Need Urgent Advice...2 month old daughter

[Disney Lover JJ]

Regards to all.

My wife and I are exhausted form work and Ohio winter weather ;o) and we love Disney. A great DVC rental opportunity came up to stay for 5 nights in November...However, my wife is due August 30th with our first child, and I am really concerned about taking a baby at such a young age (would be 2 months one week at least). We're planning to relax more than anything, maybe visit a park or two but not much in terms of rides...we're looking forward to the atmosphere, pools, weather, etc. We're also planning to drive down vs fly.

Has anyone traveled to Disney with babies at such early age? Do you recommend to cancel? It's just that the rent deal is awesome!!

 

[java]

At that age they are really portable! LOL baby won't really care where she/he is as long as they are with you. I think you will really need it right about that time too! The first one knocks you out- you think you are tired now! woohoo- but it is a good tired if that makes sense. We have 4 children and they have all been as babies. We saw a set of newborn twins this past July. So I think the time of year is perfect for taking a baby to Disney. Have fun and Congratulations!

 

[kimmikayb]

You'll be fine! Babies that age are so portable and so easy to make happy. It won't be too hot and you don't plan on commando style touring. Go and enjoy. Take lots of picture (the characters love the babies) and show them to her when she's older.

You might get others advice, but after 4 kids I always had a easy time of it traveling with them at that age.

 

[Disney Lover JJ]

Wow your answers have been REALLY helpful and re-assuring. I think I'll be taking the trip then. One final ? playing Devils advocate here...weren't youu concerned about taking them out at such a young age without all their vaccines in? Also, did you use the hotel cribs? As you can tell I'm a first time parent...really nervous ;o)

 

[solgent]

My youngest was born end of Aug '98 and we went to WDW in early Nov, just about the same age your baby will be.

I carried her in a sling, which was LOTS easier than a stroller.

She was breastfed so I felt she was protected against illness as much as she could be.

We had a Graco "pack and play" portable playpen/crib that we used on trips.

 

[Disney Lover JJ]

Cool you're right...I forgot that we're driving down so I can take my Graco Pack and Play...good point about breastfeeding...which we're planning to do as well. So far I'm convinced on taking the trip....if we do...I'll post pics as your advice has resulting in my baby's fist WDW experience. Thanks a bunch

 

[belle&beast]

We went to Florida when my first DD was 1 month old. It was A LOT EASIER than when she was 4 years!!!! I breastfed her, so I didn't have to worry about bottles and she slept in a hotel crib. We spent one day at Bush Gardens and I have some great pictures of her at her first amusement park. I say go for it! Relax and enjoy yourselves!

 

[laceemouse]

I think since the weather will be cooler you will be fine! Have fun!!!

 

[Oceana]

too many variables based on what parenting choices you want to make. Also take into consideration what kind of person your baby will be (they come out already people!)

If you breastfeed it will make a difference, if you co-sleep it will make a difference if your baby is full term it will make a difference.

My eldest child didnt enjoy riding in a car, he screamed the whole time every time

My youngest loves being in cars but only durring the day or while sleeping.

Then you never know how your wife will be after she gives birth... some moms unexpectantly turn into major germophobes some are toatlly laid back...

so many variables

Personally I wouldnt take the trip... but I am a hermit mom to a newborn. I want to be left alone in a cave with no interuptions

goodluck whatever you choose
julie

 

[mommyceratops]

We took my son when he was 9 mos and it was great!! He did EVERYTHING and did not complain one time!! LOL! Go for it you will have a kitchen with DVC. Take use of the baby centers in the parks!! Just wash hands A LOT!!!

 

[dizydreamer]

Go and have a good time. I would say to use your own port-a-crib. We took our 1st dd to AZ in Aug. when she was 2 months and it was very easy. It is a lot more work now that she is 11. Have fun.

 

[powellrj]

I would try to keep your options open. You really have no idea how you DW will feel at that point. With my first DS he was 3 weeks late and was an emergency C-section. At that point there is no way I would have wanted to take a long car trip and be in unfamiliar surroundings. I went back to work part-time when he was 7 weeks old and that was hard enough.

If you think she would feel up it the travel and you could cancel it if she wasn't, I would go for it. Otherwise, it maybe easier to wait a couple of months until she feels more up to the trip.

 

[Ariel8676]

I have taken my girls to WDW since they were about 8 weeks old. We breastfeed so that makes it easier not having to carry around bottles, also the reccomendation of a sling is awsome. You could bring a stroller to get a break, but a baby that little will feel so secure being carried around like that.
I have a couple of websites that you may be interested in
http://www.bebeaulait.com/ GREAT nursing covers
http://goo-ga.com/ these slings are awesome, if you are interseted get a stretchy cotton, or my favorite with a newborn a microfleece.
Going with a baby is simple, just take it easy. If you are planning on driving. Make sure you all..including the baby.. get out and stretch..even those baby legs get cramped up from sitting too long. You will have a lot of fun!!!! Oh and Congrats!!!!!

 

[momamy]

perfect time for a trip to disney! you will love the pics!!

