August with a 6 month old

[Lilysmom]

Hi~
This is my first time posting on the boards and I justed was looking for a little info. My family (there will be 9 adults in total) will be taking advantage of the Fantasy Vacation promotion the last week of August. By this time Lily will be a week shy of 6 months old.

DH and I have already decided that on the way from the airport to the hotel we are going to stop at the grocery store to pick up diapers, water, her jarred baby food and such. We figured we would pack her formula and cereal (since both are powdered versions) in zip locks that way we don't have to buy it when we get down there.

We also decided to bring a stroller with us. We are thinking of getting the Maclaren Day Tripper. My parents, who will be going with us, think the Maclaren should just stay at the hotel for around the hotel and we should renta stroller in the park. They are afraid it will get stollen. Anyone bring there own stroller and have any problems with it?

Also, if you traveled with an infant, were you able to do all the rides with them except the ones with height restrictions? I've seen the advice about getting a carrier for the baby, but I'm thinking in August it will be too hot from the sun, let alone having her snuggled up to me or DH in a carrier. Any opinions?

As of now our game plan is to give her breakfast in the room, head out to the parks early and be back in the room by noon. That way she can cool off, nap and eat lunch. After she wakes we can head down to the pool for a bit before getting ready for dinner. I just figured we'd meet up with everyone else around dinner time after the sun has gone down and it's not to hot for her.

Is this doable? Anyone have any advice or opinioins please post!

 

[jel0511]

I think your idea of stopping off to get supplies is a good one, but please travel with around 2 days worth of baby food, diapers, clothes, etc for the baby. It is possible to have a VERY LONG and unexpected delay and it's better to be prepared. Also, for safety purposes, please buy your baby a seat on the airplane. It's much safer for your child and much easier to fly with a child restrained in their own seat. The baby has some familiarity, and usually will enjoy the flight more, it's own seat. Your baby is too young for the rental strollers at WDW. They are made of a VERY hard plastic and a child really needs to sit up VERY well to be able to use them. There also isn't very good restraints to keep a little one strapped in, so you're going to have to bring your own stroller to the parks. We've always brought our own, and have never had a problem. Our strollers were all "expensive" ones just like yours. The strollers I've taken over the years are: Peg Perego Milano, Maclaran Vogue, Combi Twin Savvy, and now I bring my Peg Perego Pliko. I've never had any problems with my stroller getting stolen or even damaged at WDW, it's the airlines you need to worry about!!! I have had TWO strollers mangled by the airlines, one was a cheaper unbrella and the other one was my double stroller. You have to check your stroller at the gate, you can't bring it on the plane, so your stroller is checked and stowed underneath the plane with luggage. You are able to all rides without ride restrictions with out a baby. I would suggest you bring a carrier of sorts for standing in line. We went on August with our 4 month old, and used our Baby Bjorn for lines and it was a LIFESAVER. It was great not to have to worry about our arms breaking, also he stayed in the Baby Bjorn on some of the rides. It did make the trip MUCH easier!! It was hot, but it's going to be almost as hot holding the baby so there really isn't much difference there. Also, buy a sunscreen which the main ingredient is zinc oxide. It's much gentler on a babies skin, and usually produces much less reactions than a chemical sunscreen. Coppertone Waterbabies Spectra 3 is a good choice there. We did a similar plan to yours(taking breaks), except we did feed our DS at the restaurants. We bought a portable bouncy seat, which we were able to sit on the tables at restaurants to feed him. Most of the highchairs at WDW restaurants are the wood type you'll see inmost restaurants at home. They are not appropriate for a baby of 6 months, so you'll have to make adjustments when you go out to dinner. They will only let you bring in the stroller when a baby is sleeping, so if she's awake, you'll all have to take turns holding her, or some up with some other plan. Our portable bouncy seat worked perfectly and we were able to all eat toghether. The most important thing to remember is to keep as close to your babies schedule as possible. If that means being back in the room by 8 PM for nighttime, that's what you do. It really helps them adjust from being away from home and keeps them happier.

 

[Lilysmom]

Lori~

Where can I purchase one of the portable bouncey seats? At a babies 'r us? We have the FP Aquarium Bouncer at home but I'm not sure how to pack that?

Good point about the sling with the lines. I hadn't thought about that!

Liz

 

[jel0511]

I bought mine at Babies R Us two years ago. It was made by Fisher Price and it was just so small and compact. It folded up to almost nothing and had wood inserts in the fabric to make it stand up. It even had a little toy bar. It was completely made of fabric and was very comfy. As I'm typing I'm trying to remember where in Babies R Us I bought it, but I can tell you it wasn't near the regular bouncy seats. Check by the outside ones, and for some reason I'm thinking pottys. If you can't find it (It's possible it's been discontinued), you also might want to consider getting the reclining portable highchair. This actually attaches to a chair, so it's a little lower than on top of the table, and it will recline, perfect for a little one. It is a bit more bulkier than my little thing, but would work GREAT in you room for feedings, and wouldn't be too hard to transport to dinner, just throw it in a bag!!! It does fold up, the seat back collapses onto the seat inself. It also does recline, though it isn't in this picture. Here is a picture:

You can buy this at Babies R Us also, and it would also be a great alternative!!!!

