Official Breast Feeding Support Thread for WDW Parks

[kohlby]

DSNYMama - My supply completely disappears at a mere 4-5 weeks pg, but my nurslings still nursed. At around 20 weeks, my early colostrum started, so that got it up to low supply from no supply. So, no milk doesn't mean the end of nursing. I found nursing while pg to be harder than tandem nursing. I actually think not tandem nursing would have been harder than tandem! I had two pairs and they were different experiences. I went on to tandem my first two kids for 25 months. And the second pair, which included the middle child, for 3 years - so you know it couldn't have been that hard!

*I did nightwean my oldest before I got pg the first time around, but he still woke and took longer to fall asleep without. He continued the asking for over a year before I gave in - since then it was waking up the newborn. The second time around, I didn't try to nightwean and found night nursing two wasn't a big deal - other than feeling like a rotisserie chicken sometime!

The book "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" is a great resource.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Hello breastfeeding mamas. I'm still nursing my 27 month old and we just found out we are expecting baby #3. Does anyone have experience nursing through pregnancy? I'm not entirely sure I want to tandem nurse, but my son isn't ready to wean yet either... He's down to only nursing at bedtime, naptime, onece during the night, first thing in the morning, maybe once during the day, and if he's sick or gets hurt. I'm stuck between trying to gently wean before the new baby comes, or letting him continue. I do know oftentimes pregnancy can cause a decrease in milk supply (which I can already tell), so I'm really just hoping that my milk supply continues to decrease and he'll just wean on his own when there's no more milk.

My own experience was that once my milk supply severely dropped (around 25ish weeks), my son very quickly lost interest. He would ask to nurse, latch on, nurse for maybe 10 seconds, and then pop off and be done. After a few weeks of that, he stopped asking to nurse at all - he was completely weaned when I was 28 weeks pregnant. He was still nursing 4-5 times a day before I became pregnant, but once my milk was gone, he wasn't willing to sit still long enough to nurse simply for comfort.

To be honest, I thought I'd be very sad when he stopped, but I felt nothing but relief that he was done, at that point in my pregnancy.

 

[HulaMinnie]

I've left baby at home before(just for a weekend) and pumped at the parks in the babycare centers. But I just pumped and dumped(as much as it killed me I just didn't see how I could safely store it until I got home.)

I know it's months later, but the first aid centers will store your pump as well as your pumped milk in a refrigerator while you're at the parks! In every park, it looks like the first aid is right next to each baby care center. Pumps are considered medical devices. I even called guest relations to make sure, since we're leaving on New Years Day for our first trip with DS (4mo)! I exclusively pump and didn't want to lug around more than I have to at the parks and wouldn't want my nice pump to be damaged (I have the Ameda Purely Yours, which works great). I love pumping (not so much the cleanup) because he's doing so well with the consistency now, but it can be a hassle and I'm a little nervous about being punctual with my pumping at WDW. I'm mostly worried for Epcot because if we're all the way in "France" or something, it's a long trek to the baby care centers. Was this a problem for any of you EPs?

 

[Angel Ariel]

I know it's months later, but the first aid centers will store you pump as well as your pumped milk in a refrigerator while you're at the parks! In every park, it looks like the first aid is right next to each baby care center. Pumps are considered medical devices. I even called guest relations to make sure, since we're leaving on New Years Day for our first trip with DS (4mo)! I exclusively pump and didn't want to lug around more than I have to at the parks and wouldn't want my nice pump to be damaged (I have the Ameda Purely Yours, which works great). I love pumping (not so much the cleanup) because he's doing so well with the consistency now, but it can be a hassle and I'm a little nervous about being punctual with my pumping at WDW. I'm mostly worried for Epcot because if we're all the way in "France" or something, it's a long trek to the baby care centers. Was this a problem for any of you EPs?

I'm looking forward to hearing your report on how EPing went while you were in WDW! I am EPing as well, and we're taking DD (then 8months) in March. I'd be interested to know what your schedule of pumping was like and how manageable it was in the parks!

 

[olive]

I started another thread on this but Sweet Missy suggested I try posting here, too (thanks, Sweet Missy!).

