5 week old baby

[kbheap]

I brought my DS to DW at 5 weeks old. We have season passes and they were expiring in two months. I knew that once I got back to work from Maternity leave, I would have no more time off. I confirmed with my dr and his pediatrician before going. They both gave me the all clear but warned me of the precautions to take with him. One example, I didn't change him in the restrooms but in his stroller so that he wouldn't be exposed to anything there. I held him on rides then washed our hands when we got off. This was October of last year and he has had no illnesses as a result of this. DW does a great job of cleaning there parks. I think if you are comfortable with it, go for it. While we were there this last trip, we saw an 8 day old at DW.

 

[ebtbmom]

Man, it sounds like most of you guys had great experiences taking an infant. Maybe I should have taken my son as an infant instead of now when he's 11, whiny, moody, and opinionated

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

We brought DS when he was 5 weeks old (And I had a c-section). It was very easy. either Dh or I wore him in a snuggli, and he was pretty portable. It was a different kind of trip - spent more time strolling around and enjoying the extras than we normally do. for the cool rides we'd do the baby swap and just brought him on all the others with us. I was breastfeeding, so he had my immunities in his system.

we also did it with a 6 week old JUne 23rd-27th 2008 and she was perfect! Breastfeeding was a breeze with the care centers and we all really enjoyed a relaxed, slower pase trip

 

[RMulieri]

Reading some of these posts about how easy it was postpartum for some people makes me feel a failure.I was a sleep deprived, weepy, depressed, engorged MESS.With severe PPD and no support.

 

[TinkerbellsMagic]

I wouldnt for a few reasons. #1 being the risk of illness in such a young baby. #2 the heat and #3 you will prob be pretty tired and sleep deprived.

 

[VillageMama]

Reading some of these posts about how easy it was postpartum for some people makes me feel a failure.I was a sleep deprived, weepy, depressed, engorged MESS.With severe PPD and no support.

Please do not feel like a failure. New motherhood is difficult and challenging for many... I suspect most... moms in the first few weeks/months.

I have been there, hon. I know exactly how you feel. I can't imagine what it must be like to have an easy time of it after childbirth. I'm so happy for those who do but it's as if they are aliens or something! Or maybe we're the aliens.

The problem with planning on visiting WDW with a five week old is that you can't plan how labor/birth/postpartum are going to go. If you live in Orlando and at five weeks pp feel like going over to the MK, that might work fine.

But I wouldn't purchase plane tickets or make hotel reservations or anything... in case things don't go as smoothly as I hope they do for you.

 

[KirstenB]

I wouldn't for all the sensible reasons everyone's listed that involve the baby's health and your own.

I'd also add, that for most of us, a trip to WDW is a serious investment in money and time spent getting there. We're DVC members and have been since before our children were born, so some of our costs are covered. Having said that, the earliest we brought our firstborn was 6 mths old. She was sleeping okay, and in a feeding routine. I would just urge you to think through how much enjoyment vs. work a trip with such a young infant would be. Of course, if you have older children and are trying to balance their needs, I would better understand, but still think 5 weeks is a little young.

 

[waltskids]

Reading some of these posts about how easy it was postpartum for some people makes me feel a failure.I was a sleep deprived, weepy, depressed, engorged MESS.With severe PPD and no support.

Please don't feel that way at all. Every mom experiences labor and birth differently as well as postpartum recovery. I was able to move around much better after my second birth and my husband started summer vacation 2 weeks after DD was born so I had alot of support. This made our trip with a newborn much easier but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Every mom and family will experience a new baby differently.

 

[ZPT1022]

Reading some of these posts about how easy it was postpartum for some people makes me feel a failure.I was a sleep deprived, weepy, depressed, engorged MESS.With severe PPD and no support.

I completely understand what you're saying. I had a friend who two days after her baby was born was out and about doing things like nothing had happened. She is just lucky to have easy deliveries and recoveries and basically just pops the baby out and carries on with her routine.

I, on the other hand, am more like you. I was nursing, had an oversupply and all the mess that goes along with it. I bled for 2 1/2 months postpartum both times. I barely slept and felt like it was hard to keep it all together.

The idea of throwing in a trip at that point would be a nightmare for me. Actually, I did travel when my twins were about 6 1/2 weeks old, to Cape Cod, about 4 hours from home. My inlaws rent a cottage and offered to take my oldest for the week to give me a break. We decided to drop her off and visit the other family members that were going that hadn't seen the twins. The trip was SO HARD! The whole thing was just difficult and that was with nothing really to do but drive up, visit and drive home the next day. I can't imagine having tried something like WDW. I think the only way I would consider traveling that soon postpartum would be something I absolutely had to attend like a funeral or something.

It just goes to show that everyone's delivery and recovery are different. Even from pregnancy to pregnancy within the same person it can be different. I'd be nervous to plan a trip and then feel obligated to go that soon afterwards.

 

[Acklander]

Please don't feel that way at all. Every mom experiences labor and birth differently as well as postpartum recovery. I was able to move around much better after my second birth and my husband started summer vacation 2 weeks after DD was born so I had alot of support. This made our trip with a newborn much easier but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Every mom and family will experience a new baby differently.

