Traveling with a 3-1/2 month infant?

[Denine]

We will be going to WDW the 3rd week of january. Our daughter will be 4 months towards the end of the month.

What do I need to bring that would really make life easier? We will be bringing our own pack-n-play. Do I need to bring a diaper genie? We will be staying in a DVC resort on points, so we won't have our room cleaned every day.
I am planning on bringing powdered formula and dividing it up in serving size portions. Do I need to buy bottled water, or will the local water be good enough if I boil it?
I have a rather large diaper bag, what do I really need to bring to the parks?

We have been to Disney so many times as a couple, but this is the first time with an infant. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Also, we are driving. She loves to go in the car, so, I am guessing that as long as she gets food and stretch breaks, she should be fine for about 8 hours of driving. We usually go to Jacksonville (14 hours), but plan on stopping in Charlotte (8-9 hours) this time.

 

[Scoootch]

Hi Denine!

Don't worry -- Disney makes being there with a baby really easy!

The first time we came down with our ds (from N.J. -- we now live in FL) he was only 7mos and I wasn't sure how everything would go either but it turned out great!

You said you'll be staying in a DVC resort - which makes things even easier. We packed an entire suitcase (carry on size)with just diapers,wipes,babyfood & formula. We had also been there in Jan.2001 so make sure you pack for both warm and cold weather - we had him in a snow suit at night while out & about because it was so cold and it was as warm as 75 during the day some days. My son is now 2 1/2 and still in diapers and we usually stay at OKW. I just throw the diapers in the outside garbage when we stay -- there are little closets outside the vacation homes that say "trash & recycling" on the doors. That's where they are if you happen to being staying at OKW but I'm sure they probably have someplace to dispose of the garbage at the other DVC resorts as well. So I don't think you need to bring your diaper genie with unless you would prefer to. Personnally, I think it would be just more to have to pack though. They also have pack-n-plays in the DVC units if you don't want to have to bring your own.

As far as what to bring to the parks --
we would just pack the smaller diaper bag with the usual, diapers,wipes, etc. and bring an extra bottle & food with if we intended to be out during a regular scheduled meal time. Take advantage of the baby centers in the parks. Each of the 4 parks has them and they are wonderful!! They have rooms where you can nurse (if you are bf'ng), CLEAN cushy changing tables,high chairs so you can stop in and feed babies who are old enough for solids and they have a kitchen w/microwave free of charge so you can heat up food,make formula or whatever. It was really great! We stopped in even for just regular diaper changes because it was so much cleaner than the baby changers in the regular bathrooms. They also have diapers and other supplies (food,formula) for sale in case you find you need something and forgot it or ran out.

In any case, I hope this is of some help. We had a great time with no problems. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Just one more point to add to your wonderful advice. I would buy bottled water rather than using, and having to boil water at the resort. I would not want to risk a change in water upsetting her tummy or her refusing to drink it because of taste. If you are driving you could just bring a couple of gallons along or pick them up close to the resort.The cost is pretty low. I just used all bottled water for my DS, even at home. Have a great trip.


Jordan's mom

 

[campingcorgi]

I, too, would take bottled water. We always used the gallons of nursery water with fluoride that you can get everywhere (pink label). That way we used what we were used to and didn't have to worry about a change in water causing a tummy upset.

I always carried waaaaay too much stuff into the parks, but I always had what I needed that way!

Remember to take lots of film!!

 

[Denine]

Thanks for the great advice! We will be at the Wilderness Lodge Villas for the first time. We always (until now) stay at OKW. I was thinking about putting the diapers in the trash outside. We love OKW, but wanted a couch.

We have been there a few times in January and know the weather can be iffy. She doesn't have much in the way of cooler clothes, so I am kind of hoping for cooler weather, not the 80's we had last January.

