trip with 1yo practice vs go with the flow?

[snoopy5386]

We will be going to WDW in about a month with our DD who will turn 1 in the middle of our trip . I am wondering if I should "practice" with her this month, ie practice falling asleep in the stroller, being out all day, etc, etc. or should I just go with the flow when we get there and see what happens? I am wondering if all of the practice will be worth it.
My biggest concern with her right now is drinking/eating. She is BF and will only BF while laying down, preferably in our bedroom. She will not nurse in a cradle position, she fights and screams until I lay down with her. She is also the most distracted nurser, no one can be in the room with us, no tv on, etc. She also won't drink expressed breastmilk out of a cup/bottle. She drinks water out of a sippy, but not very much, I fill it up in the morning and by the end of the day it is about half full, so she drinks maybe 2 oz of water a day. I have been trying to get her to drink out of a cup and have been working on the nursing, but so far, no changes (we do however now own just about every single sippy cup on the market). Does anyone know if the babycare centers have private rooms where I could lay a blanket down and nurse her on the floor? We are staying offsite (DH is attending a conference at another hotel) so going back to the room to nap and nurse isn't really an option.
Also, any tips on getting her to wear a sunhat? I put it on her and she immediately pulls it off, if I tie it under her neck she screams and flips out!
Thanks!

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

Hmmm - I'm not sure if I can answer all of your questions but here goes . . .

as far as the practice sleeping in the stroller - I would say go with the flow. We've taken my son to WDW at 6 and 13 months and both times he was already off schedule and to our surprise adapted really well. He doesn't normally sleep in his stroller but he did at WDW. If they really need the sleep, they'll do it anywhere. As long as you're always open to the possibility of maybe going back to your room during the day for a nap or down time - you should be fine.

We've only been in the MK baby care center and my son wasn't nursing but I think there was a nursing room I just don't know if it is for everyone or private. The parts we were in had a large room with highchairs some smaller chairs and a TV showing disney clips. Then there was a changing room and then a kitchenette type room where you could wash bottles, buy supplies, etc. We also had a struggle getting our son to take a cup until I tried the Nuby brand. It is probably the most like a bottle and has the softest sippy portion out there. It still took him about a month to really get the hang of it but it was worth it. There is also no valve to it so there is less to wash. We got ours at Target but I've seen them in other places too.

Sunhat - wish I could help but our son hates his too. I did for the visit we did at 6 months buy a clip on sunshade for his stroller. It was made by eddie bauer and I also got that at Target. It clips onto your stoller and then will extend all the way down so that the only part that shows is their legs. Or you can leave it up and there is a velcro portion to keep it in place. I had so many people asking me where I got it b/c it really did the trick. I don't know if they still make it but I got mine last year I think so they probably do.

Good luck!

 

[CampbellScot]

I would certainly start practicing breast feeding her in a more convenient way. Get her used to the fact that you will at least be trying to BF in a room with a few distractions. Maybe when it's time to eat, just try and "start" in another position other than laying down...have the tv on...if you slowly introduce that concept she may catch on that it's okay to BF with noise in the background!! I'm not sure you can find a room at WDW where you can block out all noise and people and lay down on the floor...

As for the sun hat, I'd start sticking a hat on her and then popping it off real quick...sort of make it a game, make funny faces...get her laughing...leave it on a little more each day until she's used to it. Also you can get sun visors for your stroller if your little one just does NOT want to accessorize! REally though if you respond to her dramatic freak outs by immediately giving in to what she is freaking out about, you are laying a groundwork for the future. I realize she is little still, but let her fuss a little before you fix whatever is making her upset. She'll just learn that screaming and having a fit isn't going to result in immediate gratification of "her way or no way." Getting upset isn't going to hurt her. You are the boss. Even if you don't feel like it sometimes!

Good luck!

 

[WDWCPAlumni]

At the MK the nursing room is pretty dark, there are a few dim lights and a few rocking chairs. I have been in alone and in with a full room. I have also used that room to go in just me and a 2 year old to rock him to sleep and then bring him out to the stroller once he is asleep. I say if you want to practice anything maybe you should work on 2 things. First start rocking your child to sleep, only for a nap. Not at bedtime since you wont have a rocker in your hotel. Second work on the nursing. Maybe you could try going somewhere out of the ordinary and try nursing in a different position. Your local hospital might let you use the lactation rooms for this, give them a call and see what happens.
At the AK.......I think it is the AK they have private rooms. The room has a rocker and a changing table. You could do what you want and it is quiet.
At MGM the room is private with only a rocker, but it is like a changing room at JCPenny. The room is only closed by a curtain and just outside is a cash register so it is VERY loud. However MGM and Epcot are an easy stroller walk to the beach club and boardwalk. I dont know if maybe they have areas you could use.
Epcot, I can think about where it is and I can think about the tv room and the toys but for some reason I can not remember the nursing area. I guess I think it is similar to the MK but not as nice. I dont remember really.

