The BIG taboo.... Breastfeeding (and ISO other infant tips)

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm scared this is going to happen to me, too. I get sweaty wearing it at the mall...

I would plan on having it as an option but not relying on it exclusively as @Noellikechristmas said. If you little one has decent head and body control, I'd recommend Dad's shoulders as the primary alternative for the times you need to put the stroller aside.

 

[buseegal]

And there in lies the taboo of it all

My husband just said he's pretty sure the Jasmine meet and greet shows more boobage. Anyway, that's why I was reluctant to bring up a conversation like this - there's always one person looking to instigate a debate. Thank you for the great tips everyone!!!

the one thing to watch out for are the quiet out of the way areas that are marked as a smoking area as you can not tell someone that they cant smoke in a smoking area. don't know how it end but remember seeing one mother arguing with someone as she was there first and he could not smoke near her baby but she was in a smoking area. that was the only problem we saw at Disney

 

[Kryu01]

I have just spent all day resort hopping with my 6 month old, exclusively breastfed baby! We had a particularly good experience at Port Orleans French Quarter! They let us use a dressing room in the Mercantile shop! And everyone was nice and interacted with my daughter a lot! Also at Grand Floridian Mercatile they let us use a fitting room! (Although the woman told me that most mom's just use the couches in the lobby!) Coronado Springs has a couch area in their convention center (I asked a guest service cast member in the lobby and she pointed the way to me.) It's very secluded and has comfy couches with pillows to use. As far as breastfeeding in the parks, I think I would try and time some shows like Presidents Hall or other easy but dark rides like Haunted Mansion or The Great Movie ride (just for examples) Maybe even its a small world!

I'mean sure if you ask a.cast member they could point you to an out of the way area as well!

Hope this helped a bit!

 

[Emily Brown]

I had good luck feeding while on quiet/gentle rides like Living with the Land and Ellen's Energy Adventure in Epcot. We also enjoyed nursing on Tom Sawyer's Island, in Country Bear Jamboree and Carousel of Progress in Magic Kingdom. Baby Girl did best if she had a less chaotic place to eat, so that was our tactic! And I can't imagine anyone else's children will be paying attention to you nursing while they are enjoying an attraction... so if you're concerned someone may object, that should help. No one even seemed to notice us. Have a great trip!

 

[WDWDreamer4]

I nursed all three of my children around WDW. My DS at 5 weeks, my DD at 4 months and my other DD at 4 weeks. The easiest was the 4 month old since she was 1. the best nurser I had and 2. she was a little older and experienced while nursing in any position. But all three were fine. I usually would find a bench off to the side, under a tree or in some shade. Never failed though that some stranger would end up sitting down next to me. I would smile and continue nursing. most of the time I don't think the realized I was nursing till the baby was done.
Suggestion - don't waste money on nursing tops. Buy a bunch of tank tops and wear them under your shirt (I like the ones at Old Navy that are stretchy. Then when you nurse pull your shirt up and the tank down from the top. The stretchy tanks work best as it doesn't distort the tank. Then have a nursing bar and your are set. Keeps everything covers, from top of chest to belly.
Use the baby care centers when you are near them, but don't make the trek from the other end of the park.
Get a comfortable carrier
Have a blanket to cover baby's head if they fall asleep in carrier. Many times my husband used a napkin to cover DS head while he ate because DS had fallen asleep in the carrier and I had left the blanket in the stroller.
You will have a great time! Enjoy!

 

[aporthole]

With my firstborn I never figured out how to nurse while he was in the Ergo. With #2 I was determined to make it work. At around 5 months old, we finally did it, and it made things SO much easier. I was able to nurse on the go everywhere. The hood on the Ergo makes for a nice privacy cover if you are more comfortable that way. I would loosen the strap on the opposite side I was going to nurse on, shift the carrier/baby toward the chosen side, snap the hood up, pull shirt down, b00b out, assist with latching, and then make any other little adjustments. I would usually have my arm free on the same side I was nursing but I would usually keep the opposite hand tucked in the carrier and supporting the b00b. Wearing a shirt/tank with a scoop neck or v neck opening and made of stretchy material makes it easy. I usually did a thin stretchy camisole and a T or loose tank over the top. If I'm not nursing in the carrier, the double layer of shirt lifted up with cami and bra pushed down under b00b keeps your tummy covered and the lifted top layer acts almost like a nursing cover.

 

[BrerWayne]

When we went for my youngest's first trip, he was breast fed on Small World, Pirates, and Great Movie Ride. They are all dark rides and my wife wore a cover. I doubt anyone even noticed.

 

[Patcheslee]

I haven't had any experience with a mom breastfeeding her baby when me and DD6 at the time was eating next to her. DD asked why the baby was under her moms shirt, and asked if she could share her fries I tried to explain what mom was doing but just got a puzzled look. Then she looked at the lady and asked if she could see!!! Needless to say I was embarrassed her asking, but the mom was polite and asked if it was okay. I told her if she was okay with it I didn't mind. So DD had her peak and said "ohhh like kittens and puppies eat". End of conversation. Point being don't be suprised by curious kids lol.

 

[KrzyKtty]

I took my son when he was 10 weeks old (booked and started paying on the vacation before he was even thought of lol). He was a feeding vacuum! Seriously, a Hoover among babies. Good Lord that child could eat, everywhere, anywhere, and ALL THE TIME! At first I tried to stick to the "mom" rooms, but quickly got tired the trek. So basically, I just started to find a place like a bench, table, cross legged on the edge of the side walk lol. I tried to use the blanket, but couldn't ever get it to work with him, so mostly just angled myself away from the crowds. One tip I would keep in mind, just maybe, is I would keep just one bottle or so around for emergencies. There were some times when I wanted to go on a ride, so i would leave a bottle with my mother just in case the little hoover demanded food, again....