 

[merryweather's twin]

I would bring bottled water and if you can I would let your baby sleep in your pack and play at home for a week or so before so she is used to it.One thing we used the snott out of was Zip locks... They are great for wet clothes stinky diapers Keeping dry stuff dry in rain or a water bottle leak... We allways used a back pack and just put 5-8 diapers in a zip lock and 2 changes of clothes in zip locks and we used platex bottles and put the formula in them ahead of time I found that 5 folded liners per small sandwitch baggie fit and did not spill the powder. Then I would bring 10 nipples and 2 bottles with the ring and 2 things of bottled water and your good to go! Last I checked they only had Carnation brand formula in the park so if you use any other kind bring a bunch! I would bring a good reclining stroller with a basket so the cutie can take naps anyplace and all the must haves are carried easy! We brought a 2 mo last year with 3 sibs and had a great time! The best part of WDW is even babys can ride allmost everything!!! I would wait on solids untill after the trip! Most Dr. will say 6mo for solid food nowadays any way. Most of all have fun! P.S. If you think it will be warm enuff to swim I would invest in a good baby floatie that has good neck and tushie support. They have some good ones and I allways feel safer in the water with my little ones with only there legs and a little of there tushies in the water and there heads way above the water!

 

[merryweather's twin]

One more thing that helped us a bunch.... Get the baby used to non warmed bottles...... It will not hurt them and will save alot of time and trouble in the parks. We prevented more than one melt down by being able to give Kris the bottle when she wanted it by not having to look for a place to warm it up first!

 

[Denine]

Thanks again for all the info!
It sounds like a back pack is the way to go for carrying things into the park. We have a stroller that lies flat. It has a small basket underneath, so we could put some stuff under there.

She has already slept in her pnp and didn't have a problem. She will sleep in it more before we go.

She was started on room temperature formula from the start, so no problem there.

I am still boiling her water. Do I need to boil it if it is bottled? She will only see the nurse, at the end of this month, before we go. She needs her 2nd hepatitis shot. I'll probably ask anyway.

 

[Crazy old Maurice]

A neat bag that I actually heard of from a post here is one from I think One Step Ahead. It's insulated and has snaps so it hangs from the stroller handlebar and is easy to access, plus it has a shoulder strap so when we were holding babies and folding strollers we just threw it over our backs and got on the bus. I think there were two bottle pockets in front, insulated too. It was just a really handy bag size-wise and you could dig into it while you were walking. We had diapers, bottle, juice for our toddler, snacks, etc all in it.

Jen

 

[skoba-nelson]

Hi Denine!

DW and I will be at WDW from NE Ohio Jan 18-25 also. We will be bringing our new DS. He will be 5 months old that week. Like you, we are new parents and we have already asked, through these boards, a couple of questions. Everyone has been a big help. We drove last early Feb and all our friends and family thought we were crazy. They thought we'd get stuck in a storm. Well hopefully just like last year, the south (Virginia and the Carolinas) had their one freak storm early this year so we'll have easy driving.

 

[gravymom]

Even though I have three kids (4,3 and 1), I will not claim to be an expert, but...

I don't think that boiling water is necessary in this day and age unless you are on a well. I never boiled bottles, nipples or water for my first child (she was breast-fed but had to take bottles of my milk at times). I just ran them through the dishwasher and went with it (and this child is my medical challenge - severe food allergies, asthma, etc). You may want to research this and/or pin your pediatrician down on this subject. But I disntinctly remember mine saying that unless the water was from a well, boiling was not necessary (and in some cases could be dangerous because if, say, lead were present in the water, boiling the water would concentrate the amount of lead). Just something you may want to ask about...

Other that that, relax and enjoy the little one down there. The younger mine were down there, the easier it was. Have a good trip!

 

[Denine]

Boiling water: I had asked at her 2 month visit if I could stop boiling the water, and the doc said not yet. I did ask about taking bottled water and he said I didn't have to boil that.

Skoba: Have a good trip. We always drive and don't see a need to fly just because we have an infant. She enjoys going for rides. We have driven in the winter months and have not really had a problem to this point. I'l keep my fingers crossed and knock on wood for next month.