Disney infant advice

[kboo]

I agree that the driving is what I'd be concerned about. 18 hours of driving is likely far more with a baby. Some babies nurse even more than every 3 hours. And then there's the extra pooping! When we went with a 2 month old, our drive down went well. We did it in just about 8 hours. We could do it in 7.5 without kids so we made excellent time. However, on the way back, our 8 hour drive was 15 hours! It was terrible. There was some traffic but baby had a reaction to dairy (in my breastmilk) and was miserable. That was not a fun drive. I have flown with babies too and it has gone well. Just be warned that the change in cabin pressure when the plane goes up at the start seems to make them poop more in my experience. Then you're stuck with the seatbelt light on hoping the diaper won't leak until it goes off.

As far as recovery, it's a good think you are waiting. I followed all the advice and none of my recoveries from c-sections were fast. I walked as soon as I could and took the pain meds - though the pain meds seemed to do nothing. With babies 1 and 2, there was a huge difference in what I could handle between 6 and 8 weeks though, so I'm guessing going at 2-3 months would mean most could handle it. I had complication with my third making it impossible for me to even go up one single step until 6 weeks after baby was born. Luckily, all three of my babies were very healthy so I didn't have to stress over them. Another plus to waiting - some babies hate the car and some love it. Two out of my three hated it. (The one who didn't hate it was the one who went at 2 months old for the first time). My eldest screamed bloody murder on even 10 minute drives until well into toddlerhood. My third did much better - but we still had to split that 8 hour drive into two days in order to do the trip when we he was 11 months).

We took Baby 1 to Europe and Brazil from weeks 6-12. DH was doing a traveling sabbatical so it was either stay home for 6 weeks with a newborn, alone, or travel a ton w DH and baby on a mostly-expense-paid trip. She did great on the flights and would still rather fly than drive anywhere (she's almost 6). Your stories of the pooping ... bring back memories. Baby1 was a once-a-week pooper, except when we were flying. EVERY takeoff was a blowout, it seems. We just made sure to have a full outfit change and ziploc bags for the soiled clothes. And I would much rather deal with a poopsplosion in an airplane than in a car seat - any day. We provided a lot of entertainment to the parents sitting near us because we were clearly first time parents who needed all four adult hands to deal with a blowout. LOL. The best thing about OP's trip is that the WDW part can be a spur of the moment decision. But as far as the trip to Orlando, I have to +1000 the flying over driving part. You can rent a crib or pack and play if the grandparents don't want to get one to stay there; you can rent a car with an infant seat (or bring infant car seat and snap and go), get diapers delivered through Amazon or pick them up when you get there. My DH WAY overpacks every time we drive anywhere for an overnight. It's like he's compelled to fill all available space in the car, with stuff we might need "just in case." Flying forces him to make real decisions about whether we really need all that gear. (We don't.)

(Baby 2 has been a 2-3x a DAY pooper, and from age 0-1 had at least one blowout a day. We have dealt with blowouts at WDW and in the car, and I would much rather do a blowout at WDW any day.)

THIS! I think a seasoned parent going with a newborn is different than a first time parent. My baby is five months right now (our first) and we are planning her first trip for Sept. At the two month mark, there is NO WAY I could have handled Disney. It is such a huge adjustment going from not being a parent to being a parent. At two months I was still trying to figure out how to do things like get a shower or make a meal.

I've seen threads like this on here in the past, and I've noticed that the people who say going with a newborn is fine are often parents who went with a newborn that was not their first child.

Having traveled with 2 newborns, it is definitely easier the second time around. But OP is going to Florida no matter what, and going to Disney is just the idea of a day or two. Traveling with a newborn is much easier than traveling with a baby/toddler 8mo-2yrs. It wasn't until I was trying to travel with a toddler the first time that I looked back on traveling with her as a newborn and I was wistful. It does take you out of your comfort zone, but that can be a good thing. And, while on vacation, you usually have the other partner around all the time to help with the baby, and in OP's case, probably grandparents as well. It definitely made me make the most of my second maternity leave, because I knew that I wasn't going to have that much time "off" again in a long time, and newborns sleep a lot, so it was pretty easy to go to the parks and do rider switch, have meals, watch fireworks (don't forget baby hearing protection).

We took my daughter at 2 months old. She's my second child, my oldest had just turned 2. Personally, I thought it was amazing. I breastfed so it was easy just to nurse on rides or during air conditioned shows. I wore her in a wrap, which did get hot but we took breaks so we didn't get over heated. If I was sleep deprived, I don't remember it. I'm usually on a Disney high when I'm there so I don't need much sleep. Bringing her at 2 months old was a thousand times easier than bringing a 2 year old, lol.

SO much easier traveling with a 2 month old, even the first time.

Also - if baby is EBF, you're going to be fine as far as germs. Newborns don't reach and grab and touch everything, and they're usually close to at least one of the parents. Even in a stroller, no one is going to walk up and sneeze in baby's face, and the breast milk offers lots of protection. Kid 1 never even had a runny nose until she started day care, despite all of our earlier traveling, I had actually gotten 2 really bad colds during the time. Same with Kid 2, even though Kid 1 was probably bringing all sorts of germs home from school. Just good sanitary habits go a long,long way (wash hands before touching baby, don't sneeze or cough in baby's face).

 

[Belle83]

With my first baby, I would not have enjoyed it at 2 months. I was too tired, stressed out, etc. The heat alone would make it very difficult. At closer to 3 months, I might have considered it in cooler weather, but only for a few park hours a day max in August because the heat would make it so tough. I baby wear at that age and it's really hard to keep a baby cool while doing that. You could just hit the parks at night which would help.

We took DS to Disneyland when he was 13 months and that was a hard age (for different reasons). WE also just got back with him after a second trip, and he's slightly over 2 now. Traveling with a 3 month old is much easier than a 1 or 2 year old imo.