 

[CEDmom]

I also think you're going to need a carrier of some kind. Our DD was adopted from southern China at 9 mo in July 2000 so I know about carrying a baby in hot/humid weather. We had a baby Bjorn and it worked great. I'd put DD in it facing out with a sunhat on and she was good to go. She had the freedom to move arms and legs and I had both arms free at well.

There are going to be times your DD wants to be held and even in that kind of weather a carrier is more comfortable and easier than trying to hold onto a hot squirming baby.

Also, if you don't want to or can't afford a plane seat for your DD you could buy a flight vest. We did this coming back from China and it worked great. It's a quilted vest that goes on baby and has a strap between the babies legs with a loop that goes into the adults seatbelt. It costs about $25, is FAA aproved and sold at www.onestepahead.com

Have a great trip.

 

[Piglette]

Here's that flight vest. It's called a Baby B'Air. Never used one but looks interesting.
http://www.onestepahead.com/jump.js...RODUCT&iMainCat=117&iSubCat=15&iProductID=323

 

[hookedup]

I advise to take your car seat/infant carrier with you.
Also, read Deb Willis site as she has some great tips for taking an infant to WDW and hot weather tips too. http://www.wdwig.com/infant.htm

Good luck!!!

 

[crusoe2]

Lilysmom, we're taking our DD next week - she also will be just a week shy of 6 months and, while June usually isn't as hot as August, I'm sure we will have to deal with some pretty warm temps. This won't be our first trip to WDW but it will be our first time taking a baby. If you like, I'll let you know how it goes and what worked for us. BTW, we just got a Maya sling and will give it a try next week. I'll let you know how well that works, too.

 

[palmtreegirl]

We are thinking of getting the Maclaren Day Tripper. My parents, who will be going with us, think the Maclaren should just stay at the hotel for around the hotel and we should renta stroller in the park. They are afraid it will get stollen. Anyone bring there own stroller and have any problems with it?

I would definitely bring your own stroller. We have a Maclaren Day tripper and LOVE IT!!! We've brought it down to WDW 2 times and had no problems leaving it unattended many times throughout our trip.

Have a great trip!!

 

[Lilysmom]

Crusoe~

I can't wait to hear about your experience! Dh and I have been down several times (not counting all the trips I made with family before we met) but obviously not with the baby.

It's funny you mention the maya sling because I LITERALLY was just thinking about this. I was thinking the sling may be too hot for her in August and I'd be better of going for something more like a baby bjorn or other back pack type carrier that can also be worn on your front. I love the maya's but for some reason I have the impression of it being like a blanket and just her head will poke out. I was afraid she'd get over heated.

On another note, how does DD do sitting up and such? Are you planning on using those wooden high chairs that they offer in the restaurants down there? I'm also thinking about calling ahead and seeing if CBR has portable cribs or pack and plays. I have sheets for both so I may just bring her a sheet from home so that she still has her "smell" on it.

Palmtreegirl~
I went o check out the daytripper the other day but I couldn't figure out how to get it to recline. Am I missing something or do I have to pay up for the next model which seemed to offer more positions? The only reason I'm asking is because since she isn't a toddler, I'm thinking she's going to need to be laying down if she's dozing in the stroller. I could just picture her sittting in the day tripper slumped over toone side and looking mighty pathetic.

 

[jel0511]

Lilysmom - if you're really looking for a good stroller for the long haul, especially with such a little one. I'd advise against getting a Maclaren. The padding on them is VERY little, not very comfortable for such a little one. I should know, I've owned one!!! Anyway, maybe you should take a look at the Peg Perego Pliko or the Chicco. They both have EXCELLENT padding, and front bars to attach toys, and snack trays. The Pliko also has a small standing platform on the back for older children (something to consider if you're going to have more). The Pliko folds up more compactly IMO, and I just think it is a MUCH more stable and well put together stroller than the Maclaren. The Pliko does recline, to approx 165 degrees. No unbrella stroller goes completely flat, that's about as far as you'll get, even with the Maclaren Vogue.