I agree - every baby and pregnancy is different. Also, keep in mind, when you're thinking about doing Disney, you may be thinking about being at the parks at rope drop, staying all day and half the night, following a schedule, etc... I don't think anyone could do that with a brand new baby. For us it was a very laid back trip, no alarm was set, and we didn't have any priority seatings that required us to be anywhere at a certain time. If anything, I was getting MORE sleep because I had DH, and extended family helping with the baby. We've always been a go with the flow type family, and that worked out really well. If you're the type who likes every detail planned out, I can see where that would be overwhelming with a small infant.

 

[chrismartinique]

my baby will be 5 weeks old this weekend

Pre baby I would have said "yes, no problem" BUT.......... this post partum period was different for me than with my other kids.

First of all I was anemic leaving the hospital.... I felt absolutely wiped out for the first 2 weeks - like wobble knees on the stairs. On top of that I developed mastitis during her second week of life. I was miserable for week 2 and 3 because I chose to nurse through it. I had tissue damage, and I was in severe pain, but I feel so strongly about breastfeeding....
I was quited bummed because I expected an EASY postpartum. I had done this 4 times before and it was easy, but not this time! I didn't start to feel good until week 4. If I had been planning a major vacation on top of all this UNEXPECTED "stuff" I would have been a basket case.

Just my 2 cents because things don't always go how you expect them to go.


On top of this with all the germs in the news... I wouldn't take a young infant anywhere right now or in the near future. We had considered a holiday trip this year, but I quickly reconsidered after listening to all the info that was presented to me in the hospital postpartum.

Good luck and enjoy your baby... there is no greater gift to you and your family!

 

[diamondpixienc]

I just had baby #3 via c-section 4wks & 1 day ago & let me say that I could not imagine walking around WDW being sleep deprived, w/ my really "THIRSTY" breast feeding on demand infant. Not to mention having to keep an eye on my 6 & 4yo's WDW will be there, I would wait as the little person described above was our little surprise we found out about back in Feb and w/ a due date in late Sept we decided to push our first trip back to Sept 2010 instead. Your little one will be 6mo, then 12mo before you know it and WDW will still be there waiting for you & yours.

 

[dsneygirl]

We took our DS at 12 weeks and it was great. For me at 5 weeks PP there was no way in HELL I could have handled the walking or the heat. (very difficult) delivery. There are so many unknowns I would not plan a trip for that soon.

 

[sk!mom]

No way...June is TOO Hot for a tiny baby.

 

[DaddyTo2Girls]

We had planned a trip for last December, DW got pregnant, so we had to cancel. She had a long delivery which ended in a C-section. 3 weeks later she told me we should go to WDW. 3 weeks after that we were at WDW with a 6-week-old and 4yo DD. My wife calls it the best week of her life and we are headed back in about a month. The baby slept most of the time and was very low maintenance. We went the first week of March so the weather was great. The baby rarely left the pumpkin seed/stroller during the day and really only got up once each night for feedings. We didn't stay late at the parks, but we had a great time. This time around we are going to try the night shows as well--with an almost 5 yo and a 10 month old. We're taking our niece with us to help out though.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Can I ask? Why is it so important that you have to take a newborn there? WDW isn't going anywhere. Why take all the risks? Is it really worth it?

 

[hmacmahony]

I will answer that question, because I have other kids. Because I don't seen any risk in taking a 5 week old to disney.
I have 4 kids, my 4 was put in the hospital at 6 weeks old, for a UTI. So, I know things happen, but I still wouldn't stop the what ifs from doing the things I wanted to do.
We drove cross country, when my oldest was 10 days old. We were all fine, we took things slow, having kids didn't stop my life.
Its not like disney is in the middle of nowhere, and there are no hospitals in case the worst case scenario happens.

Can I ask? Why is it so important that you have to take a newborn there? WDW isn't going anywhere. Why take all the risks? Is it really worth it?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'd put it out a week or two.

It may not seem like much--but I think baby should get teh first 6 weeks with momma at home and not around the world.

I think I took my son at 8 weeks.

And honestly, *I* wasn't ready until that point. My recovery with him took a little longer than the others as I kept thinking I was ready to do things nad kept overdoing it.

I live locally--so the decision was a bit easier to delay.

But it was neat as we had bought the professional photo of each of his first visits to the parks.

I will say that mid-June will be quite hot and baby's that young do not cool well, so you will find yourself having to take a lot more breaks so that baby doesn't overheat.

I don't object to infants--but I feel you should be aware of that.

I nursed and walked using a Moby wrap--so that wasn't an issue. (It was his preferred carrier). So I didn't have issue with feeding him.

But Moby's are insanely hot in the summer. I had a hotsling as well. I could nurse him in that--but it was more difficult since it was a pouch and I couldn't adjust it for proper nursing position like the Moby. But when it got to hot, it was just better. And we're Floridians.

It ultimately is your choice..but an infant that young is truly special needs and you will need to modify your trip accordingly.

I will say that we did indeed meet someone for the boat ride in Mexico and they did have a younger baby than mine.

But truly--until the time comes, you won't know for sure. Each baby is different, each delivery is different, each recovery is different. Baby may be ready--but there is a chance that you physically may not be ready.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

One example, I didn't change him in the restrooms but in his stroller so that he wouldn't be exposed to anything there.

Good advice that I forgot that I do as well.


I'm not a germ-a-phobe, but for some reason---I can't do public restroom changing tables.

 

[sritter78]

I took my son in May and he was 6 weeks. I also had a c-section. It was VERY easy having him there. I used a sling and carried him almost everywhere in it. I breastfeed as well, so it was even easier!