What to do with infant in a restaurant?

[Skylarr29]

We will have our infant with us on our next Disney trip and he can not sit up and go into a high chair. I hope this isn't a stupid question but what do we do with him, lol?? The only thing I could think of would be to wear him in a sling. TIA

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Some places will let you have the stroller by the table if you have to.

The youngest I have had there was barely a 6-month-old and she was sitting up well enough that we put her in a highchair with blankets stuffed around her to help out

But a sling would work, too.

 

[jack'smom]

When we went last May, my son was almost 3 months. We ended up holding him and passing him around for the meal. It was tough, but by the time your LO is 3 months, I'm sure you'll be used to eating one-handed anyway! My DS is now 7 months and I usually am still holding him during our meals at home.

Some restaurants (Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, etc.) did have infant high chairs in which they can lay back.

 

[reducereuserecycle]

hold him

if you need to have both hands to cut a steak or something you can let someone else at your table hold him. sometimes you can put down a blanket next to you if they baby can't roll yet and put them sorta propped up against you so their head is in your lap

or a sling would work. i'd feel too restricted eating with a sling on so i'd just hold him.

 

[catrinuk]

we took our youngest daughter when she was 7 months and when we went out to eat at night she was always in a stroller - it was never a problem and the staff were realy helpfull everywhere we went, we just asked every time if it was ok. - catrin

 

[girlsmom]

We are leaving this Fri w/ DD5, DD3 and DD 2mo...and we are bringing our carseat and strooler frame JUST for meals, so that I can let infant sit in carseat propped on up-side-down high chair.
I always drop food on her if I try to eat w/ her in front pack (I never coudl get sling to cooperate for me and my babies)

 

[Laura]

We've taken DD (now 7 months) to many restaurants, and she typically sits in her carseat at the table. At WDW, you'd be bringing a stroller that can have the carseat attached.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Use duct tape to secure the baby under a chair!

Seriously, however, include the infant as a person in the reservagtion. The child can be put in a carrier on a seat or even attach the sling securely to the chair. But be sure to include the child in the count of people so there is actually space available no matter what is done.

 

[Colleen27]

If DD was sleeping I left her in her carrier, but from the time she started holding her head up she hated being in the carseat/carrier when she was awake, so we had to get a little more creative on how to handle high chairs for the few months before she could sit on her own. We used a padded chair insert and added a rolled receiving blanket or two to make for a better fit if necessary. I had this one, in a different fabric - http://www.amazon.com/NoJo-4198510-...ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1252943869&sr=8-2 . I've seen others that get better reviews for ease of setup, but I never felt ours was hard to use and I loved that it could be used for shopping carts too.

She's 1 now and we still use the insert - not to help her sit, but to keep her sitting! She's so tiny that wiggling out of the high chair belt is no problem for her, and the insert keeps her more securely strapped in.

 

[TDC Nala]

There's a number of restaurants where strollers can't be brought in for various reasons. Infant carriers can come in though.

And you do need to include the baby as a person on the reservation, no matter how young the baby is or whether you plan on using a sling or have the kid sit on laps.

 

[DisneyGrampa]

Don't all of the parks have lockers?
Oh well, just spent a week in Disney with my thirteen month old GS in the party. He was good-saved it all for when he got home!

 

[Pumbaa_]

Don't all of the parks have lockers?

OMG!

 

[waltskids]

hold him

if you need to have both hands to cut a steak or something you can let someone else at your table hold him. sometimes you can put down a blanket next to you if they baby can't roll yet and put them sorta propped up against you so their head is in your lap

or a sling would work. i'd feel too restricted eating with a sling on so i'd just hold him.

Some people don't feel comfortable holding their baby or placing them in a sling while eating (we don't). We don't hold our baby while eating at home either so it's not something we are used to doing. If the restaurant doesn't have an infant high chair (Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace both had them when we visited in August) then they allow you to bring in a stroller into the restaurant. We don't use the infant carseat while in WDW b/c it is just way too warm and too cumbersome to carry on the busses, so our DD simply stays in the stroller. One hostess asked if we would hold our DD and we simply said no, we would like her to stay in the stroller. They are very good about providing space for the stroller. Make sure you mention that you have an infant on the reservation and they will have the space provided, as another PP has said.

 

[waltskids]

There's a number of restaurants where strollers can't be brought in for various reasons. Infant carriers can come in though.

And you do need to include the baby as a person on the reservation, no matter how young the baby is or whether you plan on using a sling or have the kid sit on laps.

We have never had a problem using a stroller in a restaurant for any of our trips where our DS or DD was too small for a high chair. The hostess always saw the baby and realized that they could not sit up in a high chair (DS's first trip was at 3months, DD's first trip was at 9 weeks old) and allowed the stroller to be next to our table (We don't use the infant carrier in WDW). Once the child is old enough for the high chair, then the stroller stays outside the restaurant. And yes, always include the baby so they can provide the correct amount of space.

 

[marcielm]

I did the sling... It was also a life saver for standing in lines for the rides! We used our double stroller, parked it, slung the baby & held the 2yr old's hand. This way, the baby could ride on several of the attractions (like Toy Story Mania & Haunted Mansion, she skipped the Tea Cups, however ).

When my babes were little, I would lay them across my lap at meals (any rest., not only Disney). Cover them with a napkin, and they'd sleep through a good part of dinner!! I *hated* lugging my infant carrier around, which is one reason why I used a sling.

 

[Skylarr29]

Thanks for all the information. I will bring the moby wrap and infant carrier and see what works best. This trip is going to be a huge learning lesson.

 

[DisneyWisher]

We are leaving this Fri w/ DD5, DD3 and DD 2mo...and we are bringing our carseat and strooler frame JUST for meals, so that I can let infant sit in carseat propped on up-side-down high chair.
I always drop food on her if I try to eat w/ her in front pack (I never coudl get sling to cooperate for me and my babies)

Disney doesn't have the high chairs that can be flipped over for car seats. We just returned yesterday and for the 3 TS restaurants that we ate at we just kept DGD5 months in her car seat, DD25 always made sure that she fed her just as we were seated and DGD slept through most of the meal. She asked for an infant high chair at Chef Mickey's but the straps were covered in what looked like spit up so DSIL went back to the stroller to get the car seat.

 

[baj0505]

If your not used to a sling or having you baby on your lap while you eat, please be extra careful regarding the food and beverages around you and on the table--I know everyone is always very careful but accidents do happen, be careful with hot soup, coffee, etc I've personally seen a cup of hot cocoa unexpectedly get tipped over with a baby in the mom's lap. Regarding carriers, be mindful of setting them down on the ground. We saw a waitress come out of Chef de France this June to go to the hostess stand and trip over a carrier sitting in front of a couple that were sitting on the bench waiting for their name to be called--no one was hurt but it was a scary moment. It was crowded at peak dinner time and the poor girl never saw it sitting on the ground. Not trying to scare anyone, just a few words of caution that I'm sure everyone practices already.

 

[LuvMy3Monkeys]

I have used a ring sling and put the baby sitting on my lap facing the table, then pull the sling around my waist like a cumberbun (whatever its called lol) and put baby inside and gently tighten. Then both of your hands are free, you can eat and baby can view everyone at the table

 

[ParrotBill]

I agree on the safety thing about having the baby in your lap. When ours was that small we would quietly ask if there was a location that would accommodate the stroller by the table and that we were willing to wait for one. It was never a problem. We also had a compact stroller, not an SUV stroller.