How does one prepare to be a Mother with a Disability?

I am 24 years old and in a committed relationship that will likely turn into a marriage within the foreseeable future. Also in the foreseeable future, we would like to have at least one biological child. Sometimes, just to see what sorts of decisions I might have to make in being a mother or what kinds of concerns I should have, I look at parenting websites and/or baby product reviews. A few days ago, I stumbled across this product review.
The product itself is used to prop up a baby bottle when the mother does not have both arms or hands free. Granted, I have heard a lot about how bottle-propping can be unsafe if it is done unmonitored. The comments on the post reflect this concern. However, a few comments do raise the issue of mothers who may not have the use of both hands and arms to feed a child as a result of a disability. I read the review because I know a young mother with sickle cell anemia, which can often cause severe pain in one’s limbs. She has said that sometimes, during flare-ups, that bottle-propping is one of the few ways that she can feed her son. She monitors him closely, but sometimes, she just finds it impossible to hold him or the bottle.


But the post also made me think about the larger issue that I feel will impact me someday, when I am a mother. I do not have a physical disability, but a mental illness. Many of my friends who are mothers are physically disabled. And it really makes me think about the way society treats disabled mothers, especially those who were disabled prior to having a child. There is a strong undercurrent of thought, at least to me, that it is often acceptable to opine that PWDs in general (and especially women with disabilities) should not have children. If your body is limited or flawed in a way that makes it disabled, then it seems publicly acceptable to speculate on your ability to be a parent. If you are wheelchair, scooter , cane, or crutch-bound, it seems ok to inquire how you can keep up with a toddler or small child. If you have days where you are incapacitated or bed or house-bound, it’s ok to suggest that you are missing out on your child’s life. If you are disabled by a mental illness, it’s ok to speculate that you may injure or kill your own child. If you take multiple medications or pills and keep them at home, people will opine that your child may be in danger in your home.
I shook my head reading the comments on that review. Regardless of whether someone believed the product to be a good one, it was very clear that many of the commentators did not even think to consider that to mothers with certain disabilities, such a product may be a welcome help. Honestly, knowing that if I had a child, he or she would grow up with at least one disabled parent and that such a fact would open my family up to a whole new host of criticism frightens me. If anyone on these boards has had such an experience or dealt with being a parent while also being a person with a disability, I would love to hear your thoughts. And anyone else who would like to comment as well!

Disclaimer: This post was written by a Feministing Community user and does not necessarily reflect the views of any Feministing columnist, editor, or executive director.

Join the Conversation