As a girl, I would fantasize about what kind of mother I would be when I had kids. In my mind’s eye, I could see myself romping around on the front lawn with my toddler, playing catch, and running up and down the soccer pitch, cheering my child on.

My reality turned out a little bit different to say the very least. In my early 20s, I was involved in a car accident, which resulted in a brain injury. When I regained consciousness, I had to relearn some of the most basic physical activities, such as walking, feeding myself, and going to the bathroom. It was unbelievably difficult, but I was determined to regain my independence. I managed to get to the point of being able to care for myself, so I graduated from college, moved into my own apartment, and got a job.

The only area that I continue to have problems with is walking. It feels like my brain and my legs won’t communicate properly. Sometimes the two cooperate but most of the time they don’t, so I can’t walk for long distances unaided.

When I fell pregnant, it was a bittersweet moment. I had always wanted to have children, but now I was terrified about how I would manage given my limited mobility. I worried that it would hold my child back and prevent him or her from having a normal life. I became a bit depressed, thinking that I would be a bad mom, and my child would resent me.

For the thousandth time, my husband came to the rescue. This man, who had shown me the true meaning of unconditional love, was determined not to let me engage in negative self-talk. When I shared my doubts with him, he refused to entertain them.

He said that he knew I was going to be an amazing mother and that my limited mobility would not get in the way of that. Being a solution-oriented person, he began researching tips and devices to help me make the most of motherhood despite my physical limitations.

After my baby was born and I went home, all the confidence my husband had inspired in me went out the window. I was afraid I would be unable to cope with this awesome responsibility of caring for a little baby.

I was soon pleasantly surprised by how much my husband’s research paid off right away. We had looked at adaptive strollers that are compatible with mobility scooters, and there were more options available than you might think.

I could go out shopping like all the other proud mommies and have everyone coo over my baby instead of staring at me. When I wasn’t using the stroller, I had a hands-free baby carrier that allowed me to have my baby onboard my mobility scooter.

At first, I worried about how I would manage to get my baby into and out of the car by myself. I have a strong independent streak, and I like going places unaccompanied. The swivel base car seat my husband found online helped me a lot.

Once my son started walking, the next set of worries came into play. How would I catch up with him if he set off running as toddlers do? Somehow, I never needed to explain this to him because I was his ‘normal’ from the day he was born.

He knows now that his mommy is a bit different from his friends’ mommies, but he loves me just the way I am. This has given me the confidence to know that my limited mobility sets no boundaries on my love for my son.