Am I nuts 7 months pregnant and going to Disney?

[frankiemom]

We wanted to go to Disney in Oct and foud out today that I am pregnant! I still would like to go if possible because this would be the last big trip for our 6 year old for awhile. Can anyone give me some tips on coping? I want the bad and ugly!

 

[SnackyStacky]

I'm not pregnant, but from all the threads about pregnancy that I've read, there's more that pregnant women CAN do than things they CAN'T do.

You've also picked a GREAT time to go. You'll be 7 months pregnant (assuming I counted correctly, which is not always a sure bet! ), and the weather will be nice. Not sweltering, but comfortable.

Just take it easy. Make sure you plan those mid-day breaks in, and keep yourself hydrated - TONS of water!!! You might also consider a wheelchair or ECV. May seem like a pain, but it might save your feet and back a LOT of trouble. If you have the Unofficial Guide, there's a chapter (or a section at least) devoted to doing Disney while pregnant. If you don't have a copy, why not?!

In the Magic Kingdom, stay away from the mountains, and the tea cups. I would say that everything else is pretty safe.

At Epcot, I'd stay away from Mission Space, and Test Track.

At the Studios, stay away from the Tower of Terror, and the Rock 'n Roller Coaster. I'd ask your doctor about the backlot tour. I don't know if the shakey portion of Catasprohe Canyon would be a good idea.

At Animal Kingdom, unfortunately, the rides are pretty much off limits. I'd say you'd be fine to do all the shows, Tough To Be A Bug, and Triceratop Spin. DEFINITELY not Kali, Dinosaur, or Primeval Whirl. Again, I'd ask my doctor about Kilimanjaro Safaris. It can get pretty bouncy on that one. The good thing though (in my opinion) is most of the "attractions" aren't rides. Those jungle treks are gorgeous, and I could soak up the Animal Kingdom atmosphere for hours.

And once again, that's coming not only from a guy, but one who has never even traveled to Disney World with a pregnant woman.

Good luck, and congratulations!!!!!

 

[MouseClubMom]

It all depends on how the pregnancy is going and how you are personally feeling. Also are you driving or flying? I am not sure how far along you can be and fly.

We drove to WDW for a trip when I was 3 months along. I was sick as a dog and had to keep stopping to get sick. The heat was unbearable and everything made me nauseous - walking in the heat, smelling the different food smells, etc... If you are healthy and having an easy pregnancy then GO FOR IT!!! The walking is great for the body - just dont overdo it. You may tire more easily so take plenty of breaks and stay hydrated.

I went back for a trip at 7 months with a friend and did ride the safari ride with no problems. That trip was much easier because the nausea was GONE!

The only things you really can't ride are the thrill rides like Splash Mountain, TOT and all the coasters.

Have fun!!
MCMom

 

[MouseEars4us]

As MouseClubMom says, it all depends on how you're feeling.

The exact thing happened to me. Planned in the spring for a fall vacation and found out I was pregnant. It was our 2000 vacation and I didn't want to disappoint our DD's so we planned on taking it easy. It wasn't ideal, but doable. Then again, I was almost 37yrs old and 7 1/2 months pregnant when we went. My feet swelled so badly, and I was tired, but would I do it again? Yep!
Drink lots of water, take lots of breaks, and realize you won't see it all, but you'll be back! Know your limits and plan some nice sit down meals. Consider taking a break in the afternoon, which is harder in the off season because of the shorter hours, but you may feel better. I didn't ride very many rides, but it didn't matter, I enjoyed seeing the joy in my daughters faces as they raced their dad to the next ride! ( He say's I owe him this time!)
Like I said, I think it's doable. You'll know the closer you get to the date what your limits will be, just relax and have fun!
And by the way, Congratulations!

 

[teresajoy]

When I was 7 months pregnant with my second baby, we went to Disney. We drove down, so my midwife told me to stop every three hours to walk around, and she didn't want me drinking any pop. The actual days at Disney World were a lot of fun. I didn't go on any ride that suggested that pregnant women shouldn't ride, no matter how tame they were. I just didn't feel it was worth even the smallest risk. I had fun though, watching my son run around and just sitting around people watching. I didn't have to worry about taking many breaks, since most of my time was spent sitting on benches waiting! Have fun, and try to take it easy!

And Congratulations!

 

[alloyd1170]

With the rides, it may also depend on which ones you can fit in comfortably! I had a hard time with restaurant tables (I had a 12 +lb baby so i was pretty big). The lap restraint bars may be a little tight. Also, make sure you know where the bathrooms are (read that somewhere else). There are special socks out there that are supposed to reduce the amount of swelling. I got a pair for flying, but in warm weather you may not want the ones i got because they go up to your knees. Ive seen shorter ones though, and if you wear pants it wont be a big deal. I got them through some travel catalog, but you could probably do a search for travel socks. I second the idea of getting up and walking a bit during your travel to and from, even if youre flying to keep the circulation going in your legs. Have fun, but take it easy. And congrats to you!

alison

 

[cleo]

I went to Disney while pregnant and the biggest mistake I made was doing too much because I felt good. By the time we left I was so sick I don't think I recovered for the rest of the pregnancy.