Has anyone used an sns to nurse in the parks? Any tips? I can't nurse my son without the sns except first thing in the morning now that he is nearly 5 months old and eats a ton. I can't manage doing it discretely with my regular nursing cover, so I am guessing there will just have to be a bunch of stops at the baby center. That is a little stressful for me because he fusses while eating when he knocks the tube out or locks it or similar. I would love to hear from anyone who has used An sns/lact aid at the parks.

We are flying out Saturday so I am really focused on getting this figured out in advance.

Thanks!!

 

[HulaMinnie]

Just got back from EPing around WDW! That seemed to be the easiest part of the trip (the hard part was how crowded it was and trying to time it so DS was awake when we wanted to go on rides). I pump six times a day, so the first two pumping sessions were at our hotel. I would have loved to have gotten to the parks earlier but DS (4 months) takes a long nap in the morning after his first feeding and we felt that that was more important for his stamina. When we got to each park, the first thing we'd do is go to the baby care and first aid centers. Some days, depending on the timing, I'd pump first thing at the parks while DH fed DS. After, I'd just leave my pump and my breast milk with the nurses at first aid. They were all incredibly nice. If I remember correctly, HS and AK first aid centers had fridges. The other two had coolers or would put bags of ice around the milk. It wasn't a big deal at all.

We would go to the BCC for every feeding (usually once or twice per park visit) which I didn't mind. With the crowds, they were a nice respite and DS was able to get out of his car seat and play a bit. DS is hard to feed and only eats lying flat on his back most of the time, so it was easiest to go to the BCC every time. I'd pump in the nursing room and there were other rooms for DH and DS to go. I never had a problem finding an outlet for my pump and I would use the Medela pump part wipes to quickly clean. The only problem I ran into was when it was cold and rainy one day. It came time for DS to eat but the BCC was really busy at MK. It was irritating because not everyone in there needed to be in there. Whole families (grandparents and all) were in there and DH couldn't find a spot to feed DS. A CM pulled in an extra chair into the nursing room so I could pump, but I could hear DS crying in the hallway because there was nowhere comfortable for them to go.

It was very doable, though! We went one of the busiest times of the year and managed just fine! Good luck to all nursing moms and pumpers!

 

[SweetMissy]

I started another thread on this but Sweet Missy suggested I try posting here, too (thanks, Sweet Missy!).

Has anyone used an sns to nurse in the parks? Any tips? I can't nurse my son without the sns except first thing in the morning now that he is nearly 5 months old and eats a ton. I can't manage doing it discretely with my regular nursing cover, so I am guessing there will just have to be a bunch of stops at the baby center. That is a little stressful for me because he fusses while eating when he knocks the tube out or locks it or similar. I would love to hear from anyone who has used An sns/lact aid at the parks.

We are flying out Saturday so I am really focused on getting this figured out in advance.

Thanks!!

Awww sorry you couldn't get any help from this thread before leaving. Hopefully you figured it out and all goes well! Update when you get back!

 

[Angel Ariel]

Just got back from EPing around WDW! That seemed to be the easiest part of the trip (the hard part was how crowded it was and trying to time it so DS was awake when we wanted to go on rides). I pump six times a day, so the first two pumping sessions were at our hotel. I would have loved to have gotten to the parks earlier but DS (4 months) takes a long nap in the morning after his first feeding and we felt that that was more important for his stamina. When we got to each park, the first thing we'd do is go to the baby care and first aid centers. Some days, depending on the timing, I'd pump first thing at the parks while DH fed DS. After, I'd just leave my pump and my breast milk with the nurses at first aid. They were all incredibly nice. If I remember correctly, HS and AK first aid centers had fridges. The other two had coolers or would put bags of ice around the milk. It wasn't a big deal at all.

