One-Handed Mom Finds Strength, Support in Disability
GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB – Kiaira Fedorus, a mother in Grande Prairie, Alberta, is challenging perceptions of motherhood while navigating it with a disability – having lost the full use of one hand due to a childhood illness. Initially consumed by anxieties about how she would manage basic childcare tasks, Fedorus has not only embraced motherhood but is now empowering other new mothers through her online platform, Mothers Inclusive, and a support group hosted at the Grande Prairie Public Library.
“When the time came for me to manage by myself,there was no overthinking,” fedorus recounted. She described the moment she first cared for her son alone,carefully maneuvering him into her arms. “I lifted his bottom half,slipped my left hand up his spine and held his neck in place while I leaned over to draw him to my chest. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief as we sat there together while he fell asleep in my arms.”
for nearly two years,Fedorus has adapted to the demands of motherhood – diaper changes,baths,and breastfeeding – utilizing innovative techniques to accomplish them with one hand. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by mothers with disabilities, and those experiencing anxiety around new motherhood, she launched Mothers Inclusive on Instagram. This initiative led to a partnership with the Grande Prairie Public Library, where she now facilitates a support group for mothers in the community.
“It’s been powerful to be able to support other mothers and to learn to give myself grace when I wonder how I’m going to figure out the next chapter of motherhood,” Fedorus said.
She views her disability not as a defining characteristic, but as a part of her journey. “I’ve always believed that my disability is not the entree but simply a side dish,” she explained. “In everything that life has given me so far, I have proven to myself that I am capable - but that it just might take me longer to do it with one hand.”
Looking back, Fedorus expressed only one regret: ”I wish I hadn’t been overwhelmed with worry and allowed myself to be in love with the idea of being a mom.”