 

[Ariel8676]

I would thInk the main thing would be to get her to nurse without laying down.
Have you ever tried one of those nursing covers? Maybe that would be enough around her to keep her interested? My Sil has this one http://bebeaulait.com/

 

[Oceana]

If you are staying off site you certainly can take a break midday and head back to your room. Frankly I need a little rest midday... dip in the pool a refreshing shower or just lay on the bed and eat fresh fruit and relish its coolness. So its a 30 min round trip cut out of your day... you will appreciate it at night when you have a happy child watching the parade and not one of the screaming angry kids who didnt get a little room time

Sleeping in a stroller I think happens out of just being tierd. My kids had never been in a stroller before

Nursing... wow, I would start nursing in public a little, do you own a sling? A sling might give you the ability to place her in a little cacoon of privacy (dim lights and all snuggled) while you are still part of the hussle and bussle of the world. Baby centers are great but sitting on the Tomorrow Land Trasit Authority and riding for an hour is so much more fun!!!! while the baby nurses to her hearts content.

However I know no reason in the world you could not just lay down with her on the floor of the baby centers

 

[NotUrsula]

Wow, I've never known an exclusively BF baby who wouldn't nurse in arms; that must be a real challenge at mealtimes.

Have you considered trying her out on cow's milk once in a while, or mixed cow's milk with your milk? I'm not suggesting weaning, but it could be that she wouldn't associate the taste of it so much with the nursing experience, so she might be more willing to drink that out of a cup. (Most peds feel that cow's milk can start to be introduced around that time with no problems.)

BTW, you can still rock in a hotel room; I did it all the time. Just sit cross-legged on the floor and rock on your hips. It's easiest with a bed about 10 inches behind you, so that you can't overbalance.

As for the "practice" idea, I think that perhaps you should try it; not so much to get her used to anything, but to give you a bit of warning on how she may be likely to react. Do a full day at the zoo or something like that, away from home where *you* cannot lie down, and she how she deals. The odds are that she'll get cranky a bit, but that exhaustion will finally overcome her defenses.

As to the sun hat, I'd stay away from ones that tie, and buy them big and floppy. She may surprise you in Florida. DS won't wear a hat anywhere else, but at WDW he's happy to have it to get away from the sun. It probably also helps that we wear hats too under those circumstances.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Just go with the flow.

My dd didn't nap at the time we went and fell asleep in stroller but it looked really uncomfortable as her head kept falling in her lap but could be the cheapie umbrella stroller.

He's gonna get worn out for sure and I doubt he'd have a problem eventually falling asleep in stroller. If he likes to be rocked to sleep stop in a baby station BEFORE he is over tired and try to get him to sleep. Thats why its great to not try to see it all in one day with a baby/kid.

As far as the nursing its gonna be hard if you don't get her used to nursing in cradle hold. Maybe try the sling as its won't be your arms so much and maybe she will feel like she is laying down. What a tough situation though.

 

[snoopy5386]

thanks for all the advice, we are trying nursing in other positions and I am going to start cow's milk in 2 weeks and I pray that works for her. I do have a sling and some other carriers, I will have to try nursing her in those.

 

[Jennygt]

I am not sure if this will help you ar not, my ds is only 5 months, I just went back to work so he had to use a bottle with BM in it, after alot of drama I bought a bottle called second nature and it is a big hit! He fell asleep at the end od a bottle the other day and let me tell you that is a big deal, he still BF when i am home. Just another option for you if you want to try a bottle, good luck!

 

[northriver]

Good luck!

As for the hat - no I don't think you will win that battle LOL! Mine is starting to wear a hat now at almost 2 but at 1 - no hat no way, it was pretty obvious she was a not hat girl. A stroller with a canopy and lots of sunscreen is the best bet and watch the direction of the sun to keep the baby in the shade whenever possible, like for parades and when waiting in line. Sometimes even when you are walking one adult can walk ahead or beside so the baby is in their shadow. Don't worry about the people saying "tsk tsk that baby isn't wearing a hat" I KNOW what kind of a fit babies can throw over a hat and sounds like you do too!

I think cows milk is a good bet too. Neither of my children would ever take a bottle of formula but they love cows milk. So try that. Also my kids would drink out of a regular cup that I held for them without too much of a mess, so try getting water into your child that way. In the Florida sun, any liquid you can get into your child is really important.

As for nursing, good luck. I hope you can get your child to nurse sitting up! I never had that problem so I don't have any advice except that definately start now and I hope it helps for you. You'd think that if they are hungry they will eat and if they are tired they will sleep - but unfortunately even big babies and very young toddlers have that toddler attitude that "I'm doing things MY WAY"!

 

[Tinker_]

Hey Snoopy! We will be there in April also for DS first bday! He is also exclusively breastfeeding! I just recently started putting cows milk in a sippy cup- which he seems to really like! I bought one at Target that has a straw attched, and he really seems to like it! You might also see if you can get her to drink milk out of a cup with a straw in it- it won't be as easy as a sippy cup bc you will hve to help her, but it is a start!!

BUT- the biggest thing is- do what works best for you and DD. We moms always seem to find ways to be very resourceful I am sure you will be just fine