In the beginning, it was all about the swing.
Emmy needed perpetual movement and the only way we could put her down was if she was swinging. She even slept in the swing for the entire first year of her life. It was a lifesaver.
Our first swing was battery operated, but it quickly became apparent that we'd be eating through A LOT of batteries and it might be cheaper to just invest in a plug-in swing. We were correct. That said, we would end up burning out not one, but two motors because she swung so much. Fortunately, Fisher Price was always very accommodating and stood behind their product. We were reimbursed both times we had to replace swings due to burnt out motors.
We loved the Fisher-Price Cradle N' Swing Starlight the most. In addition to cradling her nicely and swinging, it also had rotating star lights which were great for visual stimulation.
She eventually would go on to start batting at the hanging stars when she was about 1 to 1.5 years old. And we added all kinds of fun toy. . .koosh balls, bells, beads to entertain her as well. When we'd check into the hospital, we'd bring the swing.
When we'd travel, we'd make arrangements in advance to have a swing available. There was never the option of going without a swing. It was our saving grace. But alas, in Feb. 2013 when Emmy turned two and had gotten quite large for the swing (long really), it was retired.
It was at this age that we tried the Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair
I can't say enough good things about this chair. It's great for young SN children with no head control and low trunk tone. It reclines, has a high back, it is lightweight and small to take anywhere, has good secure straps and it is inexpensive.
It also has a big tray for feeding, toys, iPad, etc.
I wish I could say we got a lot of use out of it, but Emmy really didn't tolerate it much at all. But in theory, it was great and I would highly recommend it for others!
For her first two years, we also attempted the combination of a Huggabebe support with a Bumbo. This was another seating solution she was not fond of. However, we also really liked this because it really positioned and supported her nicely.
It was also a great way to keep her head safely supported, but give her enough room to move and work on head control. Of course, this was never something we could leave her in unattended, but rather, we used it more as a therapeutic option. She, on the other hand, was NOT interested in therapy and would often fall right to sleep if she wasn't screaming to get out.
Sadly, Huggabebes have been discontinued and are hard to find. But they are out there used and I highly recommend them. We passed ours along to another family that seems to be getting great use out of it.
Currently, our most coveted chair is a Fisher-Price Comfy Time Bouncer. Emmy tolerates this chair best of any, as long as you are bouncing her.
Fortunately, we've figured out how to efficiently bounce her with one foot so other tasks can be done simultaneously. The bouncer is currently irreplaceable and the only way to get her to fall asleep for naps and at night. It's also effective since she is still receiving a nighttime feed when she falls asleep and it keeps her adequately inclined to avoid reflux and spit up.
Once her feeding is finished, we can safely transfer her into her bed and usually avoid waking her too much. However, if she wakes during the night, it's back to the bouncer to get her back to sleep, which can sometimes take hours, although on a good night only 30 minutes. The vibration feature on the bouncer is also quite appreciated. Sadly, she is quickly outgrowing the bouncer and we fear for the day it no longer works for her. Her head already hangs over the top, her bottom nearly hits the ground and the incline is nearly flat because she weighs it down so much. Please Fisher-Price, make a bigger bouncer!
About a year ago, as we saw that she was getting big for the bouncer, we began looking for other options. We stumbled upon the Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker and quickly swooped one up. Her first trial went well and we thought we had bought a little more time since it would accommodate her for longer than the bouncer.
We quickly learned this was not the case and the rocking motion (as opposed to bouncing) was not adequate for her. The rocker now resides in our garage. Once the bouncer is done-zo, we'll pull it out and try again.
As she gets bigger, the need for Special Needs equipment becomes increasingly necessary as she outgrows the baby products but continues to need the support they offer. Here's where everything leaps in price and often isn't covered by insurance because it's considered a luxury item and not "medically necessary". Don't get me started on this debate. . .
So that brings us to the soft floor sitters. These are quite common in the SN world and we've actually been fortunate enough to have a Special Tomato Soft Touch Sitter on loan from one of our therapists since Emmy was very small.
These chairs are quite pricey, seldom covered by insurance, but so critical for children who can't sit on their own. Similar to the Special Tomato is the Tumble Forms Feeder Seat which Emmy uses at feeding therapy and school.
They are both very similar in how they work, cost, etc. And with much diligence despite many tears, Emmy is slowly coming around and starting to tolerate this chair for longer lengths of time (as long as you are keeping her entertained).
Some days she can handle 5 minutes, other days she can knock out 45 minutes. We have high hopes for this chair though because it's so versatile. You can put it on the couch, in a wagon, strap it to a dining room chair, etc.
She'll soon be outgrowing the one she has now and need a bigger size, so we'll be saving our pennies for that, or praying some other generous organization decides to lend us a bigger one.
You can also use it with a tray.
The biggest, most technical seat we've gotten thus far is the Squiggles Seating System. This thing is no joke. It comes with two bases, one that essentially makes it a supportive stroller (aka wheelchair) and another which allows it go high or low, so she can pull up to the dining room table or be low enough to interact with someone at floor level. Insurance paid for this chair, fortunately, because with all the bells and whistles it was about $11,000. They will not pay for another "wheelchair" for 5 years, so regardless of how well it works for us, we are stuck with it. Emmy does not like sitting in it. She will handle it for short rides as long as we are moving. The minute we stop, she complains.
But it's a good chair, is very adjustable and customizable to her and will continue to grow with her. Because it's so adjustable, it's a bit confusing and complex to figure out without an engineering degree. But with the help of YouTube, instruction manuals, and other SN moms with the same chair, we are slowly getting familiar enough with it. The biggest downfall of this chair is its weight! I struggle to lift it in and out of the trunk of our SUV. It's cumbersome and I fear for hurting myself nearly every time I move it. . .fearing I will lose a finger as I try to fold it up or permanently injure my back lifting it in and out. It's also quite bulky and takes up the entire cargo space. But I think for now, it's the best of the options out there, so we are thankful we have it.
I had also heard a lot about "corner chairs" and how great they were. I started researching and quickly learned it'd be about a thousand dollars to buy one (and I'm not exaggerating). So I started hunting for an inexpensive used one. I asked on an equipment exchange board and scored. I found one for only $50! However, it was too good to be true, the deal fell through, the woman decided to keep it and I was bummed. So I continued to search and finally found one on eBay for $250. It was still an investment, but considerably cheaper than trying to buy one new, so I did it. I can't say it's been a bad investment, because it's a great chair and we are using it. But again, she doesn't love it. Ok. . .she doesn't even like it.
But it puts her in a great position, pushing her shoulders forward and helping her work on getting her arms midline.
She has room to grow and the chair is adjustable, so we will keep working on this one for awhile. It also has a tray, albeit small, so that's helpful.
That brings us to the final chair in our arsenal which we just received this week. It's the Childrite Therapy Chair. It's similar to a Bumbo, but much larger, heavier and more stable, and with a higher back for support for the head and trunk. It's also about 10 times more expensive than the Bumbo. . .go figure. But I asked around on an equipment exchange group and was able to find one for $100.
We are still in the early phases of getting to know this chair and Emmy is not convinced it is for her. But I really like the position it puts her in, she has room to grow, and I hope she learns to appreciate it to finally give her some sitting independence.
All that said, her favorite chair remains the unequivocal human in all its endless varieties.
