Hi Everyone

[rajurs29]

My name is Manisha and I live in Charlotte, NC. I am 7 month pregnant and have Spina Bifida. I wanted to join this group because i feel i need emotional support and ideas of raising a child on my own. I am soon going to be divorced from the baby's father and am scared to raise her by myself. I am going to have some help from my family but i have been reading some our your comments and feel that i should be able to get some good ideas.

Anyways i am rambling I guess :) Would love to hear from other single moms with spina bifida who are raising their kids on their own with little or no help.

I am glad I found this fourm.

Manisha

[Dodger67]

Welcome! :happy065:

Unfortunately I don't think I can really help with your question as I am only an uncle, not a parent.

Please give us more details about your SB and also put where you live in your profile.

[angel]

Welcome to the group. I also have SB and raised my son alone for he first 8 years of his life (he is now 12). Feel free to ask anything you like i am an open book. I will be glad to share experiences with you ideas or just listen if you need it. I have been in your shoes so i can relate.

Angel

[rajurs29]

Hi Angel thanks. I am just so nervous. I have been thinking so many things like how am i going to carry the baby or be able to play with her. I am trying to find a baby sitter right now but I am finding out that i cannot afford them. The closer the delivery date is coming the more worried I am becoming. You said you had SB; what kind do you have. I have meylomenengocyle (hope i spelled it correctly). I am partially paralyzed as well that's my main concern.

[carrieandcam]

Hi Manisha,
I also live in Charlotte Nc. I am also a single mom. I do not HAVE SB, but my son Cameron does. He is 8 yrs. old. Do you have any other children?
Send me a private message about where you live in Charlotte and maybe I can help you in some way.
I have an education in early childhood education and was just laid off from my job teaching Kindergarten.
I am now persuing a career as a "cap worker" for disabled children under the medicaid program.
Let me know If I can help you.
Carrie

[angel]

Hi Angel thanks. I am just so nervous. I have been thinking so many things like how am i going to carry the baby or be able to play with her. I am trying to find a baby sitter right now but I am finding out that i cannot afford them. The closer the delivery date is coming the more worried I am becoming. You said you had SB; what kind do you have. I have meylomenengocyle (hope i spelled it correctly). I am partially paralyzed as well that's my main concern.

I have SB myleo too. I can tell you as far as it went with me i couldn't leave the house without someone with me when my son was a baby because i couldn't carry him. I tried everyway under the sun and it just wasn't safe. When he learned to walk problem solved. I walk with crutches and am paralyzed from the ankles down. i can't walk a step without my crutches. I lived with my mom when he was a baby. not only did i need her help to carry him when we left the house, i was only 19 years old and knew nothing about being a mother. I didn't know how to feed him, change him, any of it. where does your paralysis begin?

Angel

[rajurs29]

I have SB myleo too. I can tell you as far as it went with me i couldn't leave the house without someone with me when my son was a baby because i couldn't carry him. I tried everyway under the sun and it just wasn't safe. When he learned to walk problem solved. I walk with crutches and am paralyzed from the ankles down. i can't walk a step without my crutches. I lived with my mom when he was a baby. not only did i need her help to carry him when we left the house, i was only 19 years old and knew nothing about being a mother. I didn't know how to feed him, change him, any of it. where does your paralysis begin?

Angel
My right reg is partially paralyzed from knee down and i have no feeling in my left leg. What you said is my biggest fear. How am i going to carry my child. You are right i definately need help and hopefully my parents can stay w/me until she starts walking but not sure yet. Once your son started walking did it get easier. Are there still some things you cannot do w/him ??

[rajurs29]

Hi Manisha,
I also live in Charlotte Nc. I am also a single mom. I do not HAVE SB, but my son Cameron does. He is 8 yrs. old. Do you have any other children?
Send me a private message about where you live in Charlotte and maybe I can help you in some way.
I have an education in early childhood education and was just laid off from my job teaching Kindergarten.
I am now persuing a career as a "cap worker" for disabled children under the medicaid program.
Let me know If I can help you.
Carrie
Hi Carrie I live in south charlotte; where do you live ?? Thanks for your support I really appreciate it :) What kind of SB does your son have ???

