Disney trip with new baby?

[HookedOnDiz]

In November, my wife and I have an opportunity to go on what will essentially be a free trip to Disney... but we are expecting our first child in September, which means the baby will be just over a month old at the time of the trip.

My question is... as first time parents with a month old baby... are we taking on too much by picking up and going to Disney for a week?

We would probably pass on the trip if not for the fact that it will not cost us anything except for meals. I would appreciate any advice from all you seasoned Disney parents

Thanks!

 

[Luvinit]

IMHO--Go!! First of all Nov. is beautiful in FL, secondly the crowds week before and wk after T-giving are low. As long as your wife has a good delivery...it should be okay. Just keep in mind that you are not going to be able to do EVERYTHING that you normally would on vacation. So if you and your DW go with an open mind, you could have a very nice relaxing time. I took my DD at 3 mos by myself with my 3yr old son. We only went to MGM and the pools, but I loved it...

"it was "different, but good"... Lilo & Stich

 

[Trinity721]

Congratulations on your soon to be first child!

It really depends on how easy-going or difficult your child is by the time he or she is one month old. Hopefully he or she is not colicky and a good sleeper by then, so the whole family can enjoy the trip. DH and I are first time parents ourselves, and our daughter is now 8 months old. Lucky for us, she was never colicky or difficult at all! We were taking trips to the mall and the beach by the time she was a week old, and she loved it. Also depends on how physically able your wife is. Recovering from any type of delivery is, in my belief, harder than the delivery itself...maybe i think so because my delivery went so smoothly.

I personally think you should go. How many opportunities will you have like this? I think the baby will be fine, and your wife and you will have a splendid time. Congrats again!

 

[Kallison]

Personally I could not do it, I think the last thing a newborn wants it to be dragged around Disney World. That is me, I was a homebody with my kids, had three in four years, we were home for naps twice a day. I also didn't want them out in crowds with germs. We really didn't start family vacations until the youngest one was one year old. We are making up for it now, they are 12-10 and 9. We are always on the go. It all depends on your personality, the health and temperament of your baby. Good luck with your decision, best wishes on your new baby.

 

[floridafam]

I don't want you to be put off by my post. I am just giving you a point of view.

Our DD came down with a fever when she was about a month old. You are instructed to take your child to the doctor if they have a fever over 100.5 if they are younger than 2 months old.

Okay, so I take her in thinking everything will be okay. Well, 21 days later she left the hospital. She had Group B Strep. I am not mentioning this to scare you. In fact, whenever I find out someone I know is expecting I always say "get tested for group B strep".

One of the things I learned is that a baby's immune system is not fully developed or mature until 2-4 months.

A trip to Disney is a special thing and I would not hesitate to take a little baby. We saw MANY on our trip last October and all of the families looked like they were having a wonderful time.

I wouldn't hesitate to go. I would travel "smart" if I was going to go. Take a thermometer, sunscreen, etc. so you aren't scrambling for something if you need it. Take any phone numbers you may need. All you have to do is prepare yourself and you should have a wonderful trip. If you need assistance from Disney-with any issue-big or small-I am sure that they will bend over backwards to help you.

Some people wouldn't go to WDW with a small child but there are a lot of precious moments to be had with a little one. We saw quite a few young babies having their pictures taken with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and it was very nice.

 

[disneybud]

Some good comments here..

My wife and I took our first child to WDW when she was 16 months old and found ourselves to have a great time. She is now almost 3 yrs old and asks me every day when we are going back. Problem is we have a 6 month old addition and we have decided to wait until he is at least one to go back.

The one other thing I would say that has not been mentioned I think is what kind of living arrangements are being made. You mention that you are able to go down free only having to pay for your meals... What does that entail however?? Are you sharing a room with some inlaws? Will you have your own room? That would make a big difference I would think. I would hate to think that getting up at all hours with a one month old could ruin someone else's vacation time. For us we could only take up this kind of offer if we had our own room of some kind. Even if we were in some sort of suite arrangement I would hate to think that my crying baby could keep others up at night possibly. I would be too stressed to enjoy myself I would think unless I had my own room.

 

[MinnieGi]

Looking back at when DD was born I don't think I could have handled such a trip at only one month postpartum. It is just such a huge change to parenthood in of itself that I don't think I could of handled getting ready to go on a trip on top of it. Plus DD and I were still working on getting nursing down. It took us a good six weeks until it was very easy for both of us and that is not at all unusual espcically with first time mother/baby. Plus you never know what is going to happen during childbirth - if a c-section occurs you are restricted from driving for two weeks and have Dr.'s appointments at two and six weeks to make sure everything is healing well. We also were not getting a whole lot of sleep during those first few months!! DD would only sleep a few hours and then be up to feed and look around. DD also could not stand her car seat in those early days. She wanted and needed to be held constantly. So we didn't go out much those first months. Besides DH and I were in such heaven to hold our little girl!! I don't think she would have done well on a plane or car for a trip to FL. We met other parents who had babies who also screamed in the car seat, so I guess it's not that uncommon.