 

[BevS97]

the baby bjorn is made of a very thick fabric, I think it would be hotter than a sling. I haven't got one yet, but I think the Maja sling (or similar brands) can be found in a variety of fabrics, I was hoping to find one that was more like a sheeting weight.
This site (http://www.snugababy.com/baby-sling-fabrics.html) have some in muslin, and some in voile, which both sound cool. I should note, that I don't know the site at all, I just found it while searching for slings.

the DayTripper is an excellent stroller, it does recline but not to flat - perhaps 45 degrees? I think I would probably want more of a recline than that for a 6 month old.
Click here for Maclaren instructions figure 5 shows how it reclines, it's just basically 2 hooks that unclip and allow the fabric to drop back a few inches.

we are planning on using our sling in restaurants, or the carseat if we have driven there. If we know we are going to a restaurant in a park, then we can put the carseat on the stroller for that day at the park, but I don't want to leave the baby in the carseat all day, every day, because I don't think it's very comfortable.

Do you know if a carry-tot style carseat would fit in a park locker?

Those portable highchairs are great if you have the car, but look a little cumbersome to carry otherwise, and if we have the car, then we would have the carseat anyway.

Bev

 

[Lilysmom]

Jel~
DH and I are off to Babies 'R Us tomorrow to check out the strollers. I have a the Graco Metrolite for home and we love it, but i think it might be too cumbersome for the trip. My "city" girlfriends and my mom (who raised all 4 of us in Manhattan) swear by the Maclaren which is the only reason that's the one I mentioned. We'll have lily with us tomorrow so I can take a look at all the strollers while I'm there. I'll definitely check out the Peg. I have another gf who has that one and loves it.

Bev~
We'll be flying down and will have Lily's carseat from the plain but that thing is just way too much to be lugging around the park in August. My DH rented a locker last year when we went to hold our video camera, and I don't remember them being anywhere near wide enough to accomodate her car seat or a travel seat. When we are at the store tomorrow I'll check out the slings and let you know what I find. I just figured with the padding in the Bjorn her arms and legs and head were still free so it would be cooler. I'll let you know what decision we make.

Liz

 

[Kermit]

We have a Graco Citilite, which I think is the newer version of the Metrolite. We love it. It's inexpensive enough that if someone were to steal it, it wouldn't be that big of a deal, and it's very easy to fold and maneuver.

There is apparently a sling available made out of mesh material. I don't know who makes it, but that would be the coolest sling by far. Another good option would be to sew one or have one sewn, and use a light colored fabric. You can make one out of any quilting fabric. Elizabeth Lee makes a good pattern and sells the rings. Do you currently use a sling? If not, I'd try to borrow one and see if your baby likes it. Mine hates being in a sling.

 

[Kermit]

Here's a link to the mesh sling.

Disclaimer: I don't have one, so I can't tell you if it's a good product or not. But a lot of the moms at a parenting forum I frequent say good things about it.

 

[crusoe2]

Liz, my Maya sling just arrived a couple days ago and we've given it a try a couple of times. So far my DD seems to like it - I hope that lasts. The fabric is lightweight but feels very strong and you can adjust the edges of the sling to give more or less coverage. Of course, less coverage means less support so you will have to be more hands on when you use it that way. I'm still not comfortable using it totally hands-free, anyway, so I have no problem with having to keep one hand behind her back. Even that way, the sling still helps a lot by taking most of her weight and controlling some of her wiggling around (my DD is very active and observant - she has to look at everything ).

I do have a couple of tips already.
1) If you are going with the Maya, get it now so you have plenty of time to practice using it. I let the time get by me and now have only a few days to get the hang of it before our trip.
2) Place your order over the phone rather than the I'net. The lady I talked with was very helpful and informative. She answered my questions about what size to get and helped me pick a fabric that is light colored so maybe it won't get so hot.

About the cribs at CBR - that is where we are staying, also. When I made our ressie I asked if we could get a regular crib instead of the Pak n Play and was told yes. But after asking around here on the DIS I found out that Disney's version of a "regular" crib is a small metal one with non-adjustable side rails and a thin mattress permanently set at the lowest level. We didn't feel like this would work any better for us than the Pak n Play. Fortunately we are driving and my mother has a true portacrib that we can borrow and take with us. If you don't think what Disney offers will work for you, look into renting from A Baby's Best Friend. I think their url is www.abbf.com.

As for the highchair issue, we only plan on one meal at a full-service restaurant and I asked about the highchairs when I made my PS. They said they have the usual wooden restaurant highchairs. I told the CM that our DD probably won't be quite ready for one of those and would be more comfy in her stroller. He said he would make a note of that on our PS and that it would be okay to leave her in the stroller. Our PS is at Liberty Tree Tavern - don't know if all restaurants can accommodate a stroller.

Hope this helps. We leave Thursday and will be back on the 16th. I'll post more as soon as we get in and get settled.

 

[Lilysmom]

I ended up picking upthe Bjorn Saturday, which Lily LOVES as long as she is able to face outwards. 9She's nosey as all get out!)

I may still pick up the sling though because it does seem to be a lighter weight fabric.

I can't WAIT to hear about the details of your trip crusoe! Have fun!!!