Should we bring a baby carrier?

[LeilahandAidanMom]

For those of you who have gone to DLR with a baby, do you think it's worth it to bring along a baby carrier for the times when you have to park your strollers and stand in a line?

The reason I ask is because my 6 month old baby girl weighs a whopping 22lbs and is as tall as a 12-18 month old (she was 10lbs 11oz when she was born) and I can only imagine she'll weigh more when we go in April. I'm only 5'1 so she's a lot of baby for me to carry and I worry that my hubby or myself would get tired of holding her in our arms while in lines. I also wonder if there are some rides that she'll be better off strapped in a carrier to me rather than sitting in my lap unrestrained?

We don't have a carrier right now that she fits comfortably into, so we'll need to buy one for the trip.

Any advice or suggestions (especially for a good carrier that is meant for bigger babies) would be great! Thx!

 

[BlueBayou]

What about a sling? It would be an option you would need to try before the trip.

I had very small kids - so my experience is totally different. 22 pounds was a 2 1/2 year old for us.

 

[mechurchlady]

You will have to do a baby swapping pass for most rides. The only rides that allow infants on are very gentle rides like the train and fantasyland rides. I would suggest the early entry into parks if you can get it and do the baby friendly rides first. Then get fastpasses for the other rides. I do not have the info on hand on what babies can go on but it is very limited.

The sling is lightweight and can easily be folded up where as a carrier is more weight to haul around. Good luck on your trip. Oh and a carrier would not needed for the rides as most moms hold their kids in their arms.

 

[LeilahandAidanMom]

I think I saw a list somewhere about which rides were safe to carry a baby on, and like you say, I believe the list was limited. I guess my question then is sort of geared more towards how the baby swap works and the need to carry a baby through a line...

We figured we have to do the Baby Swap thing for most rides, but how exactly does it work? Does the entire family (we also have a 5 yr old) have to wait in line (which is where my ? about needing a carrier is more relevant), then the 1st parent goes on the ride with the 5 yr old (or alone if it's a bigger ride) then the 1st parent switches with the 2nd? Or can the 2nd parent wait outside of the ride while the 1st parent/child waits in line, rides, then the 2nd parent goes in through the exit, thus eliminating the worry about carrying our baby through the line up? Sorry if my ? is confusing...

 

[fairycat]

I have to agree with going with the sling or a bjorn. The issue is most rides do not allow children in the carriers so you would have to remove your daughter before going on a ride. And I have to say honestly most carriers I know of just add additional weight and do not make the baby all that much easier to carry. But that is my opinion.

 

[mechurchlady]

Baby swapping varies from ride to ride due to the configuration of line. I have not done this recently but the babysitter gets the pass and takes a time out like riding a kiddie ride, bathroom break, snack attack or whatever. When the party returns then the babysitter and one guest go to a designated location and like fastpass go on without waiting in line in theory.

You do not wait at the loading area with the kids or take them all the way through the line.

 

[DisGirl819]

Yes! Bring one! We brought ours, an ErgoBaby and it was a total lifesaver. You are going to get TIRED holding her in lines. I believe the Ergo is good up to 40 lbs. Its pricey ($105) but worth it.

 

[DisGirl819]

Also, we took DD when she was 8 months and about 18 lbs. You could carry your 22 lb baby easy in the Ergo and as a bonus, it is ergonomic (hence, the name) and shouldn't hurt your back if on properly. And I rode with DD in the carrier on every single ride she could go on. No problems there. No one even said anything to me and she was fine. In fact she slept through Toy story mania in her carrier and that ride is jerky.

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

We bought an Ergo specifically for our baby on our last trip, and she was 19 months old! I still would not go without it, though we did not use ours so much for lines, but for getting to and from the parks. We have 3 kids, and brought a double stroller, but even our oldest was pooped by the end of the day and had trouble with the walk back to the Camelot. So, rather than carry the 40 plus pound 4 yr old, we carried the 15 pound baby in the Ergo and let big brother ride!
We never tried to carry her in the carrier on a ride, and it probably depends on the CM operating the ride at the time. Sometimes they would let dd sit on my knee, but the next time we'd ride the same ride, another CM would ask me to sit her by herself, so be ready for anything!
We never actually did the baby swap, so I can't really help out with that. But for my two cents, take a carrier of some type - they aren't huge to carry, and you may find you will use it more than you think!

 

[abouley]

There are a LOT of rides you will be able to take your baby on. As long as there is no height restriction, the baby can ride. My daughter went on her first trip at 5 months and rode tons....Haunted mansion, pirates, winnie the pooh, jungle cruise, tea cups, nemo, dumbo and all fantasy land rides, small world, buzz, etc. You can use the child swap on the ride with height restrictions (most of which have fastpasses). You basically ask the CM at the entrance to the ride for the child swap pass. The only ride I can think of that you'd wait in line together on would be matterhorn.

A carrier is a huge help and if you have to purchase one, I would highly recomend an ergo or a becco or other similar type structured carrier. They are much friendlier to you and the baby and can work as a backpack as the child gets older which still works great for my 33 lb 2 year old! We just got back and I forgot the carrier and my daughter was sick and it was miserable!!! The nice thing with these carriers is that their legs wrap around you when you are carrying them so if you sit down you can keep them in the carrier or you can easily just unbuckle the top of the carrier and turn them to face out on your lap once you sit down. Really a great choice! A sling is really a great choice but I'd maybe go for a moby wrap or something that carries weight evenly on each shoulder. I had a hot sling and loved it but found after 3-4 hours my one shoulder hurt.

