WDW on very little sleep (we're bringing a 3 month old)

[invalid_char]

Hi everyone,

We are new members of the BCV and we are dying to go down for the Food and Wine Festival at the end of October. We have a decision to make: do we go now with a newborn (will be 3 months old at end of October) who gets up to eat every couple of hours at night or save the points for the spring when the baby will probably be either sleeping through the night or only getting up once?

I know this is a personal decision. We will also have help during the day since we intend to bring a babysitter. Has anyone done this and regretted it? Did it prove to be too much on so little sleep? We would be spending a lot extra to make this work ( a 2 BR for the babysitter, plus her airfare and park tickets) and we don't want it to turn out to be miserable or way too tiresome anyway.

We were really looking forward to this trip but we're now thinking that it just might not be worth it. At best, I think we will not make it out of the room in the morning... we'll just need time to recover from being up most of the night... but maybe babysitter and eldest daughter could spend the mornings at BCV and it still might be worth it.

Again, I realize this is a personal decision but I'm wondering if anyone has faced the same decision and wonder how it worked out.

Thanks.

 

[kem330]

We took our 3 1/2 month old daughter many years ago along with her 7 and 5 year old brothers. It really wasn't bad- you know she may be sleeping alot more at night by 3 months than she is now! The older ones were much older when they slept through the night, but I think we got a good 6 -7 hours sleep at that time. I brought a back up bottle for the times nursing was not convenient. And really, between the sitter and baby swapping on the rides, I think you will do fine. As I recall it was the 5 year old who acted up more than the baby! Good Luck!

 

[Tinkrbell]

I have to agree with what kem330 just said, especially about 5yr olds . By 3 months s(he) WILL be sleeping more than now. Newborns are so much work!. Anyway, I brought my 2nd child when he was only 2 months old and my DD was 2 1/2yrs and it was just fine.

 

[colleen costello]

Get Dr.William Sears' book "Nightime Parenting" and check his "Baby Book" for the sections on sleep. He is a knowledgeable pediatrician and has a ton of kids of his own (8, I think). My first child was not a sleeper. I was so tired I could barely travel across town, let alone to Disney. But if you can manage to afford the sitter and take naps if necessary, the trip may be just the lift you sleep-deprived folks need!

Incidentally, what worked with my daughter? We ditched the crib and just brought her in bed with us. If you are nursing, bringing out the boobs helps too! Vacation might be a good place to try this since you'll have babysitter backup if it's a huge failure! I hope you can all work through this successfully and get some rest. Have fun!

 

[SamSam]

If you're going primarily for the Wine and Food Fest, then IMHO is shouldn't be a problem. You can easily sleep in, as the wine and food kiosks don't start till between 11am and noon. In addition, closing is at the usual Epcot time so you won't be up late.....unless you plan on Pleasure Island. Bringing a sitter along, makes it much easier to do!

 

[Laurabearz]

I say go for it.... If your staying at BCV you only have a short walk to all that the food and wine feast has to offer......


We took our two year old and our 6 month old to Maui for 10 days, and while everyone thought we were nuts, we had the BEST time.

 

[Jacksmom99]

My DD is 11 weeks and we are leaving next week for WDW. She is a breastfed baby who started sleeping 5-6 hours during the night around 4 weeks. She now is sleeping 10-12 hours, but I'm not saying that out loud because I don't want to jinx it I think your 3 month old will be fine especially if you are bringing a babysitter. I however, am going to enjoy the Food and Wine without kids- Just me and my mom!!!

 

[mmmcq]

We brought our 4-5 month old to BWV in April 2000 with two older sisters (then 9 and 11). That was Easter week and the crowds were heavy and it was hot. We had a stroller and the baby carrier and did fine. One of us would usually head back to the villas mid-day to get baby out of the heat/sun and so she could have a good nap. There were times when she was a bit fussy, but she really did well....even when we were out until midnight running like crazy people through the empty Buzz Light Year attraction (that's our favorite ride these days).

 

[sgtdisney]

We took our 6 month old (then 5) last month for 2 weeks to Florida and she had a blast. No problems. It is a little work, but it is work at home anyway. I would rather be at Disney World.....
We just took it easy with her.. We let her sleep in the afternoon. Didn't rush anything or try to get out by 8AM.. Since you have a babysitter, I doubt you will have any problems at all. Go and enjoy yourselves and enjoy your baby.. Even at 5 months old it was amazing to watch my daughter's face as we went thru Small World. (Which I could never stand before I had kids...

 

[Mouse Ears]

We just bought into BCV and have a 3 month old at home. Despite the fact that she sleeps through the night, we are waiting until next fall to take a trip so that she will be weaned and more mobile and aware to enjoy it more. Of course, there is also the issue that we just sent our travel funds to DVD for our DVC membership which we plan to enjoy for many years (delayed gratification).

Still, based on the options you gave, I would say that a trip with a 3 month old could be easier than with an 8-9 month old. By that age, they need to be entertained more and may have trouble napping with activity around, etc. A 3 month old is much easier to work around and will sleep better in a stroller IMHO.

Hope you figure out what is best for you guys.

M.E.

PS. I don't like to get involved in debates, but I feel morally obligated to point out that cosleeping with your infant is not without serious risks (entrapment and asphyxiation). The AAP (55,000 Pediatric professionals) recommends against it. A quick search on their site yielded this example among others:

http://www.aap.org/advocacy/archives/septsleep.htm

 

[colleen costello]

I don't like to get in serious moral debates either, but I must defend cosleeping. This is NOT the place for such debate, of course, but ask yourselves: throughout history, down through the ages, did humans (in jungles and on farms and anywhere)sleep with their children to keep them breastfed and safe, or did they "put them in a crib in the extra bedroom?" Think it over. Fear of cosleeping is an AMERICAN thing, simply not fact-based. Breastfeeding Moms do NOT squish their babies. Even in Disneyworld!