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that you never really know how those first few months with a newborn and parenting are going to be until you're there. It could be a really easy transition for you and baby or it could be otherwise. Baby may be really healthy or baby could have some early complications. You just never know and its such a crucial time for the infant to develop his/her immune system. If you can I would wait to decide about the trip. If not personally I would wait till the baby is older and out of the newborn stage to go on a big trip.

Good luck with your decision and best of luck to you and you new baby!!!!!!!!

 

[pnelson]

Actually, I would worry more about if your wife would be up to all that walking so soon after having the baby. The baby will probably be fine.

I also think what someone said about a baby's immunity after birth is incorrect. Usually, a baby carries the mother's immunity for up to six months after birth. I think this because my son had chicken pox. On the day he came down with it, before we realized he had it, our friends brought their 6 week old over and he held it. When they left, he took off his shirt and his stomache was covered with spots. They immediately called their pedetrician who said that if the mother had chicken pox, then the baby would carry her immunity. So I wouldn't necessarily worry about germs, but that's just me. We took our 6 week old camping in a national forest and I didn't even worry too much about dirt, germs or anything.

 

[MrsPete]

You'll have plenty of time for Disney trips later. I personally wouldn't take a newborn to Disney for several reasons:

My first child was three weeks late. I knew that first babies are notorious for being late, but I was 100% mine wouldn't be: ALL the babies in my family have been born early -- until my two came along. My point is that your baby might not even be a month old when the trip rolls around.

Month-old babies (unless you're really, really lucky) don't sleep through the night. You'll look and feel like a zombie --- this is worst with the first child because you're also learning how to do everything. That's not a formula for a fun vacation.

Recovery from childbirth is unpredictable. With my first child I was miserable for a week, then I was moderately uncomfortable for two months. I literally thought I would never be the same again. Fortunately, my second childbirth was completely different, and I was "myself" again quite quickly. The births were rather similar: both ******l births, baby weights were 1 oz. different. You just can't know ahead of time how the mother will feel at one month.

In conclusion, I would not make a trip -- even a free trip -- with a one month old child.

 

[shelly3girls]

I noticed you are from the jersey shore so I am guessing that you plan to fly. My pediatrician told me that it is not safe for a child to fly before 2 months old. I would also be very concerned that the baby may become ill while traveling. Even the smallest cold can be very dangerous for a baby that young. That said we waited until my DD was 2.5 months for our first trip to WDW. It was a fabulous trip, but there is a big difference in just that 1.5 months. I also know that I would not have felt up to a trip that close to giving birth. I personally would wait until the baby was older even if it meant passing up a free trip.

 

[tricia]

I say go for it. I love travelling with an infant. They are soooo easy. Especially if they are nursing. You always have food for them, they do not get underfoot, whine to buy them more stuff, get out of sight. Just make sure you have an awesome carrier, such as the Baby Bjorn. Of course I had large babies (9lbs) at birth and easy deliveries.(I was playing soccer 2 weeks after each)

You would probably have to take things at a slower pace, due to the lack of sleep, but if that is fine I say go for it.

 

[jel0511]

I know that it's hard to turn down a free trip, but I think you should. I wouldn't want to take a baby that young on a plane, and if you're not flying, I can't imagine trying to drive with a one month old infant. That alone is sheer lunacy. Not to mention that a one month old most likely will not be sleeping through the night, leaving you and your DW complete zombies in WDW and not able to enjoy anything. Now for the second and very important part, most likely your DW WILL NOT be in any shape to take a trip a month post partum. I've had two kids, and my first I had an emergency c-section(read unplanned here) and I was basically laid up in bed for TWELVE WEEKS after delivering. I ended up getting an infection in my incision which needed to be reopened. They couldn't close it, due to fear of infection recurring and I had a home nurse come in twice a day to change and clean my incision, until it finally closed around 10 weeks. The pain lasted until about 15 weeks post partum. With my second I had a very uncomplicated delivery, but still didn't feel myself again for 6 weeks post partum, which is completely normal and DEFINATELY wouldn't have thought of taking a trip at all!!!! I know you want to go, and MAYBE your wife would have an uncomplicated delivery, but there are MANY circumstances that might arrise making you have to stay home anyway. Now, you wouldn't want to say yes, and then pull out, leaving the people who had paid for your trip high and dry, with everything paid for and no one able to go.

 

[>>^..^<<]

Maybe I misread the thread... are you treking through the Sahara for a month? or going to Disney?

LOL

I think you should go!

Do not have a rigid schedule and be prepared to be flexible.

Are you both (or at least one of you) familiar with newborns? handling, changing, feeding? If you have had reasonable exposure to babies then I am more then certain you will be fine.

If you have never held a baby in your life - then you might be a little stressed.

Hopefully the new Mom is well too... pregnancy and caring for a newborn can take a lot out of you... even more reason for a break and a holiday.

Just remember you are travelling to a major city in the USA with access to anything you require should someone be ill. You are staying at a great resort with helpful staff, good food etc

Goodluck with the new baby! and whatever you decide - an all but free trip does not come along that often!

>>^..^<<

 

[mrsltg]

I'm really on the fence here. I had a c-section and I walked out of the hospital less than 2 days later. I was back at the gym 2 weeks later... to each his own recovery! So, I guess the birth part and walking around Disney doesn't "scare" me so much as the part about taking a 4 week old. The plane would definitely be out due to the recycled air (it's bad enough for adults, nevermind newborns). Driving is not so bad if you're not at a total sleep lag already (my DD slept as long as the car was moving over 50MPH). Walking around Disney with a baby who is still very new is an invitation for germs and illness. A newborn is extremely susceptible to communicative diseases. It's probably not worth it, but only you can decide that.

Erin

 

[longracing]

Well...I read most of the posts....I am a RN that works in Neonatal ICU. As a nurse and as a mom of 3, I urge you not to go. RSV season runs from October to March...RSV is a resp virus that for children and adults is just plain nasty....For infants it can be deadly. We urge our parents both for "healthy newborns" and ICU babies NOT to take them anywhere with large crowds. Of couse WE are talking about the mall, church, and large family gatherings not to mention Disney World. I realize this a great trip to pass up....but ask yourself some questions...How far away from home are you? Doctor accessability?? Hospital choices? HMO?PPO? Where to go if you have to...A plane ride for an infant ...they can't "pop their ears" so the pressure continues to build..Germs ARE a big deal...infants are not "immune". Again I urge you don't take the baby....If you REALLY want to go..find a sitter..

 

[dennisnlisab96]

We were there last November with our DD who was 9 months old and will going back this November with a 3 month old. I am hoping all will go well. I think if your baby is not colicky you should be fine. I will be keeping my fingers crossed that our new son will not be!!! Good luck...when will you be going?

 

[floridafam]

I didn't even think about the whole insurance thing.

When our daughter had Group B Strep, I called our insurer because I was at my parent's house about 50 miles away(of course we didn't know what she had at the time of the phone call). They told me I could not take her to the local hospital and would have to drive back to our home town.

I made the decision not to do that. When I got her to the hospital and they took her temp. It had risen from 98.6 to 103.2 in just an hour. Anyway, the nurse said she would not have made it had we decided to drive back home.

After the nightmare was over I argued back and forth with the insurance company for almost 2 yrs. They only paid the bills after receiving a call from the Chief of Pediatrics at the hospital in Grand Rapids.

I guess I would have to say I wouldn't do it because the trip doesn't fall after that crucial 2 month mark.

 

[frankiemom]

I am sorry but there is no way I could do it. You may be different but the last thing I would have wanted to do is go to Disney one month after having a child---all I wanted was sleep!!!!

I would be concerned about flying with such a "young" child. People have said I have taken my ______ month old and some comments were about a child over 6 months. There is a big difference in a 1 month old and a 6 month old. I would say skip it for now especially being "new" parents ---parenthood is an adjustment.

There is plenty of time to enjoy Disney with your new family . I would just enjoy her/him close to home for the first few months. Congrats on your little one and good luck with your decision.

 

[epcotfan]

Aside from mom's recovery and the health of the baby you may want to consider how the child is sleeping. If it screams through the night not only you will be awake and tired but the other hotel guests might be too. Some hotels don't have great sound proofing. Just a thought.

 

[tink2]

I am on the fence on this one. On one hand, if the baby is not colicky- the trip could be wonderful. At that age, they will sleep easily in a good stroller through just about anything. On the other hand, especially as first time parents, it is hard to predict circumstances- mom's condition, a healthy baby, an easy-going baby, sleep, etc. My son and daughter were both 3 weeks early. While my daughter had no problems, my son had many. He could not go to public places for 6 weeks- after a 2 week stay in the hospital after he was born. I'm not sure what I suggest. I guess I say it is a hard call to make and only you can make it. Just be sure you and your wife discuss it at length and agree- especially if you decide to go. Make sure you both are 100% up to it- it could be very stressful. Good luck in making your decision!