Amy

 

[mumto2]

Run it by your pediatrician first. Here's my story:

I went back to work when my first was seven weeks old. DH was home with her for another five weeks. My previous job required a lot of travel for tradeshows, conferences, etc. The week after I went back to work, I had a conference in New Orleans (early October). Pediatrician told me he didn't recommend flying at that age because of the vaccination issue, so we drove (14 hours).

I was breastfeeding, which can be an adventure on the road, especially if your wife hasn't gotten to the stage where she's comfortable being as discreet as she can be, but realizing that everyone knows what's going on under there It never failed that no matter how secluded a parking space we found at the rest area, no sooner would we attempt a latch-on than a tour bus full of Lodge members would pull up right along side the car Finally, I realized that DH had installed a neon sign on the top of the car that read "Breastfeeding going on here, come gawk" and got over being self-conscious

The trip itself was great. We took our own pack and play. We used a stroller and a sling. As a paranoid first-time parent, I looked up the nearest pediatric urgent care and had that info, including a map from my hotel, with me.

Take all of the sensible precautions - keep baby out of direct sunlight, make sure mom stays well hydrated and try to nurse baby more often. Don't plan any fancy dinners ('cause I can guarantee you no matter how peaceful baby is the rest of the trip, no sooner will you sit down that baby will decide they have other plans), just follow cues from the baby. Also avoid taking the baby on any loud rides or rides with overly bright lights.

One thing we started on that trip that we have kept up is that when we drove across a state line, we'd stop at the welcome center and take a picture of DD with the state name sign in the picture. She is 6 now and gets a real kick out of looking through her state album.

 

[Disney Lover JJ]

Wow! You guys have been great. Never though DIS would be so much fun and so much info. I think I will take your recos and maybe try to schedule the trip for early Dec instead of early Nov...that will give us one more month just in case things get complicated at birth, we'll have the X-mas decor to look at, and teh weather will be cooler for baby. Thanks again...

 

[15minfromOGDL]

We'll be travelling with our newborn in Sept when she's 3 months old. Just take things at a slow and leisure pace (which is what vacation should be anyway) and bring more baby stuff than you think you'll need. We're bringing our pack n play since it's a combo changing table/crib. Congrats on the baby!

 

[justhat]

Congrats DisneyLoverJJ! My 2nd baby is due August 28th and we're planning our WDW trip from 11/1-11/10, with some days at Vero Beach scheduled in there too. Now, since it's my 2nd and my 1st was fairly large and born 15 days early there's a very good chance that this one will be induced around 37-38 weeks so he'll possibly be closer to 3 months old, but we're going irrelevant of that fact. We don't have a choice in dates cause my husband's vacation is not negotiable, but I think it will be a great time of the year to go.

Now, for your questions about fear of germs, pack n plays, etc. We took my daughter to WDW May 19-25, 2004 and she was born February 26, 2004 so she was just about the same age that our son will be. She was due March 12th but again, not a factor in our trip as the dates were non-negotiable. We also went the next month, June 7-21, so she was 3.5 months then. She had gotten some vaccinations by then, but clearly not all of them, but I really didn't even think about that, and my husband is a physician and it wasnt' a concern to him either. We flew there so we did use WDW's pack n play, but it was actually very shaky, probably old or used by too many larger kids, so she ended up just sleeping in the bed with me everynight. She was breastfed so she did get some immunities from that, but I have a pretty crappy immune system cause I swear I catch everything and anything so not sure how much I was able to pass onto her!

We talked to her ped about sunblock and she said it was fine, so we did some patch tests on her arm to check for a reaction, didn't see anything and she was fine using it the whole trip. We brought our stroller that fully reclined, has a canopy, etc, but I ended up wearing her in a Baby Bjorn all day, as she stayed cooler, completely shaded, and she was always with me so I could go on rides without taking her in/out of the stroller. She wasn't a fan of the stroller anyway so she was much happier in the Bjorn.

We went again with her in early December, the 3rd-7th I think, and she was 9 months old. The only thing I'd caution against that time is that it was very, very cold some of the days we were there. We had her dressed in a onesie, long pants, long shirt, and jacket, (and socks/shoes) but we still had to keep her wrapped in a blanket most of the day. For a 3 month old I think that it would be hard to keep them out too long in weather that cold. Not everyday was like that, I have some pictures of her in shorts/t-shirts, so it was pretty erratic weather. We've been 4 or 5 times in December and had drastically different weather each time. Only been twice in late October/November, but had much better luck with warmer but not hot weather.

 

[ukwildcat]

It's really a personal decision. We've been taking our son since he was 2 months old. He's been 4 times since, with 1 trip coming up in September. We figure we can't confine him at home forever, so we just packed up and went.

We drove, although very close for us. It was great having a car.

It's hard with a newborn, especially your first, but it can either be hard at home or hard in a hotel. I say go for it. It will make all subsuquent trips that much easier. You'll learn as you go. Have fun.

 

[zurgswife]

One of my most favorite trips my youngest was 3 months old....It was great. She slept most of the time..