Traveling with a 16 wk old

[CathyO]

Hi,

Anyone have any advice on traveling with a 16 week old? We would welcome any tips on packing (other than the obvious!), Flounder's Reef, and any shore excursions. It's kind of hard to figure out which day(s) to make the reservations for babysitting.

We are 5 total, with 8 & 3 yr old girls, and the 16 wk old boy. This is our first cruise after having children. We want to make the most of it for the girls, but we're not interested in dumping our son into babysitting every day. (Or, maybe we are? )

Thanks in advance for the advice!

11/30 Wonder

 

[Serena6010]

I just got back on 10/25 from our cruise w/ an 8 month old baby.....I recommend using a sling if you have one. I was able to get around the ship much easier and faster than if I used a stroller. Sometimes the elevator was slow and being able to use the stairs was a big lifesaver. The sling also enabled me to go from place to place while my baby slept(shows,ect). Everyone kept telling me that the baby looked so comfortable.

Let see, I think I would pack less baby clothes and just plan to do a load of laundry or two. Bottles w/ dispoable liners were convenient(for flounders babysitting, I nurse).

I signed up for Flounders 2 hours every night and canceled the the ones I didn't want. I used Flounders about 3 times total. If you have anymore questions let me know

 

[moinab]

I also strongly recommend a sling. DD was 5 1/2 months on our cruise. I bought a Maya wrap sling specifically for the cruise and I absolutely loved it. The only time I put her in a stroller was for dinner. We had the late seating, and she slept through dinner every night in the stroller. You can get a Graco stroller from Guest Services for a $100 deposit on your shipboard account. The deposit is credited back to you when you return the stroller. The one we got was very dirty, so we put a quilt down on it. Other people have posted that the strollers they received were in good condition, so I think it may be luck of the draw. I do agree that the strollers are very bulky to use on board, but it was great to have her sleeping next to the table during dinner.

I also brought a Baby Bjorn front carrier, just to alternate so my back and shoulder muscles wouldn't get too achy.

If your baby is an early riser, it's kind of cool to walk around the ship in the early morning, especially up on deck 10. It's also a great time to check out all the artwork on the ship. DD had me up by 5 AM every day. The only problem I had with that is there is no food available until 6:30, so I would order something from room service the night before to have on hand for the morning. You can order room service anytime, but if you have an awake baby and a sleeping family, calling room service and waiting for them to deliver will wake everyone up.

I hope you have a great cruise!