14 lb baby at Disneyworld?

[Allieloopy]

Help! We are leaving for Disney in 32 days. I am traveling with my DH, two 8 yr old girls and we have just been called to take a new foster baby!
She is 7 months but only weighs 14 pounds. So far they told me that she has no special care issues other than she is so very small. We will of course take her to the Dr. to follow up on that. Of course we get very little history so who knows what is really going on. But barring any health problems she will be going with us!

I have never traveled with a small baby before. Does anyone have any tips about what I absolutely need on the plane and to pack? I am going to search the boards but if you have any specific advice I would be very grateful!

From what I read she will be free at the hotel and free on the plane too. We are flying Spirit and on their site they said lap babies under 24 months old were free. Don't they need carseats on the plane? I was just wondering what other people do? Since we are flying from MI it won't be a long flight so I guess lap sitting will be O.K. We will be using the Disney bus system also, so I guess we don't even need a carseat.

Is it better to bring a packnplay with us and check it on the plane or to rent one once we are there?

Thanks for any and all advice!
Allieloopy

 

[Colinsmom]

Make sure the airline knows that you are adding a lap baby to your reservation, don't just show up at the airport with her. Call WDW and reserve a PNP (they are already in the rooms in some of the resorts).

You might want to bring both a sling and a stroller for her, since you don't know if she'll prefer to be held or be strolled (or how long she'll tolerate either).

What an exciting time for your family!!

 

[JerJan]

I would suggest that you get an extra seat for the baby and get an "FAA APPROVED" carseat as well for the baby to be strapped in. If for some reason the plane encounters turbulence of any kind the baby could "take-off like a rock" out of your arms. I say better safe than sorry!

 

[shelly3girls]

How wonderful!

I know you will find tons of info on the boards about traveling with infants so I will just touch on what I found most important.
Plane:
Pack tons of diapers, baby food, extra clothes in your carry on. You never know when you will be delayed and need things. We greatly prefer buying the baby a seat and using a carseat but they are not required so that is only for you to decide. Make sure you have something to help relieve ear pressure either a pacifier or bottle.

WDW:
You will not need a carseat on the Disney buses. The hotels have either pack n plays or cribs you just have to request one. Many people rent a full size crib but we never found the need. Make sure you bring a stroller that reclines. A sling or baby bjorn will do wonders for your arms while standing in line. I prefer the sling b/c it is so easy to take the baby in and out. I used a Hotsling which you can order online for a decent price. People all have their own preference and you can find many reviews on this board. I have also seen the lucky baby slings and liked them too.

Remember that you can do baby swap for all of the rides that she cannot go on. Just remember to ask.

We order all of our baby supplies ahead of time and have them delivered to the hotel. We have used Garden Grocer and We Go Shop. Both did a great job and saved us tons of money and space in our luggage. Diapers and baby food are very expensive in WDW. While your at it you can order bottled water or soda and save yourself even more money.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask. I have traveled many times with an infant. My DS is 6 months old and has already been to WDW twice (flying from NJ).

 

[izzyBandlivismom]

We took our daughter at 11 months, but she was little too. I found that we used the sling more than anything. She would fall asleep in it. Also it helped on rides (Our oldest was almost 3, so we did not do anything big ) Most of the time she would fall asleep on the rides in the sling and that way I did not have to worry about her getting wiggly and trying to get away from me!

As far as the plane, make sure that you have a couple extra outfits. Of course we had outfits for the park as well and let me tell you , we used EVERY one of them!! We also had her as a lap baby and that was fine on the way down, the plane was only half full, it was hard with a full plane on the way back. BUt my DH and I are not small people, so...

Good luck! I hope that you enjoy your trip!

 

[NotUrsula]

Ditto what everyone else has said. My own favorite travel tip is to bring a couple of flat cloth diapers (the plain kind, not the ones with the thick center section.) They are wonderfully useful, and can serve as everything from a burp cloth to a sunshade. Three tied together carefully can even serve as a makeshift sling if you are using it sitting down.

BTW, 14 lbs. isn't all that horrendously small for that age, particularly if the baby is exclusively breastfed. My DS, who has always been tall for age, did not hit 20 lbs. until he was 17 months old, I think that at 7 months he weighed about 13 lbs. He's 9 now, 4'10", and weighs 67 lbs. He has always been as healthy as a horse.

 

[GEM]

Hey, that's not so small! My little guy was only 13 pounds on his first visit - and he was 14 months old! (Of course he was a micropreemie and only 1lb and 7oz at birth.) Anyway, good luck with your new little one!

I'll agree with what someone else said about the sling. It's a lifesaver at Disney World!

 

[Michigan]

You have to get permission from the court to take her out of the state of Michigan.

 

[InstImpres]

What a wonderful time for you and your family...that is really terrific!!

I also suggest a change of clothes for whoever is seating near her. My DD threw up on the plane as an infant and while she was feeling fresh and spotlessly clean...I was another disguesting story

 

[SaraMc]

Friends of ours have a 8 month old who is only 15lbs, she's really petite. Its very odd to see a baby without rolls. While our son who is 16+ and 4.5months old towers over her.
The baby bjorn is awesome for that size, first of all its not too heavy for you either. Also a stroller that reclines so she can nap on the go.
We are taking DS in 2 months and he will be on my lap for the plane ride, or in the bjorn during the flight all snuggled up with me or daddy.
Most of all, have fun. Take lots of pictures too!

 

[Allieloopy]

Thanks for all of the great info so far. I never thought of a baby sling but I will look into them now. We definately need a new stroller, our last one is too big for her and pretty much a mess anyway. It needs to be retired.

We have a request to travel in now, they said it will probably be approved but if not then we will have to put her in respite while we are gone.

The social worker was freaking me out, she made such a big deal out of her being so small. Perhaps she is just a tiny baby!
I have had newborn infants but both of them left before they were 2 months, and older kids. After 22 kids you would think I might have seen it all, but no way!

I am making lists so I can be prepared as soon as I get permission to travel from the agency. I hope she can go, I don't want to stick her with a stranger for a week so soon after she is just getting used to us!

 

[NotUrsula]

Re: the social worker's attitude. I'm guessing that she is more used to seeing babies who are overfed; that tends to be the case with more disadvantaged children (unless they were neglected by not being fed), because they are almost always formula-fed, often have bottles propped, and may be given juice and even soft drinks if there is no formula in the house. If she thinks that babies are supposed to be chubby, one who isn't would probably strike her as looking malnourished. (While this baby certainly might be malnourished, she doesn't sound like an extreme case to me, unless she's super-tall, too.)

Visit any LaLeche meeting and you will see plenty of svelte-looking babies this age. Exclusively breast-fed babies tend not to be chubby, and IME, they seldom have rolls anywhere except their thighs. DS was starting to pull up at 8 months, and I have photos of him in nothing but a diaper -- not an inch of spare fat anywhere on him, but his muscles are clearly visible. He didn't look skeletal, just slim. (BTW, he wasn't premature; he was 8lb9oz at birth.)

 

[caribbound]

Depending on the nationality she may just be very small. I'm thinking Philipino or something like that. Though maybe it's not standard for them to be short/small, just my experience.

Adding to the change of clothing, and you probably have ample experience to know this, a lap pad to protect your pants should there be leaks, and an extra shirt on the plane for whoever might be holding the baby in case she spits up. Nasty to sit a couple hours or more smelling like formula!!
Good luck and have fun.