Disney is still a ton of fun with a little one!

 

[RobertaMomof2]

I have a 18 month old son and almost 5 year old daughter. I plan to bring a stroller and my Toddler Patapum (which can hold kids up to 65 pounds). I figure if my daughter is too tired to walk I can put my son in the Patapum (which is similar to an Ergo carrier) and push my daughter in the stroller. I would not go to Disney without a carrier. I was thinking about bringing my Moby wrap but that is not as easy to get him in and out of many times without re-wrapping it sooo the patapum it is!

I know what you mean, both of my kids have been big for their ages. My son hit 20 pounds by the time he was 6 months old (and very tall as well). My arms get tired fast now that he is 18 months!

Good luck to you!

 

[jennilouwho]

My DS in 6 months and 22 pounds as well! I definitely recommend a carrier or you will die. We are going when he is 14 months. I've already informed hubby he will be the pack mule carrying him from ride to ride when not walking.... He'll be able to ride on shoulders by then though, so it's a little better....

 

[bumbershoot]

I think I saw a list somewhere about which rides were safe to carry a baby on, and like you say, I believe the list was limited.

Oh gosh there are tons of rides a baby can go on! Anything without a height restriction is fair game. And since it's a true baby, you're not going to have the toddler-fear of various rides, like, oh, Snow White's SCARY Adventures, so your list of rides she can go on is longer than it will be in a couple years.


When DS was 1 I brought my mesh-bodied mei tai:

And then a year later with DS on my back in the Ergo!

We did rent a stroller for both of those trips, but especially on the first trip he was barely in it. And their rental strollers aren't really appropriate for a 6 month old (just to be thorough in my answer). The mei tai that first trip was just terrific, and he spent quite a bit of the day in it.


Especially with a babe as big as yours, I wouldn't recommend a sling that is going to put her weight more on one side than the other, and as a former chiropractor I never recommend Bjorns for baby or parent. So I would definitely look into a mei tai (I always wanted one from babyhawk!) or an Ergo, or a Beco (similar to an Ergo, but I never actually owned one).

 

[momto2nenas]

When you say "carrier" you do mean like a sling/Bjorn/Ergo right NOT an infant seat carrier...

My DD was 7 months and 22 lbs her 1st trip. I don't remember any problems waiting in lines and she did ride every ride that her 3 yr. old sister rode. We used the stroller though between every ride.

 

[evandmp]

You will have to do a baby swapping pass for most rides. The only rides that allow infants on are very gentle rides like the train and fantasyland rides.

Nope, babies can go on most rides at dl. No coasters obviously but almost everything else is baby friendly.

OP I would do an Ergo or mei tai. Both are soft carriers that do not add weight and are easy on/ off for rides. My favorite carrier at that weight it a sutemi pack, it's cheaper than an ergo but it's discontinued to you'd have to buy on ebay. Definetly bring a carrier though. I didn't bring one my last trip and it slowed us down since my back hurt.

 

[tripletlyblessed]

Hi! I didn't go to DLR when my girls were tiny, but even at 2.5 I still bring a carrier and wear each of them at various points when things get a little overwhelming. I'm not a big Ergo fan, but my sister loves the one I gave her. I prefer one called Calyx by Mama by Design or a Connecta. The Connecta is great because you can leave the waist buckled and hanging instead of putting the whole thing on and off all of the time.

 

[LeilahandAidanMom]

Can the baby sit front facing in the Ergo?

 

[LeilahandAidanMom]

My DS in 6 months and 22 pounds as well! I definitely recommend a carrier or you will die. We are going when he is 14 months. I've already informed hubby he will be the pack mule carrying him from ride to ride when not walking.... He'll be able to ride on shoulders by then though, so it's a little better....

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one with a big 6 month old. I'm sure I'll be informing my husband of the same when we get there. He's a big strong guy, so I think he should do the carrying!

 

[LeilahandAidanMom]

Oh gosh there are tons of rides a baby can go on! Anything without a height restriction is fair game. And since it's a true baby, you're not going to have the toddler-fear of various rides, like, oh, Snow White's SCARY Adventures, so your list of rides she can go on is longer than it will be in a couple years.


When DS was 1 I brought my mesh-bodied mei tai:

And then a year later with DS on my back in the Ergo!

We did rent a stroller for both of those trips, but especially on the first trip he was barely in it. And their rental strollers aren't really appropriate for a 6 month old (just to be thorough in my answer). The mei tai that first trip was just terrific, and he spent quite a bit of the day in it.


Especially with a babe as big as yours, I wouldn't recommend a sling that is going to put her weight more on one side than the other, and as a former chiropractor I never recommend Bjorns for baby or parent. So I would definitely look into a mei tai (I always wanted one from babyhawk!) or an Ergo, or a Beco (similar to an Ergo, but I never actually owned one).

Was your son able to sit front facing in the mei tai? And how is it for hot days? I can imagine both baby and mom getting quite warm snuggled up to each other.

 

[DisneyXiao]

www.babytrekker.com This was the best baby carrier I've ever used. I carried my newly adopted 1 year old (20lbs) daughter around China in it for 10 days without any discomfort. The baby can face towards you or faces out or you can wear it on your back when the child is bigger. Check out the website, it's a great carrier.