To each his or her own. Dr. Sears, the pediatrician I recommended, discusses SAFE co-sleeping practices at length in his books.

Now let's discuss REAL issues like whether or not Mickey and Minnie are practicing safe sex...

 

[nezy]

We took our then 2 month old who is now almost 8 for our first DVC trip--a Christmas gift from my brother who was a member of DVC.

Disney is kid friendly to kids of ALL ages!

No problem--go for it. Breast fed bab-slept w/ me, nursed in places like The American Experience, Hall of Presidents, Tiki-Bird Room(before the renovation), and even Honey-I shrunk the Audience. I was very discreet--dark air conditioned places--no one noticed me.

Get the baby used to traveling and it won't ever be an issue. 3 kids later we drive from NY and occasionally fly. The kids know how to behave and are great travelers.
Plus, w/ a babysitter you will have help.
Trust me, travelling w/older children is much more exhausting than 1 infant who loves to sleep and eat and get changed.

 

[invalid_char]

Thanks everyone! Great responses... and unanimous that we should go. It's true that the baby may actually end up being easier than the 3 year old if she starts sleeping for longer stretches at night. She is very easy to take care of during the day. As it stands now, every night I say "no way can I do Disney World" but every day I wish I was there!

Appropriate or not, I am putting my 2 cents in re the co-sleeping. I think it is just obvious that nursing and co-sleeping go together. It amazes me that doctors are pro-nursing and anti-cosleeping. They are probably just trying to cover themselves for those rare, preventable cases where there is a problem. Let's not forget that there was a time not long ago when most doctors recommended against nursing too. They thought it was dangerous because the mother could not tell how much milk the baby was getting, and occasionally babies could become dehydrated or malnourished and die. This is still true. But does that mean that because there are some people nurse irresponsibly that no one should nurse? Or that women should always pump their milk and then give it in a bottle so they ensure the baby is getting enough ( I know one doctor who insists that this is the only 'safe' way to nurse) The risks of nursing are still the same as they have always been, it's just that the medical community finally recognizes that nursing has many advantages over formula-feeding so they are willing to accept the risks. I think the medical community has not recognized the advantages of co-sleeping (one of which is that it enables many women to more successfully nurse) so they are rather insensitively coming out against it. Heck, study after study, they still can't figure out whether mammograms save lives!

Personally, all 115 pounds of me will be sleeping alone with my baby in a king size bed in WDW (dh needs his beauty rest while on vaca). She will be in a special 'nest' designed for co-sleeping (essentially a nicely padded, 3 sided box) which would make smothering her basically impossible...not that I would worry even if she weren't in this thing if I'm in a large bed.

Anyway, the topic was brought up and I felt I had to say something. Women get so much conflicting advice these days, so little of which is based on common sense. I could go on and on about THIS topic... but THAT would be inappropriate!

Well, thanks again to everyone for their input regarding our trip. It's nice to know that people were able to bring their tiny ones and still have a great time!

 

[zillow]

Ok Mouse Ears - I'm cursing you out for having a 3 month old who sleeps through the night. Please tell me how you do it! My son is 12 weeks and still up twice though when I do bring him into bed he does sleep longer.

Regarding the post - glad you're going to go. Wouldn't you rather be awake in the middle of the night at Disney than home?

 

[colleen costello]

Char, I am so glad you are going to GO FOR IT! It's never too soon for us parents to start making litle Disney fans of our kids! I am also glad I didn't offend you with my suggestions about getting some rest. I clearly remember how hard it was to hear advice from EVERYONE! The ladies at my former workplace near drove me crazy when my first child was born... I guess this was good practice for all the grumpies who say "You're going to Florida AGAIN?" I just smile and say "We have a timeshare" as if that makes the trips obligatory. It is, in fact, the same smile I gave all the ninnies who said "You are STILL nursing that child?"

Live and learn. Have a great time!

 

[CherylA]

And she wakes only once during the night and has been that way for atleast a month. (Sometimes she even sleeps through!) I would love to go with our daughter right now. I think we'd be fine. We're going with her at Thanksgiving when she'll be just 6 mths. Good luck!

Cheryl

 

[Lesley]

invalid_char, you will have a great trip! One note with those co-sleeping, nursing babes.....baby may end up not nursing much of the day and nursing all night while at WDW...mine did at 6mo. Learn to sleep while nursing.....makes life so much easier (and don't worry, the first weeks are the hardest for this...it will happen eventually!) But the trip when my youngest was a baby was our easiest trip so far....she's 2 now and its only become more difficult!

colleen costello, I appreciate your input! You did forget to reference Dr. James McKenna's sleep research, which highly recommends co-sleeping to prevent SIDS. I'm sure it can be found via an online search. I did read over the AAP link...and it clearly states that the AAP does not recommend against co-sleeping, but feels that in certain situations it can be a risk. Those situations are all outlined quite well by Dr. Sears in his books.

And there are no risks to nursing....as long as you are sure baby is having at least 4-7 wet diapers a day there is no risk of dehydration. Quite simple. Unfortunately doctors are some of the least informed people about breastfeeding, unless they have chosen to become educated about it.

 

[Mouse Ears]

I apologize for arresting this thread and starting a very off-topic debate. As noted, the dangers of cosleeping can be largely avoided with proper bedding, etc. I did not intend to sound judgmental of those that choose to do that, but I wanted to balance the advice thrown out there with some acknowledgment that there may be consequences. I am definitely not on a campaign to keep people from sleeping with their kids. It is a personal decision.

Char- I hope you have decided to go ahead with your WDW trip. I bet you'll have a great time and enjoy it immensely.

M.E.