Definitely take things slowly even if you're feeling great. Drink lots of water, and stop BEFORE you feel tired. Disney is so much fun and so absorbing that you may not notice the cues from your body that it's time to eat/rest/stop.

Have a magical trip, and Congratulations!

 

[disney4us2002]

I'm sure you know to check with your doctor before you make definite plans and even then it will likely be a maybe til you're close enough to Oct to determine if the pregnancy is going smoothly and how you're feeling. I know there is no chance my doctor would've agreed to traveling after 6 mos and I would've been miserable anyway. All three of my babes came 2-3 weeks early and were still over 9lbs so I felt huge and clumsy by 7 months along. Maybe move the trip up to mid-Sept? I thought I read that flying past 6 mos was a no-no but you don't say where you're traveling from.

Good luck with the trip and with the new baby!

 

[Jo-Anne]

Ok, I know my experience is an extreme one, but when I was pregnant with my first child my DH and I planned a trip to Disney for our last fling as a childless couple! We were supposed to be down there during my 28th week. I was having a totally normal pregnancy and my doctor had no issues with me travelling. Well, 3 nights before we were supposed to leave, my water broke without any warning. The day we were supposed to land in WDW, my DD was born - 11 weeks premature and only 2.5 lbs(She's totally fine today, but it was a harrowing 7 weeks in NICU!) Silly us had no travel insurance but my TA pled our case to the company we had a package with (this was in the days before I found these boards!) and the travel company gave us a credit towards a future visit. So I guess my advice would be to ensure you have travel insurance in case anything happened before or during trip and know where the local hospitals are so you feel comfortable knowing what to do if you needed help. Now that being said, when I was pregnant with my 2nd child, DH and I went on a trip to Las Vegas for 4 days, but we went when I was about 19 weeks pregnant versus a little later. I agree that maybe you'd want to move up your trip if possible to go when you're 5 months vs 7 months. As I said, mine is an extreme case, and I totally support carrying on with life while pregnant, but just cover all bases and be prepared and relax and enjoy! Jo

 

[bigbabyblues]

I'm not trying to scare you at all, but with my last pregnancy, this started happening to me at about 7 mth along, and it might be something to consider.

I was in Walmart one day, alone of course, and I started feeling weird. Was in the checkout line, didn't want to get out, it was busy. Got up to my turn, trying to write check, cashier asked if I was ok, I tried to say yes, and about that time I passed out. This did not happen in my first pregnancy, and I didn't know what was going on. It turned out that when I would stand or walk for any length of time, something was casing the blood to go to my feet and not to my upper body, which made my blood pressure drop. The doc called it pregnancy-induced hypotension and recommended I didn't stand/walk for more than 15-20 min at a time, and the other two times I did, I got very light headed and almost passed out again, except now I knew what to expect.
I don't know what caused it, maybe the way the baby was laying, maybe not.

If you are healthy and doing well, and your doc agrees, I would go, but don't hesitate to get a wheelchair if you need it. Please be very careful and drink lots and lots of water.

Let us know what you decide!

HTH, Steph

 

[all4fun]

I went when I was pregnant however I was only a about 8 weeks along. I still took precautions, drank lots of water, and skipped the big rides. It was a good thing that we went early on though. I also ended up delivering at 28 weeks (due to sudden onset of preeclampsia). If I were to ever be pregnant again, I don't think I would be traveling that late in pg just because I know that I'm high risk. Like the other posters mentioned, just take it easy while your there. Many pg women have gone and had a great time. I envy them! Anyway, I have also seen other posts on this subject and some people have warned that some health insurance carriers may not cover you out of your area after a certain point in the pg. Check with your provider to make sure you are covered and know where the local hospitals are in case you feel you need to get checked out while your at WDW. Also, there's great advice for expectant moms on Deb's site .

HTH and have a magical trip!

 

[disneyeveryyear]

I went to WDW at 32 weeks pregnant with 2nd child.

We did a whirlwind 5 day trip after Thanksgiving.

I did very well. (At least I thought so.) I didn't do any coasters or simulators, but I did do back lot tour at MGM and did do Safari at AK. If I thought it was too bumpy, I would press my feet up against the floor and wall and lift my bottom off the seat.

One employee did ask if I needed an ECV after walking from train to the petting zoo area at AK (and I thought I was doing great!).

If your Dr. is okay with it, go for it, but I agree, buy some trip insurance just in case.

Have fun and congratulations!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I remember posting this same question last year at this time. Now I planned to go in July, but most everyone on this board said not to go. Well we didn't . DD was born in Sept and we're planning our next trip for Nov. I'm going through withdraw but I'm kind of glad we didn't go. Good Luck in your decision.

 

[petula]

My mother and her sister did a disney trip together in the late months of their pregnancies. The only problem they had was that the CMs advised them not to ride Pirates and they really, really wanted to.

Oh...and also that I turned out like this.