[carrieandcam]

Manisha,
Hi, I live in the Ballentyne area. ( near Rea Rd.) Do you live near there?
I have been in the childcare field for many years,( recently lost my job) and I am currently applying for a position working with handicapped children AND adults . The company/program is called "Theraputic Services Group".
If you qualify for services, due to your SB, THEY may provide FREE in home childcare for you since you have SB and need help. At the least, they would provide SOME type of help for you. ( if you qualify)
Are you on medicaid?? Or SSI? I think you have to be on one of those programs to qualify.
Here is there # # 704-332-2986. Ask for Sara. ( she is SOO nice and helpful) Just explain your circumstances and see if they can help.
Where in S. Charlotte are you? Near me? Maybe I can help you with your baby.
Carrie

[angel]

My right reg is partially paralyzed from knee down and i have no feeling in my left leg. What you said is my biggest fear. How am i going to carry my child. You are right i definately need help and hopefully my parents can stay w/me until she starts walking but not sure yet. Once your son started walking did it get easier. Are there still some things you cannot do w/him ??

When he started walking everything was fine! I got one of those little harness things that go around their chest that has the leash (for lack of a better word) that comes out of the back of it. That made it easier for me to keep up with him when we went somewhere because i couldn't hold his hand i had to have them for my crutches. He couldn't get away from me that way. A lot of people don't like those things they think it is not right to have a baby harness on a child but when you are in our situation you do what works. After he started walking there was nothing i couldn't do for him, other than carry him around. Once he started walking he had to walk if we went somewhere but he didn't mind not being carried around.
Now when he was a baby if i needed to get him from one place to another I did use the baby holder that goes overy your sholders and holds the baby to your chest. I am sure you have seen other parents with these. Now if you are a wheelchair user then you can use one of those and it shouldn't be a problem. I couldn't use it when i walked because i bend over so much he would have fallen out of it. In a wheelchair it is nice to use because you can carry your baby and still have your hands free to move your chiar. This is how i moved him about the house when he was an infant until he was old enough to sit up then i would sit him in my lap and put an arm around him so he didn't fall. It took a little while to get from point A to point B but in the house there is no rush.
The main thing i learned is that there are a million different ways to do whatever you need to do. You will figure out what works for you. It is hard to imagine, a lot of it you will figure out of necessity. Mothers are great like that.
Since he has been old enough to help me do things he does. That is so funny because he helps me as much as i help him. He is 12 years old now a full foot taller than me so he is great about reaching things for me in the store. He helps carry grocery bags etc... We are a team and a lot of it, i think, goes back to us working together to figure out how to get around in this world. Since he was 3 he would carry little things like my purse or a small bag because he "wanted to help" kids want to help do everything. It will all be fine. The baby stage is the hardest because they are not at all able to do for themselves. Since my son was a toddler i have been teaching him how to do the things he can for himself. Not that i couldn't do it, but to help him be an independent person.

Angel

[rajurs29]

[QUOTE=carrieandcam;6063]Manisha,

[rajurs29]

Manisha,
Hi, I live in the Ballentyne area. ( near Rea Rd.) Do you live near there?
I have been in the childcare field for many years,( recently lost my job) and I am currently applying for a position working with handicapped children AND adults . The company/program is called "Theraputic Services Group".
If you qualify for services, due to your SB, THEY may provide FREE in home childcare for you since you have SB and need help. At the least, they would provide SOME type of help for you. ( if you qualify)
Are you on medicaid?? Or SSI? I think you have to be on one of those programs to qualify.
Here is there # # 704-332-2986. Ask for Sara. ( she is SOO nice and helpful) Just explain your circumstances and see if they can help.
Where in S. Charlotte are you? Near me? Maybe I can help you with your baby.
Carrie
I live in the whitehall area so very close to you infact I used to live in Ballantyne couple of years ago. I havent' applied for those programs but will be considering them after the baby is born. Thanks for the # wil call them just in case they can help me. Do you have an email address i would love to start emailing you and may be we could meet someday.

[carrieandcam]

Hi Manisha,
I sell Avon and actually have a customer that lives in WhiteHall! What a small world huh??
here is my email, then I will give you my phone #. I would love to meet you. ( Especially now since I am "in-between" jobs I actaually have TIME to do fun stuff again! )

Carrie6615@gmail.com