We would go to the BCC for every feeding (usually once or twice per park visit) which I didn't mind. With the crowds, they were a nice respite and DS was able to get out of his car seat and play a bit. DS is hard to feed and only eats lying flat on his back most of the time, so it was easiest to go to the BCC every time. I'd pump in the nursing room and there were other rooms for DH and DS to go. I never had a problem finding an outlet for my pump and I would use the Medela pump part wipes to quickly clean. The only problem I ran into was when it was cold and rainy one day. It came time for DS to eat but the BCC was really busy at MK. It was irritating because not everyone in there needed to be in there. Whole families (grandparents and all) were in there and DH couldn't find a spot to feed DS. A CM pulled in an extra chair into the nursing room so I could pump, but I could hear DS crying in the hallway because there was nowhere comfortable for them to go.

It was very doable, though! We went one of the busiest times of the year and managed just fine! Good luck to all nursing moms and pumpers!

Thank you so much for posting! This gives me hope for our trip that EPing will go well!

I'm currently pumping 8x/day..but DD is just now starting solids (she turned 6 months yesterday). I haven't tried going to fewer pumpings/day because I'm afraid supply will drop. Did you find that to be the case? I'm currently pumping between 29-32 oz a day, and DD is eating anywhere from 25-32. If i could reduce it to 6x/day adn still pump the same amount that would be amazingly awesome.

 

[HulaMinnie]

Thank you so much for posting! This gives me hope for our trip that EPing will go well!

I'm currently pumping 8x/day..but DD is just now starting solids (she turned 6 months yesterday). I haven't tried going to fewer pumpings/day because I'm afraid supply will drop. Did you find that to be the case? I'm currently pumping between 29-32 oz a day, and DD is eating anywhere from 25-32. If i could reduce it to 6x/day adn still pump the same amount that would be amazingly awesome.

I, personally, feel like my supply has been pretty much the same. I cut out the middle of the night pumping session when DS was 2 months and didn't notice a decrease. I pump about 30-35oz a day. It fluctuates for me, though. There are times when I'm stressed or something when I don't produce as much. I called my doctor and asked if Fenugreek was ok to take. She said it was fine, but I didn't end up taking it afterall because my supply went up on its own again. I'm no expert on milk supply. I just try to pump whenever DS eats!

 

[htmom]

Hi! I am so happy to read this thread. I am currently four months pregnant. I have two kiddos already, a wonderful step daughter and a son. My son is eleven and was a 35 weeker. Unfortunatly due to his and my health issues after his birth I couldn't bf. It was really tough on me because I really wanted to. But now I'm pregnant again! We are so happy and feel super blessed! I am slowly making my way through this thread and all the great tips for bf at Disney and it seems some tips can be adjusted to even just bf in public. So what's your advice for me.

Any tips? Must haves? And most of all is there another thread I should have posted this on? Lol. Thanks to everyone!

 

[DisneyDancer1986]

So very glad to have found this thread! I'm a ftm to a now 5 month old. We're planning a trip to wdw in august, so I'm slowly making my way through the posts. So far I like the moboleez, I've nip before, but it's not something that comes smoothly yet and I do get a bit nervous about stares and comments (none yet, so far) being a ftm and all, but hopefully I'll be more comfortable with nip by then. Thinking I might get the moboleez once spring/summer hits Ohio and get to practicing with it so I'm more comfortable by vacation time (8/11-8/15; we'll be arriving on my bday!)!

 

[123LuckyMom]

It's great to see this thread! I'll be going to WDW in March for the first time as a mom with my 4 year old and 11 month old. I don't plan to visit the baby centers unless they're convenient. I figured I'd just find a bench and nurse away. I don't use a cover, because it's cumbersome, and I think it draws more attention to me as I struggle with it and am draped in a huge swath of fabric! I only risk showing a bit of belly when I unhook and rehook my bra. Honestly, with today's fashions, I see more skin and bras showing on people just walking by than anyone will see on me even when I nurse! I hope it's a good experience, but I feel pretty sure it will be.

 

[TangledMama]

Great thread! DD just turned 1 and is still nursing in the mornings/nights during the week and on demand on the weekends (I work full time and decided that when she turned a year old, I was going to stop pumping). We will be at Disney next week and since we'll be together 24/7, we'll probably do a lot more nursing. It's very encouraging to see that there are other women still nursing at this stage!

