it is likely that you will have to make a trip to your baby at night. That means it is all the more important that you are able to get around without any kinds of issues. Keep pathways clear of toys, clothes, and other clutter so you won’t have to dodge them in the dark. A night light may help you find your way — choose one that is tinted on the reddish side of the spectrum, as opposed to blue, to make sure that it does not interrupt your sleep.

Depending on your disability, you may have different needs for the rest of the house. Take the time to take stock of what you can do easily and what actions cause you more difficulty. For instance, if you have trouble going up steps, you may want to replace them by installing a ramp leading up to your front door. As you go around your house, ask yourself if you would be able to comfortably move around while holding your child while keeping them safe.

 Tips for new parents in a wheelchair

If you are in a wheelchair or just need more space when you go from room to room, you may want to install expandable hinges on the doors to make the entrances to your rooms wider.  Finally, dealing with spills and other potentially slippery accidents is part of being a parent, but if you actively have trouble walking on slippery floors, you may want to install mats made from grippable surfaces that will help you maintain your balance. This can be useful if your floors are made from wood or tile, which can be incredibly slippery, particularly after you clean them.

Also, don’t rule out the possibility of purchasing a new, accessible home that can easily accommodate your needs and the needs of your growing family. To get started, spend some time researching the Cleveland housing market and figure out how much area houses sell for on average (approximately $85,000). Then, reach out to a real estate agent (preferably one with experience selling accessible properties) to get the ball rolling.

Keep Your Home Safe for Your Baby

As you make sure your home is completely safe for your accessibility needs, make sure you pay attention to the needs of your child. While your newborn will not yet be able to move around, before you know it, they will begin crawling. Babies and toddlers can hurt themselves easily, so cover up sharp corners in your homes and consider covering hard flooring with soft floor rugs. Keep wires organized and away from your child’s reach, and be sure to put away small things your baby may be able to fit in their mouth, like coins, earbuds, and pen caps. Baby gates can regulate where your baby goes, preventing them from entering certain areas of the house.

By properly balancing accommodations for your needs and safety protocol for your baby, you will be able to raise your child in a safe and loving manner.