 

[21stamps]

When we go, they will be 6 years old and 4 1/2 years old. They've both been twice when they were 3 & 1 1/2 and the 4 1/2 and 3, but this would (hopefully) be the first year that they both will be able to do most the bigger rides and go strong without naps and strollers.

What about the Tiki Room or Country Bears? Those could be good spots to add to the changing stations as well.
That's what i would do.

 

[21stamps]

I took my son when he was 10 weeks old (booked and started paying on the vacation before he was even thought of lol). He was a feeding vacuum! Seriously, a Hoover among babies. Good Lord that child could eat, everywhere, anywhere, and ALL THE TIME! At first I tried to stick to the "mom" rooms, but quickly got tired the trek. So basically, I just started to find a place like a bench, table, cross legged on the edge of the side walk lol. I tried to use the blanket, but couldn't ever get it to work with him, so mostly just angled myself away from the crowds. One tip I would keep in mind, just maybe, is I would keep just one bottle or so around for emergencies. There were some times when I wanted to go on a ride, so i would leave a bottle with my mother just in case the little hoover demanded food, again....

My kid refused a bottle for a year. None. No matter how many I bought. And I spent half of my pregnancy researching bottles.lol

No bottles. No pacifiers. It was hell.

 

[KrzyKtty]

My kid refused a bottle for a year. None. No matter how many I bought. And I spent half of my pregnancy researching bottles.lol

No bottles. No pacifiers. It was hell.

My son didn't care, as long as food was provided lol. He refused pacifiers, no point in a n!pple that didn't provide food.

 

[21stamps]

My son didn't care, as long as food was provided lol. He refused pacifiers, no point in a n!pple that didn't provide food.

My doctor told me that "I trained him to night feed for too long" (night times were about 30 minute feedings) I was like- 'ok how do I untrain him'?!? My sister had a tough time getting her kids of pacifiers and remarked that I was lucky with not having to break that habit. I would take her scenario over my own any day...I was chained to my baby.lol. I remember having a total melt down one day, went and sat outside and cried. My life for the first 4 months was feed/clean up the puke/pump feed/clean up the puke/pump. Every hour. (He had GERD) I do not miss those days!!!

I sound really mean here, lol. There was a lot that I loved during the infant stage, don't get me wrong..my kid refusing a bottle just wasn't one of them.

 

[KrzyKtty]

Me either. I love both my children, but I am SOOO happy that those days are behind me.

 

[The Mom]

I had a very, very thin cotton sheet (that I embroidered) for my children that I always brought to WDW. It was thin enough that they didn't get hot, but kept bugs, leaves, etc away from their faces, and also gave me some privacy. I would also clip it over the stroller visor to keep the sun off while they were sleeping. I have it put away in my "baby" box - lots of hand made items or sentimental items.

 

[mdubm]

I just came back (June trip) and I wore my 14 month old in a mesh Tula with no issues. It was really overcast and the weather wasn't as brutal as usual. I've read about those cooling towels you can put between you and baby to keep you both from overheating.
Another suggestion is muslin blankets. Those will make good lightweight covers.
You know your baby best. Dd would anywhere out of anything. Ds had to have quiet and no distractions. Nevertheless, this is probably the least judgmental place where you can feed your baby. I noticed quite a few mom's nursing while I was there. Because I've nursed two babies, I knew that's what they were doing. Otherwise, I may have never known. Most people at Disney are too busy running to the next attraction to really stop and see what's going on around them. I agree the quiet, darker rides may be easier to nurse. I noticed many little covered alcoves in MK when we were there. Especially by Pecos Bills and the adventureland area.

 

[newhorizons1]

I nursed my then 8-month old on The Land two months ago. As soon as we sat down he started getting fussy. I threw my cover on and nursed him right as the boat started. I even waved at the CM as we passed by (haha!). While we were there it was in the mid-upper 90s the entire trip, so I nursed my son inside whenever I could. The only baby station that I went to was at Epcot, but it was nice having a quiet and cool spot to nurse him and to relax for a bit myself. It wasn't crowded at the time of day I went so my husband just sat in a little lobby area and watched cartoons.

I brought my Boba light carrier to use while waiting in the lines, but I never used it. I have a Tula that I love, but I left it at home knowing it would be way too hot to put him in it. There were enough adults to pass him around, which I know is not a luxury you will have.

At the end of the day do what's best for you and your baby.

 

[correcaminos]

It's not taboo at all to breastfeed. I wasn't able to breastfeed long and never exclusively (and my boy started eating solids at 4 months so we had to bring food with us!) but we still used blankets and such to cover in busy public places since he was always big on watching everything around him. We had a variety of blankets to use that weren't hot and sweaty or were warm and comforting depending on the weather. None were the nice things they have now though. There are many light cotton breathable ones out there now I see.

That said many of my friend don't always use them to beastfeed and that's an option too IMO. The care centers are nice for lack of distractions though which always was our biggest issue when at that age.

 

[correcaminos]

My kid refused a bottle for a year. None. No matter how many I bought. And I spent half of my pregnancy researching bottles.lol

No bottles. No pacifiers. It was hell.

We had no choice with bottles due to my lack of production. Just wasn't happening no matter what we tried. However my boy didn't take a pacifier and had reflux. That was soooo not fun! So hard to sooth a hurting boy, though medicine did ultimately help. But I feel your pain!

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

everywhere you can find a secluded place to feed, but please do not do it directly on the carousels!

How about on Carousel of Progress?