Are we Crazy?

[WDW_Firefighter]

Last December me, my wife, daughter, and son visited WDW, for the first time and had an absolute blast. Had so much fun we were planning a return trip for this Sept. with my wife's parents, sister and her daughter. Well we found out the other day, that my wife is expecting our third child and would be due around the end of Sept. or early Oct.

With that being said we were thinking of postponing our trip to the first week of December. Are we crazy for wanting to bring an 8 week old to WDW? I know the baby won't get anything out of it, but my son who will be 2 and daughter who will be 4 will. Just wondering if anyone has taken an infant before and what their experience was like.

 

[The Mom]

I would be concerned about germy crowds. 8 weeks is still pretty young. Also, your wife might not be up to a WDW schedule that soon - every pregnancy is different. Add in holiday preparations, etc and it might be overwhelming. I wouldn't risk having to cancel.

I would wait until after the holidays, but before the heat of summer. Or even until next September.

 

[WishUponaStar~K]

A few things to consider:
I would be concerned with taking the 8 week old as well, just for the comfort of your wife, who also may not be released for travel and regular experiences. Also, that is a great deal of walking after having just delivered. I know when I had my children, I was not released for 12 weeks.

Germs: I wouldn't be as concerned with germs as a whole, because you'd likely have the baby in the stroller and her carseat during naps and rest time, but it's also a consideration that closer to December may be out of harm's way for flu season.

Climate: Closer to September it will be much warmer than in early December - the summer heat may not be comfortable for both your wife and new baby, and really you want the entire family to have an enjoyable vacation.

I hope this helps. While I have seen new babies at Disney, and have helped families with new babies plan their trips, it depends on the family itself and what they'd like, as well as the season - would you rather go during the Christmas decor? Or would a Harvest/Fall theme be more your style? What does your wife think about the time frame options?

 

[docdebbi]

as an obstetrician, i can tell you that unless there is some very unusual complication, there is no reason that you can't do Disney at 8 weeks post partum. you should be completely recovered physically.
the real question is......what is the wife usually like with physical issues? i have been to disney with family members near their due dates and just 5 weeks post partum, none has had any trouble. but our family is of the "pregnancy is not an infirmity but a normal physical condition" attitude. (however, bladder capacity IS an issue at term!! i know EVERY bathroom in every park! )
complications can happen with any pregnancy, but they are unusual. is your wife at higher risk for these? history of high blood pressure? diabetes? history of preterm delivery ? age over 40? medical conditions? if not, probably all will go well. if there is a complication, the doc can write a note and airlines and disney accept it.

as far as temperature, our family has the attitude that babies are born in equatorial africa and antartica every day.....and they all survive the weather! you just need to be intelligent about dressing them properly for the weather! i have faith in your intelligence.

now, the infant and infection is another issue. we pretty much kept the little one away from other kids (they are all little walking petri dishes!) most of the time he was in his car seat in the stroller or snuggled in a carrier on one of his parent's chests. people all look and oooh and aaahh, but no one really tried to touch! it is peak flu season, so definitely keep him/her away from adults. the good news is, the word got out and most folks are now actually getting their flu shots! hooray!

with proper precautions, i can't see a reason to have to avoid the parks, but it does depend completely on your attitude !! "I can do anything" attitudes, lead to I CAN DO ANYTHING!

 

[WDW_Firefighter]

Thanks for the suggestions and advice. Although I think WishUponaStar may have misunderstood me a little. We are definitely not going in Sept. because my wife is due at the end of Sept./ early Oct. So, if we go it would be the last week of Nov. or first week of Dec.

I do understand every pregnancy is different, but she recovered very well after our first two kids. I'm aware that she could have complications with this one, but has not had previous complications. We will also be driving and if we did have to cancel, I believe Disney's cancellation policy is you can cancel or reschedule up to 5 days before your trip.

We will also consult our pediatrician before we book. But had already talked about wearing the baby in a sling or having the baby in a covered stroller the whole time. Thanks Dr. Debbi, it's nice to have a doctor's input on here.

 

[mickeysaver]

RSV and Influenza are my biggest concerns for your little one going at that age during that time of year. Both of these illnesses are from droplet spread viruses, so those coughing and sneezing close by and those that coughed or sneezed into a hand and put the hand on a surface are potentially spreading the disease. Just make sure that everyone does their best to wash their hands before handling the little one, so that there is no spread after touching germy rails, tables, and such. But, these guidelines apply to pretty much any place that you go out with the little one, but WDW and an airport are a little higher risk because of the international travel factor and the fact that there are just so many people.

 

[hiptwinmama]

I would be a little cautious with that small a baby. Disney is a wonderful place, but VERY GERMY. Think of all the sick little kids blowing their noses and the running their hands along EVERYTHING.

 

[woodardfamily]

The timing stinks for sure...but the best bet may be to reschedule.

 

[nc_disneyfreak]

congrats first of all

i feel your pain..ok, im a guy so not really lol...but the thought of cancelling or postponing makes me have morning sickness...8 weeks seems way to young......if your going for just a couple days....i can see if it was for a week or so, maybe a little longer, cause then you would be able to take more time to relax, not feel too pressured to see it all etc...the other 2 kids would love it no doubt, but id be so worried that youd have to stop so often to tend to the babies needs that the other 2 kids would be upset....but its disney so take the time to plan, locate all the baby care centers in each park, take it slow and set aside some rides that you plan on going on to free up some time to make sure the other 2 get their rides first....and if your doc thinks its a good idea then i say go for it!

 

[cmanley23]

I have a question along with the original person who started this thread on the forums. My family will be going as a grand gathering along with the rest of my wife's family (8 adults and 13 kids total). We will be having our third child in August and will be at Disney World right after Christmas for a week.

What challenges will we have with having a 4 month old at the parks? I've been trying to do some research and plans (yes, I'm a bit early) on areas to take breaks, bathrooms,etc... what ideas or plans have anyone else done at the parks?

We have rooms at this trip at the Contemporary Resort. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!