 

[CheriePenguin]

Nice to see this thread!

I will be nursing DS #3 this trip. He will be ~19 months old. My other 2 were 20 and 23 months old respectively when I nursed them on previous trips.

I never had any problems that I recall with nursing at WDW. I remember nursing on It's a Small World and Carousel of Progress in particular. We used the Baby Care centers at times, but also just benches and shows (and rides like IASW).

Two nursing stories/memories that come to mind are:
#1 - waiting in line for what seemed like forever for Turtle Talk, and then DS insisting on nursing, so we had to get out of line and I nursed him on a bench outside.
#2 - it was very hot, we had all had some frozen lemonade at AK, and I went to nurse DS at the Baby Care center - he nursed a while, then threw up all over!

 

[heycher]

I could cry I am so happy to have found this thread! We are going March 1-8, and I am EP'ing an (almost) 8 month old. She will turn 9 months on our trip.

the thing that has been literally keeping me up the most is how I will manage pumping into my Disney days! Reading your posts give me INCREDIBLE hope for a great experience!

Are the first aid centers near the Baby care centers in most parks? I would love to leave my pump with the nurses there!

 

[Mommyof3inVA]

Here is a great article that discusses the different spots to nurse at Disney World: http://disneyworldonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/01/nursing-at-disney-world.html

 

[Leshaface]

I could cry I am so happy to have found this thread! We are going March 1-8, and I am EP'ing an (almost) 8 month old. She will turn 9 months on our trip.

the thing that has been literally keeping me up the most is how I will manage pumping into my Disney days! Reading your posts give me INCREDIBLE hope for a great experience!

Are the first aid centers near the Baby care centers in most parks? I would love to leave my pump with the nurses there!

I believe the first aid centers are near the Baby Care centers.

I just wanted to say, I'm EP'ing my son right now (but was breastfeeding him at the parks, and pumping at the hotel), and I TOTALLY wish I would have brought my pump with me to the park. The baby care centers are so nice and comfortable you're going to love it!

 

[HulaMinnie]

I could cry I am so happy to have found this thread! We are going March 1-8, and I am EP'ing an (almost) 8 month old. She will turn 9 months on our trip.

the thing that has been literally keeping me up the most is how I will manage pumping into my Disney days! Reading your posts give me INCREDIBLE hope for a great experience!

Are the first aid centers near the Baby care centers in most parks? I would love to leave my pump with the nurses there!

Yes! At every park the first aid centers are right next door. At MK, they're both next to the Crystal Palace, HS to the left when you first enter the park, AK on Discovery Island near the bridge that leads to Africa, and Epcot by the old Odyssey restaurant where you enter the World Showcase by Mexico. I felt that the locations were fairly centralized, which was nice. So DH would take DS into the BCC while I got my pump and prepared the bottle. To turn in your pump, you just need to sign in (every time) and the first time, they'll staple a paper to your items that you leave on for your whole trip. I would leave my pumping bag and a little cooler with my milk and just brought one bottle with us walking around just in case. One nurse told me that only MK has an actual refrigerator in the first aid centers for milk, but I think one other park has one too. Either way, the nurses put my milk in one of their coolers or in a container with bags of ice around it and it was fine. It really lightened the load! As a courtesy, if there were other mothers nursing in the BCC, I would ask if the noise from my pump would bother them. Every mom I met there was incredibly nice and had no problem with it

 

[chimilady]

I was an EP'er, so it makes me very happy to see all of you who are able to make it work at Disney. Good for you!

 

[DSNYFAM6]

I have BF all 4 of my babies at WDW. The baby care centers are fabulous! Some of my favorite around the park locations in MK Jungle cruise, Hall of Presidents, it's a small world, people mover, carousel of progress. In Epcot pretty much any of the shows in the world showcase! In AK Nemo was great, lots of benches near the toddler play areas as well! Tnursing area in this park is VERY small, fitting 1 or 2 people tops I found it full several times! HS, there are enough shows here that I was always sitting when babies were hungry! Leaving in 17 days with my nursing 10 mo! Ill post some BF pics!