Official Breast Feeding Support Thread for WDW Parks

[Dis703]

When my youngest was 2.5, he barely ate solids due to sensory issues so he nursed frequently all over Disney and Universal with no issues. The last time I nursed him in public he was 4.5 years old - and that was at Disney. It was a few times that week. That's the only time I noticed people walking by me a bit faster than the norm. It probably doesn't help that I'm petite and his head is enormous so he probably looks a lot older than that in my lap.

When my oldest went at 2 1/2 years old he was also still mostly breastfed because of a combination of food allergies and sensory issues. I didn't have any issues nursing him around Disney.

My twins are 4 1/2 now but I haven't nursed them in public for a long while. I could only imagine the looks I would get if I did. But it hasn't been necessary as they only nurse once or twice a day anymore.

I think it was helpful that my boys were quite small for their age as toddlers. People likely didn't even realize I was nursing a 2 or 3 year old at the time.

 

[jkstewart1800]

When my oldest went at 2 1/2 years old he was also still mostly breastfed because of a combination of food allergies and sensory issues. I didn't have any issues nursing him around Disney.

My twins are 4 1/2 now but I haven't nursed them in public for a long while. I could only imagine the looks I would get if I did. But it hasn't been necessary as they only nurse once or twice a day anymore.

I think it was helpful that my boys were quite small for their age as toddlers. People likely didn't even realize I was nursing a 2 or 3 year old at the time.

Does ANYONE have advice on nursing "bigger kiddos" at the parks. Mostly the feedback we hear about the parks being welcoming is with the younger set... Can anyone share their stories of nursing 3+ ???

 

[Dis703]

Does ANYONE have advice on nursing "bigger kiddos" at the parks. Mostly the feedback we hear about the parks being welcoming is with the younger set... Can anyone share their stories of nursing 3+ ???

If I nursed our LO when older than 3 at Disney I generally did it while on rides, in the babycare center, or in our room. I'm not opposed to the idea of nursing an older toddler/preschooler in public but it just wasn't necessary nor did they ask to at that point. They nursed in the morning before we left for the parks, at night before bed and possibly once during the day on a ride or in the Baby Care Center.

 

[MudQueen22]

I appreciate this thread so much.
My second child will be 23 mos when we go again in 2017.
Glad to hear so many have nursed older nurslings without issues.

 

[kohlby]

Does ANYONE have advice on nursing "bigger kiddos" at the parks. Mostly the feedback we hear about the parks being welcoming is with the younger set... Can anyone share their stories of nursing 3+ ???

Yes, I shared it a couple posts back. I nursed my youngest in the parks every single day when he was 3. And even nursed a couple times in the parks at 4.5. It was not an issue. I'm petite and he is a little bigger than average with a huge head (adult sized circumference even then), so I'm sure he looked older. No one said anything to me.

 

[jasmith34]

Did any of you use nursing tops or just regular shirts and tank tops?

 

[GatorMama]

Did any of you use nursing tops or just regular shirts and tank tops?

I am on baby #3 and have never owned a nursing shirt. I'm much more comfortable with a tank to pull down and another shirt over to pull up.

 

[nycdisneygal]

glad to have found this. typing with 1 hand
DD will be 3 months on our trip. I want to occasionlly pump so i can have an adult beverage and dont want her to suddenly be hungry and me not able to feed her. Any handpump recommendation? dont want to bring my pump in style.

 

[krm222]

I just nursed wherever: a lot of times on a ride or during a show.

A funny story: on our last day we were at HS. My husband took our son on Star Tours and I went into the restaurant to nurse our daughter. My husband asked for a rider swap and even though the line was only like 20 minutes they insisted on seeing the baby as "proof". Luckily he knew where I was and came to get me. At that point baby girl was focused on lunch so I just stood up with her still latched and walked over to the ride entrance. Omg those two Cast Members felt awful! I was annoyed at the time but I can't imagine now what they must have been thinking to see a lady feeding her baby rounding the corner!!

 

[jahber]

Did any of you use nursing tops or just regular shirts and tank tops?

