Accessible Baby products for Parents with Disabilities | BraunAbility (2024)

If you’re getting ready to welcome a baby, chances are you’ve asked a few parents about their must-have baby products or started a baby registry. Even with a few months to prepare, the list of baby products to purchase can seem endless. From a car seat and stroller to a crib, changing table, and clothes, any parent has a lot to consider when preparing for a baby, but parents with disabilities will also need to consider the accessibility of baby products. This guide compiles essential baby products while providing an in-depth look at the accessibility features of each item.

Infant Car Seats for Parents with Physical Disabilities

When bringing a newborn home from the hospital, a car seat is essential. Parents with disabilities might find it easier to use a car seat that remains in the car, paired with a bassinet-style stroller attachment, to avoid moving the car seat in and out. Others may prefer a traditional car seat that detaches from its base and latches into a stroller. Rotating and convertible car seats also provide accessibility to parents with disabilities. A few car seats to consider include:

Nuna Pipa Aire RX

• Design: The Nuna Pipa Aire RXweighs 6.2 pounds—the lightest in Nuna’s Pipa range. Nuna measures car seat weight without the infant insert or shade canopy.
• Features:Magnetic buckle holders on the side of the car seat keep straps out of the way when getting a child in the car seat. The harness adjusts without rethreading, making it easier for parents with limited dexterity.
• Price:~$550. The Nuna Pipa RX without the magnetic buckle holders offers similar functionality for about $450.

Nuna Revv

• Design: The Nuna Revv is a convertible car seat suitable for newborns to toddlers, accommodating both rear and forward-facing positions for children up to forty pounds.
• Features:The seat rotates to facilitate easier access to the child, which may be ideal for parents with disabilities when getting a child in or out of a car.
• Price:~$650

Baby Strollers for Wheelchair-Using Parents

After choosing a car seat, consider a stroller. Choosing the same brand of car seat and stroller can cut costs through the purchase of a travel system. However, mixing brands may be necessary to meet both accessibility and practicality needs for disabled parents and their children.

Nuna Mixx Next

• Design:The Nuna Mixx Next is a single stroller.
• Features:Compatible with the previously mentioned Nuna Pipa car seats, as well as other brands with suitable adapters. The stroller's newborn-compatible seat eliminates the need to take a car seat in and out of the car. It also features a non-rethread harness for easy adjustments as your child grows and self-guiding magnetic buckles, which may be ideal for parents with dexterity challenges.
• Price:~$525

Bugaboo Donkey 5

• Design: The Bugaboo Donkey 5 is asingle-to-double side-by-side stroller, great for growing families, or parents of twins.
• Features:The stroller supports two infant car seats or bassinets, a mix of a child seat and an infant car seat or bassinet, or two child seats. Each seat can be individually adjusted to face the parent or face outward, ideal for keeping both kids within arm's reach rather than spaced apart as in a tandem setup.
• Price:~$1,860

If you’re looking for strollers with similar features at lower price points, consider:

• The Baby Jogger City Mini GT2:Like the Nuna Mixx Next. The Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 does require an infant car seat for newborns, but its parking brakes are hand-operated, which may be helpful for parents who use wheelchairs.
• The Cybex Gazelle S:Like the UPPAbaby Vista V3, the Cybex Gazelle S offers similar seat configurations at a lower price point.
• The Valco Baby Trend Duo:Like the Bugaboo Donkey 5, the Valco Baby Trend Duo offers side-by-side seating but lacks adjustable seat directions, defaulting to outward-facing.

Accessible Baby Carriers

Baby carriers, slings, and wraps are popular among parents for their benefits—encouraging bonding between parent and child and offering convenience by allowing parents to complete tasks hands-free. These carriers can be particularly helpful for parents with disabilities, as they enable them to keep their hands free for using mobility aids while still holding their child. Baby carriers to consider include:

Ergobaby Omni 360 Baby Carrier

• Design: The Ergobay Omni 360 is a newborn compatible multi-position baby carrier.
• Features: This baby carrier has four carrying positions—front-inward, front-outward, hip, and back. The carrier has buckles and straps to adjust, which may need to be taken into consideration for parents with disabilities.
• Price: ~$179

Baby K’tan Original Carrier

• Design:The Baby K'tan Original Carrier is a newborn compatible wrap-style carrier.
• Features: This carrier has pre-done loops, offering a buckle-free, strap-free option that’s easier to put on than traditional baby wraps or carriers. It comes in specific sizes, so you might need different sizes for each parent or caregiver.
• Price: ~$60

Making A Baby Nursery Accessible

Whether parents are changing diapers or putting their baby down for a nap, there are many items to consider when making a nursery accessible.

Wheelchair Accessible Cribs

Wheelchair accessible cribs can be hard to find and often come at a steeper price point. Still, there are a few crib styles to consider including traditional cribs and travel cribs for parents with disabilities.

Baby Delight Beside Me Dreamer

• Design:The Baby Delight Beside Me Dreamer is a bassinet
• Features:The side zipper provides easy access so parents can avoid lifting their child up and over the basinet.
• Price: ~$180

The Gertie Crib

• Design:The Gertie Crib is a wooden-style crib specifically designed for wheelchair users and those with stature-related disabilities like dwarfism.
• Features:Outward-opening doors provide easy access, eliminating the need to lift the baby over the side of the crib.
• Price:~$2,500. Insurance isn't accepted directly, but some parents can file a claim for reimbursement.

Diapering and Changing Your Baby

Did you know babies use about 3,000 diapers in their first year? With the inevitable smells and squirmy little ones, you'll want to make diaper changes as quick and easy as possible. A few products to consider for diaper changing include:

Wheelchair Accessible Changing Tables

Parents with disabilities often choose desks over traditional changing tables in nurseries. Desks provide roll-under access for wheelchair users. Some desks have adjustable-height options to accommodate both standing and seated diaper changes, ideal for families with ambulatory partners. Multiple desks are available online, in big box stores, or secondhand to suit individual needs.

Disability-Friendly Changing Pads

A traditional changing pad is a dependable and budget-friendly option that meets most parents' needs. However, alternatives can offer extra convenience when cleaning, which may be helpful to parents with disabilities.

Feeding Your Baby

There are various products to make feeding easier for parents with disabilities, whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. While not all products are essential, a few can be particularly helpful for parents with disabilities.

Nursing Pillows

A few different styles of nursing pillows to choose from include:

Boppy Pillow

• Design: A less firm nursing pillow, some parents prefer the Boppy for its ease of use, or even for travel.
• Features: A C-shaped pillow, the Boppy wraps around the parent to assist in supporting the baby while nursing. Unlike the My Breast Friend pillow, the Boppy has no snaps, buttons, buckles, or zippers.
• Price: ~$30

Bottle Feeding

If you plan to bottle feed on a regular basis, or if preparing bottles is a challenge due to a disability, consider: