Help!!!

[Cinderellabride]

Hi everyone,

It's been a little while since I've posted, but I need HELP please. My husband, my 5 and 1/2 month old son and I were supposed to be going to Disney World during free dining the last week in August. Well, the way my husband's job works whoever has senority gets to take their vacation even if you put your vacation in a long time ago and it's already paid for and everything. So someone higher than him decided he is taking vacation that week and now we have to change our whole plans. Well my husband is going back to school in Sept so we have to go earlier rather than later. And so that means we are either leaving this Sunday night to arrive on Tues (driving from CT), and staying at POP or we are renting DVC points if they are available for the following week.

Here are my issues:

1. My husband works 3-11 tonight and tomorrow night, and 3pm to 8 am Friday night and Saturday night. I also the consultant for a home party that I am doing on Sunday at 3 PM. So I have to plan and prepare for that, and prepare and pack for Disney all by myself to leave in 4 days!!!!

2. While I have been to Disney many many many times I have never been with an infant, so this will be a whole new planning and packing experience for me.

And the big issue is the heat and sun with the baby...

Originally he was going to be just shy of 6 months old when we went so the Dr. said sunscreen was fine to use, and the biggest issue was to keep him hydradted. He also would have been allowed to drink some water, which would help with that (no big deal we will just give him formula)...but what do we do to protect him from the sun?

I'm afraid if we dress him in long sleeves and pants he will overheat.
Also anyone who practices babywearing what do you do about the heat both for yourself and for your baby?

Sorry this is so scattered and with so many questions, any help and/or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[TinaLala]

First of all take a breath!!! AAHH!

Okay. I've taken my girls to Disney every year since they were 6 months old. Here's some suggestions

Dehydration / Heat - as long as you keep in mind that all of the rides at Disney are Air Conditioned, you'll be okay. The Transit Authority ride at Magic Kingdom - the blue cars in Tomorrowland - are a great slow ride that goes in and out of air conditioned stations and help a baby sleep. Hall of presidents - perfect show to nurse or cool off in. Ariel show, Muppets 3D at Studios.

All parks have a cool nursing station that you can sit in a rocking chair and cool off, change diapers and feed/nurse for as long as you need to.

Go to Baby's R Us for a stroller fan - it's small fan with foam blades that clips onto the stroller - this is a MUST to keep some type of cool breeze on his/her face. TAKE YOUR STROLLER! You'll need it from the airport to the car, from the hotel to the bus and from the bus to the room when he's sleeping and you are exhausted! Remember to pick up screwdriver and batteries to bring with you. You'll have this fan on all the time while you go from place to place and the batteries burn out fast. Try not to buy one at Disney..they are VERY expensive $15 for a Mickey one and the batteries were done within an hour.

You could also pick up a mini umbrella or get a nice light white cotton blanket to hang on the stroller for shade. Something that is going to breath, but not cook the baby.

Onesies and wipes - honestly these are your friends. I always bring extra wipes and put them inside the bottle cooler (remember your bottle cooler!) that way they are nice and cool when changing or cleaning. Onesies are just easier for the child to deal with then having layers of clothes. Have some layers in case it gets cool or the baby is cold inside the rides, etc. Or you could bring a ziploc bag and 'borrow' one of the face clothes from the room and periodically 'cool down' the baby with a moist wipe down.

Naps - I would consider going back to your room in the middle of the day to let the baby cool off maybe at the pool or a nap in the room. This might prevent heat exhaustion from doing too much.

You can do it!

Make you lists and see if there's a neighbor who can help watch your son while you pack or someone can run to the store and pick up a few things for you. DON'T FORGET THE DIAPERS OR THE BOTTLES OR THE LINERS!!!! Diapers are very expensive at Disney so make sure you pack them first.

Keep your packing simple and maybe do laundry mid vacation while you're at the pool. This could save you some time with packing. But remember to bring quarters.

Let me know if you need any help!! Seriously I'm in MA and we're probably not that far away..if you need me to pick up a few things for you I'm home the next few days and get help out!

 

[Mrs D]

Wow! That really stinks on needing to reschedule!

1. It would stress me out to have a show the day I was packing to leave. Perhaps you can reschedule or have another consultant do the show (if that's allowed. I'm a Mary Kay consultant and we can do that).
2. I'll bet you have lists for everything you need to bring for baby (oh, and you too). You'll do great. And of course, it's not like you are in the desert, you can get anything you forget while there - just at the inflated price!
3. Call your ped, but you should be able to use sunscreen at 5.5 mo. Just use SPF 30 only (I like Aveeno Baby) and reapply every 2 hours.
4. You can likely do small doses of water, like 2-3 ounces a day in addition to formula. Again, ask your ped.
5. Instead of doing regular cotton long sleeve shirts/pants - do SPF Rashguard clothing. Basically it's swimsuit material, so it's thin, breathable, dries quickly and had SPF built in. Here are a few websites- http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog...100180&categoryId=100182&subCategoryId=100184 or http://www.sandpailkids.com/sunprotectionboysinfants.htm or http://www.coolibar.com/03710b.html

Have a magical trip!