Tips For Taking Your Infant To Disney World!

My daughter was 10-weeks-old the first time she went to Disney World. The trip had been booked since before we knew she was coming, and my other two children (ages 3 and 6 at the time) had been looking forward to it. Plus, we had a really good deal, so there was no chance we would cancel or postpone and give it up (those Bounceback offers are pretty cool). Many times throughout our trip, someone would say to me, "Wow! You are really brave to bring an infant." I usually just smiled or laughed, but what I generally thought to myself was, "No, I'm brave to bring the big kids. They have opinions on what we do. The baby doesn't care - as long as she is with me, she is happy."

It was a very fun trip. Having a tiny baby with us did not take anything away from our experience and, in fact, all of the characters gave us a little extra attention. Terrance (a fairy - technically, sparrow man - from Tinkerbell's Pixie Hollow) was so sweet and wanted to know if she had created her fairy yet (fairys, of course, are created when a baby laughs for the first time). Bambi's friends, Thumper and Miss Bunny, were so enthralled with my daughter and kept cooing over and playing with her so much that her handler had to ask us to leave, because they simply weren't going to stop anytime soon on their own! Talk about memories that will last a lifetime!

Now, Disney has fully staffed Baby Care Centers at each of its Walt Disney World Resort and

Disneyland Resort Parks, and I have heard wonderful things about them. They each have a changing room with tables and a unisex bathroom, a feeding area with highchairs, a kitchen with a microwave, an oven, and a sink, a main room with a television, table, chairs, and sofa, and an on-site shop offering formula, baby food, juice, diapers, wipes, sunscreen, over-the-counter medications, and clothing for purchase - so, really, everything that you could ask for in a pinch! There are also toys available for older siblings and, of course, Disney movies to play on the tv. If you want a quiet, private, out of the way (and sun) place to sit while your baby sleeps, this could be a good spot for that. Personally, I'm way more "on the go," while at Disney. I put my baby in a carrier and I keep on moving (I liked a wrap-style carrier for my infant and an Ergo when she was a little older). I like the freedom that the carriers allow me - if she falls asleep, I can still go on rides or see shows with the rest of my family. With a stroller, I wind up stuck in one location or even outside pushing a stroller around - but not able to get into the attractions without taking the baby out of the stroller and possibly waking her up. I highly recommend getting a good carrier for your baby (or even toddler).

Taking care of a baby at Disney is the same as anywhere else. Pack your diaper bag with all the usual items. I've heard people suggest bringing a shirt for yourself, because you never know when your baby might spit up or have a blowout diaper but, on the other hand, Disney is a good place to have to buy a new shirt! Remember to keep your baby hydrated, especially in the heat of the summer. If you're nursing, this means that your little one will likely nurse more, so take extra care to keep yourself hydrated. Be sure to bring extra formula, if your baby takes a bottle. My baby slept a lot during the day on that first trip and would make up for it at night, nursing well more than usual for that time of day. She wasn't sick or dehydrated, she was just sleepy during the day. It worked really well for us. Most days, the baby would wake up for about an hour while we got dressed. Then, I would put her in my wrap and head out to the bus (another place where I would have had to take her out of the stroller, if I wasn't using the carrier). She was usually asleep again by the time we got to the park. She would sleep until around lunch time, when she would wake up for a few hours, and then sleep, more or less, until we went back to the room for the night. She did wake up to nurse a bit during the day, here and here, but she mostly slept. Then, she would nurse A LOT overnight. It was perfect - we were happy, we did everything that we wanted to do, and everyone in our family had a fabulous trip!

So, my point is that taking your baby to Disney is easy and incredibly fun! You will make lifelong memories; You will have extra sweet pictures; The Cast Members will, "Ooh," and "Ah," over your sweet little bundle of joy; Your older children will enjoy introducing their new sibling to their favorite character. Plus, you will be praised by lots of people who think you are Super Mom (which is always a nice feeling)!

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