We'll be there in May with our new baby as well....ours will be a little over 2 months old.
We do things a little differently than most. We will bring our stroller in May, but I doubt the baby will sit in it at all...it will be for our dd who will be 4yo and we probably won't keep it with us all the time. We really don't like dragging the stroller around with us. The baby will most likely spend all its time in a sling or other carrier (in-arms...not a carseat) with either me or my dh. If your baby is small this may still work for you, especially with having your girls to help with carrying. I know when my cousin and his wife adopted their dd from Russia she was very, very small....7lbs at 6mo...but she also had cleft palate, so I'm sure that was part of her lack of weight gain. She has since grown up beautifully....she's about 3yo now and has caught up in size to where she should be.
Also, I would never, ever take a large stroller to WDW....ours is enough of a pain! We have a Maclaren umbrella stroller that reclines well (not completely flat though) and is well shaded. We've been considering a different one though....one that reclines all the way, has a step for our dd to ride on the back, and will stand independently when folded. There are just too many places you have to fold up the stroller and carry it at WDW...even if you drive yourself to the parks.
As for carriers, I highly recommend the Maya Wrap...but there are lots of different ones out there. Just don't use a Snugli...they are uncomfortable and not good for baby's back. Baby Bjorn carriers are supposedly more comfortable, but also not the best for the baby's spine.
Definitely make use of the baby care centers in the parks....they are very useful, especially considering you'll most likely have to deal with bottles, etc...(unless your wife will be inducing lactation and is very successful. Dr. Jack Newmann has lots of great information in this regard and a new method that has a great success rate...and in that case the nursing rooms are wonderful too!). And they're just a nice quiet place to rest, change diapers, etc.... I think they tend to stay cleaner than the restrooms because there is always an attendant on duty. Those formula packets do sound convenient....they didn't have them when I last used bottles (about 8 years ago) , but I used to keep measured formula powder in a small rubbermaid container and carry the bottles with just the water in them until it was time to mix them. Even that was a hassle...but it was better than having to worry about keeping something cold.
I just got a diaper bag backpack from Lands End. Can't give a review until I actually put it to use in a few months though. It does have a nice changing pad and is quite roomy.
Bring your diapers with you if you can....or buy them off property at a regular supermarket. Goodings is just as expensive as buying them at the resort.
Honestly I found going to WDW with a non-mobile baby to be much easier than taking an older child! With my last one I would just strap her on and go.....making sure to have a few diapers in our backpack. And I tried to keep a hat on her for shade...though she seemed to get all the shade she needed from me. Of course, when I did put a hat on her to prevent sunburn, I had people commenting that she must be too hot....argh! Oh, you might do well to remember that no matter how well you care for your baby someone will find it necessary to make comments! (in case you forgot! one of the great joys of parenthood...dusting off the auto loop tape of "thank you for your concern" paired with a smile)
This first trip with the baby will probably be the easiest one you have for a long time....it just gets harder until they hit 5 or 6yo! I'm sure my 4yo will cause much more frustration for us in May than the baby will. Or at least I know she was much more frustrating last Dec. than she was when she was a baby!
Best wishes for your adoption!
We do things a little differently than most. We will bring our stroller in May, but I doubt the baby will sit in it at all...it will be for our dd who will be 4yo and we probably won't keep it with us all the time. We really don't like dragging the stroller around with us. The baby will most likely spend all its time in a sling or other carrier (in-arms...not a carseat) with either me or my dh. If your baby is small this may still work for you, especially with having your girls to help with carrying. I know when my cousin and his wife adopted their dd from Russia she was very, very small....7lbs at 6mo...but she also had cleft palate, so I'm sure that was part of her lack of weight gain. She has since grown up beautifully....she's about 3yo now and has caught up in size to where she should be.
Also, I would never, ever take a large stroller to WDW....ours is enough of a pain! We have a Maclaren umbrella stroller that reclines well (not completely flat though) and is well shaded. We've been considering a different one though....one that reclines all the way, has a step for our dd to ride on the back, and will stand independently when folded. There are just too many places you have to fold up the stroller and carry it at WDW...even if you drive yourself to the parks.
As for carriers, I highly recommend the Maya Wrap...but there are lots of different ones out there. Just don't use a Snugli...they are uncomfortable and not good for baby's back. Baby Bjorn carriers are supposedly more comfortable, but also not the best for the baby's spine.
Definitely make use of the baby care centers in the parks....they are very useful, especially considering you'll most likely have to deal with bottles, etc...(unless your wife will be inducing lactation and is very successful. Dr. Jack Newmann has lots of great information in this regard and a new method that has a great success rate...and in that case the nursing rooms are wonderful too!). And they're just a nice quiet place to rest, change diapers, etc.... I think they tend to stay cleaner than the restrooms because there is always an attendant on duty. Those formula packets do sound convenient....they didn't have them when I last used bottles (about 8 years ago) , but I used to keep measured formula powder in a small rubbermaid container and carry the bottles with just the water in them until it was time to mix them. Even that was a hassle...but it was better than having to worry about keeping something cold.
I just got a diaper bag backpack from Lands End. Can't give a review until I actually put it to use in a few months though. It does have a nice changing pad and is quite roomy.
Bring your diapers with you if you can....or buy them off property at a regular supermarket. Goodings is just as expensive as buying them at the resort.
Honestly I found going to WDW with a non-mobile baby to be much easier than taking an older child! With my last one I would just strap her on and go.....making sure to have a few diapers in our backpack. And I tried to keep a hat on her for shade...though she seemed to get all the shade she needed from me. Of course, when I did put a hat on her to prevent sunburn, I had people commenting that she must be too hot....argh! Oh, you might do well to remember that no matter how well you care for your baby someone will find it necessary to make comments! (in case you forgot! one of the great joys of parenthood...dusting off the auto loop tape of "thank you for your concern" paired with a smile)
This first trip with the baby will probably be the easiest one you have for a long time....it just gets harder until they hit 5 or 6yo! I'm sure my 4yo will cause much more frustration for us in May than the baby will. Or at least I know she was much more frustrating last Dec. than she was when she was a baby!
Best wishes for your adoption!
-age 7 months. We just got back from WDW when she was 10 weeks--she handled it like a pro.
