Totally stressed, thinking about canceling trip in two days. Julie, need your advise!

[dpic]

It's good you're going. Iggi (if I may call you that), you're having trip anxiety. I have it every trip. If fact, my son and I took a month long trip to camp in the Montana mountains, and it was so bad that I wondered weather to take the trip or not. It was the first trip without my wonderful wife in our entire marriage. My anxiety got so bad, I actually did postpone the trip for a few days. But I wanted the experience with my son enough I fought through it, and it worked out fine.

I can't promise everything will go perfect, but I can tell you you'll feel better once the trip starts. BTW, Lillian is a beautiful name.

 

[wdwscout]

I'm glad to see you decided to go.

I'm a mom too (my boys are now 19 & 22), but I also work in pediatrics and deal with kids every day.
It is completely normal for a baby to have separation issues. Usually they are a bit older when it starts, but she's just ahead of the curve! She's doing her job- now you just have to help her learn that when you leave her with other people- it's OK, she's safe and you are coming back. The only way to do that is to actually leave her with other people! She will cry, and it will hurt you like crazy. But you will both be fine! Delaying that is just that- a delay. You will have to work this out eventually.

I also liked the comments that the other kids will be a great help as well.
She may be frightened of some of the sights and sounds, but I think she will really enjoy a good number of them as well.

Go- take it easy, have fun and RELAX!!!!

 

[lugnut33]

Go, and nip this problem now.

 

[katscradle]

I've got to make the decision today and am still waffling. So far, it's 4 to 1 in favor of going. I guess that worse case scenario is that she and I spend the week in a studio at BWV and walking the long hallways. We have AP's and are DVC members, so we go to Disney often. I'm not worried about having to see everything and go on every ride. We're actually going to be back in March, but my spouse will be with me and Lillian will be 10 months old then.

katscradle - I totally agree with you that the separation anxiety will just get worse if we don't deal with it now. I love hearing from moms with lots more experience than I have.

If I wasn't so sleep deprived, this might be an easier decision!

Well like I said it's just my two cents here.
I do have a lot of personal experience with this.
My oldest DD just turned 25,
DS turning 12 this fall,
DS who just turned 6 this spring.
Then I also have 3 grandchildren 7,4, & 2.

 

[katscradle]

Wow,. You all aare so wonderful, caring & supportive. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the advise & help! I guess I'm going to take the chance and go to Disney on Saturday. Little Lillian and I will just have to give this a shot and if it's really bad, I can catch a SouthWest flight home early. My brother & my nieces really want us to go and I love Disney (obviously), so we're going to give it a shot.

Thanks again everyone. You all are so awesome.

Have a fun!!!
At this age of Lillian's development this will be great for her.

 

[daneenm]

Glad to see you have decided to go. I was so lucky to not have to deal with too much separation anxiety with my two. However, I am a firm believer in letting them cry, within reason, of course. Especially in the parks, it will hardly bother any one, except you

I wouldn't go into a sit down restaurant with a screaming baby, but surely you can work around that if it happens. I think the key is being flexible but within reason. Just because she cries does not mean you should turn around and go home, just change the plan or scenery a bit

I think it would be far worse on your sanity to be home alone with Lillian for that length of time. Of course you love her and want to be with her but you also need adult interaction and help never hurts.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Yay you decided to go!! Take a good stroller, a well stocked park bag, and the baby care centers are your friend. Have a blast.

 

[SamSam]

Please let us know how your trip went.

 

[JJZMgailey]

Please let us know how your trip went.

Yes, please!

 

[Iggipolka]

Please let us know how your trip went.

I will! Depending on if Lillian lets me, I may do a live trip report.

We took Lillian to the Minnesota State Fair last night and it was a disaster. She cried for two straight hours! We live a very quiet life at home, so she's not used to a lot of noise and commotion. The crowds and loud music really freaked her out. I'm so hoping that this isn't a foreshadowing of Disney. However, we all survived (including Mom!) and she slept nearly six hours last night.

I woke up convinced that we need to go home instead of Disney and then I came on here and read all of your supportive notes and felt much better. Still a bit freaked out about the whole thing though and still wondering if I'm making the right decision in going.

I am worried about the heat in the parks. I don't want her to get over heated and run the risk of her getting very sick. I am planning on going to the parks in the early morning, back at the resort during the hot part of the day and going out again once it is cooler. I have a stroller fan, an extended sun shade for the stroller and a sun cover for my Baby Bjorn. She unfortunately won't breast feed, so I have to bring formula. I'm going to try and make small bottles frequently and get her to sip from them often. I can't make a larger bottle b/c of the heat.

Having a cute, adorable baby does complicate everything!

 

[TSWJan78]

One suggestion for formual.. we have bought the small bottels ( I think they are claling them pods) or Poland Springs water with floride. They are 8 oz bottles and very easy to throw ina diaper bag. If you bring powder formaula and those small bottels you can make 2-4 ounces as you go.

Good luck

 

[parrotheadlois]

I don't know if you've had Lillian in a pool yet, while my niece (whose daughter is exactly the same age as Lillian) was up visiting in NJ, she took her in her Mom's pool. Olivia totally relaxed, we joked that she thought she was back where she came from. Her legs floated, she was just happy as a clam

Have fun!!

 

[SamSam]

I don't know if you've had Lillian in a pool yet, while my niece (whose daughter is exactly the same age as Lillian) was up visiting in NJ, she took her in her Mom's pool. Olivia totally relaxed, we joked that she thought she was back where she came from. Her legs floated, she was just happy as a clam

Have fun!!

Good idea. I started taking my son swimming when he was 3 months and he loved it.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Babies are a lot of work and they require a lot of crap. I wouldn't want to take a 3mo old to WDW for a week. Ugh. What a headache and pain in the butt!

I love, love, love babies and little kids. Nothing on the planet I enjoy more. But not at Disney for a week. Not for me, anyway.

If you're happy with being the only person who holds your baby, then that's great. You can be the only person who holds her.

But if that isn't working for you...if you'd like her dad, grandparents, friends to be able to hold her (either for their sake, her sake or just to give you a break), then it's time to get her used to that. She will live through the trauma with no need for therapy, I promise. Just do it. If you have to just leave because you can't stand the crying, then do that. But the baby will be fine after a short time.

Still, the very idea of taking a 3mo old to WDW for a week makes me shudder. Good luck!!!

 

[robind]

Not a parent, but have travelled to WDW with young ones in August, so I have that experience. One thing we did that was helpful was we took a small soft side cooler with us (in the bottom of the stroller) and put a couple of wet washcloths in baggies and put them in the cooler. Then when it was very hot we took them out and applied them to wrists and the back of the neck - helps to cool everyone down.