I just wear regular shirts. I live in Orlando and it's way way way too hot to wear multiple layers every day. I almost never cover (again, HOT!), and I've never had a problem. If I'm feeling like I need a little extra cover, I usually sit with my more exposed side facing a wall. Or maybe put a blanket over my arm so it drapes over my side/stomach. But I've gotten pretty good at not showing much (not because it's wrong to show anything--it's legal to breastfeed completely uncovered here), but because that's what I'm comfortable with. And no one has ever said anything negative at WDW (or anywhere) when I nurse uncovered. So, if you're like me and can't really afford special nursing clothes (or just don't like them), you can make it work with regular shirts

 

[MomsOfDisney]

What a wonderful thread! Thanks so much for all the tips and advice
Wish I had found this sooner!

 

[khertz]

We have taken 3 trips in recent months with my nursing DD and last week when we were there, I got a nice surprise in the nursing room at the MK baby care center. They have 3 big, cushy La Z Boy rockers in there now! We had just been in November of last year and they still had the wooden rockers. It was sooo nice to relax in one of those for DD to eat. Hopefully they follow suit at the other baby care centers.

 

[khertz]

Did any of you use nursing tops or just regular shirts and tank tops?

When we went in October it was way too hot for too many layers. But this last trip 2 weeks ago it was so cold that I wore a nursing tank as my bra. It was so nice to have that extra layer! And if I had to feed outside it was nice to have my back and stomach covered with the tank.

 

[kboo]

glad to have found this. typing with 1 hand
DD will be 3 months on our trip. I want to occasionlly pump so i can have an adult beverage and dont want her to suddenly be hungry and me not able to feed her. Any handpump recommendation? dont want to bring my pump in style.

Headed down next week with a 3 month old! I have a medela harmony hand pump that works very well. Fwiw one adult beverage every once in a while isn't going to need you to pump and dump. Also they sell these strips that can detect alcohol in breast milk if you're really concerned. (I've never used them but a friend got them with her first baby).

This time I'm bringing a pump since we plan on getting a sitter two nights when we are there, but which DD1 (now 4) we traveled extensively through Europe when she was 2-3 months and never needed a pump.

 

[kboo]

Here is a good resource on drinking and BF, pumping and dumping isn't necessary unless you're getting drunk:

http://www.llli.org/faq/alcohol.html

 

[kboo]

Question: It's going to be in the mid-upper 70s when we are there, and I think it's going to be too hot for my usual t-shirt (lifted up) and nursing tank combo. I'm fairly small chested, even now just at about a B cup, does anyone have other comfy suggestions for what to wear at the parks that's easy to nurse in? I have two sundresses that I can pull down the top, and I can go braless and stick a nursing pad in there to catch leaks, but what about when I'm wearing a shirt + shorts? I think the nursing tank alone looks too much like underwear, and I don't have a comfortable nursing bra. (At home I just go bra-less)

 

[nycdisneygal]

Headed down next week with a 3 month old! I have a medela harmony hand pump that works very well. Fwiw one adult beverage every once in a while isn't going to need you to pump and dump. Also they sell these strips that can detect alcohol in breast milk if you're really concerned. (I've never used them but a friend got them with her first baby).

This time I'm bringing a pump since we plan on getting a sitter two nights when we are there, but which DD1 (now 4) we traveled extensively through Europe when she was 2-3 months and never needed a pump.

Thanks. I want to pump pre-drink so she can have EBM in a bottle if need be later. Just ordered the harmony!
ETA: I usually nurse right before a drink but sometimes she wants more within 2hours so I like to have milk on hand.

 

[kboo]

Thanks. I want to pump pre-drink so she can have EBM in a bottle if need be later. Just ordered the harmony!
ETA: I usually nurse right before a drink but sometimes she wants more within 2hours so I like to have milk on hand.

I just saw your ticker about it being your birthday trip. NOW I get it! Enjoy and happy birthday!

 

[nycdisneygal]

I just saw your ticker about it being your birthday trip. NOW I get it! Enjoy and happy birthday!

Thanks!! Its my big 4-0!!

 

[Lupeix]

So glad I found this thread! I am nursing my now 5 month old and going to WDW (and planning to still be nursing) in July. I was more nervous about nursing in the plane that at Disney, but I just took a really long flight overseas and it went better than expected. I was sitting in a middle seat between two men that were obviously uncomfortable with the whole thing and managed to breastfeed without them even noticing (during a 9hour flight!). I wore a nursing tank and this shirt over it: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O5I1WJG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

I wanted to share because it is wonderful for the plane and maybe other nursing mammas will like to check it out.

This will obviously not work for nursing DD at Disney in July though!